Why branding matters

Gallery Launch Gallery Backgrid Kanye West just can't quit Balenciaga -- even though the brand ditched him over his antisemitism, he took his new wife for some retail therapy there ... but their trip also included a subtle callback to Nazi Germany. Ye and Bianca Censori hit up the upscale Bev Hills clothing store Wednesday night on Rodeo Drive, loading up with several bags filled with merch. He's not a billionaire anymore, but the spree is a reminder he's still VERY rich. BACKGRID We're told the couple also spent some time in a nearby Neiman Marcus ... but it's unclear if KW and BC left that store with any sweet threads. Backgrid BTW, Ye appeared to be wearing a t-shirt with a coat of arms of the German Reich ... used before the Nazis adopted the swastika. It's also got the word "Bundeswehr" written above -- the name for the federal defense forces in Germany. This coat of arms is a current logo of the German Army. … [Read more...] about Kanye West Takes Wife Shopping at Balenciaga Despite Brand Dropping Him

CNBC is filling the 7 PM ET hour with Last Call , a business show that will be anchored by Brian Sullivan and explore money, culture and policy. The new show occupies the old time slot of The News with Shepard Smith , the newscast that was canceled in November. CNBC President KC Sullivan, who wants the network to focus on its core area of business and financial news, announced the new show in a memo to staff, along with a series of other changes to the CNBC lineup. “Through panels, debates and newsmakers, Last Call will not only deliver fresh takes on the biggest business topics of the day, but also shine a light on the other important stories that our viewers may have missed, all with an eye on what’s going to matter to the markets the next day,” he wrote. He also said that the network would produce more documentaries and specials in primetime, when the network runs reality shows like Shark Tank , Undercover Boss and American Greed. Among the other … [Read more...] about CNBC Schedules ‘Last Call’ With Brian Sullivan In Evening Slot After Cancellation Of Shepard Smith Newscast

Executives at NBCUniversal and Comcast took the stage at Studio 8H at Rockefeller Center on Thursday and offered their first financial projections for streaming service Peacock during an investor presentation. Four years after it launches, first to some Comcast subscribers in April and then nationally by July, the service will be bringing in $2.5 billion in revenue and breaking even. There will be 30 million to 35 million “active users” by that point, the company said. “We are creating the equivalent of a 21 st century broadcast business, delivered on the internet,” NBCU chairman Steve Burke said. While cord-cutting is a reality, counting on-demand and digital viewing, he continued, “More people are watching more video today than ever.” Peacock Investors Day: Deadline’s Complete Coverage While subscriptions ranging from $5 a month to $10 a month will be sold to non-Comcast subscribers, the company is counting on advertising revenue being a mainstay … [Read more...] about NBCUniversal Expects $2.5B In Peacock Revenue, Break-Even By 2024

IMAGN Rui Hachimura made his debut as the Los Angeles Lakers' newest addition on Wednesday ... but a lot of his fans back home missed out on the action -- 'cause the historic moment caused the NBA's streaming service in Japan to crash. The Lakers acquired the 24-year-old from the Washington Wizards earlier this week ... shipping Kendrick Nunn and a handful of second round picks to secure the deal -- making Rui the first Japanese-born player in Lakers franchise history. Fans were quick to complain on social media about not being able to watch Rui check in towards the end of the first quarter of the Lakers' home win over the San Antonio Spurs ... forcing the streaming service to address the issue. Rakuten -- the Association's official streaming partner in Japan since 2017 -- released a statement on the matter ... saying, "Starting around 12:20 PM Japan Time on Thursday, January 26, the NBA Rakuten site became inaccessible when a sudden surge in user traffic caused … [Read more...] about Rui Hachimura’s Lakers Debut Crashes Streaming Service In Japan

TMZ.com Matt Barnes is getting court-ordered protection from his fiancée's ex-husband ... after the former NBA champ said the guy had terrorized him in the lead-up to a wild spitting incident at the 49ers game on Sunday. Barnes got a judge to sign off on a temporary restraining order against David Patterson Jr. on Wednesday ... just days after he spat on the man in a concourse at Levi's Stadium before the S.F. vs Dallas playoff game. Barnes' TRO is slated to last until Feb. 16 -- when a hearing on the matter will go down in Los Angeles. TMZSports.com As part of the order, 37-year-old Patterson Jr. is required to have no contact with Barnes ... and must stay at least 100 yards away from the ex-Golden State Warriors forward. Patterson Jr. has also been ordered to have no firearms. As we reported, 42-year-old Barnes initially filed for the TRO on Tuesday -- after he alleged Patterson Jr. had made his life hell the past few months. Barnes … [Read more...] about Matt Barnes Gets Restraining Order Against Fiancee’s Ex After Spitting Incident

EXCLUSIVE : Larry Wilmore is tapping into his experiences in late-night for a primetime comedy in development at ABC . Wilmore is writing, executive producing and is set to star in Lately , described as a behind-the-scenes look at the upstairs-downstairs dynamics of the people who work at a late-night talk show, sources tell Deadline. Tamara Gregory, Head of Television at Wilmore’s Wilmore Films, also executive produces. The project comes from Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, where Wilmore is under an overall deal . Wilmore was host of his own late-night talk show, Comedy Central’s The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore , which ran for nearly two years . He also appeared as “Senior Black Correspondent” on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and more recently hosted and executive produced Wilmore, a limited weekly special talk series for Peacock. This marks Wilmore’s return to ABC, where he helped to launch Black-ish as an executive … [Read more...] about Larry Wilmore To Headline Late Night-Themed Comedy ‘Lately’ In Works At ABC

Noah Cowan , former co-director of the Toronto Film Festival and executive director of SFFILM in San Francisco, died Wednesday of cancer in Los Angeles, Deadline has confirmed. He was 55. Cowan died of glioblastoma multiforme, an aggressive form of brain cancer he was diagnosed with in December 2021. Born on July 22, 1967, in Hamilton, Ontario, he joined TIFF in 1984 as a box office staffer after volunteering with the fest in summer 1981. He later ran its print traffic department before becoming one of the programmers of TIFF’s Midnight Madness program in 1989. He was promoted to Program Administrator in 1992, and co-ran Midnight Madness with Colin Geddes in 1997. Cowan served as TIFF’s international programmer from 1997-2001, during which time he was promoted to associate director of programming and then associate director. He left the festival in 2001 but returned three years later as co-director, serving in the role until 2008. From 2008-14, he was artistic … [Read more...] about Noah Cowan Dies: Former Toronto Film Festival Co-Director, Indie Distributor & SFFILM Exec Was 55

The Oscar nominations this week set off a new round of speculation about corporate image: Does it matter that Netflix ’s potential Oscar take had dropped to 16 from 36 in 2020? “I don’t give a f*ck about my corporate image and companies shouldn’t waste their time worrying about their’s.” Those were the words of Martin Davis, the only press agent ever to become CEO of a major media company. Davis’ behavior in the ‘90s reflected his views: During his decade-long tenure at Paramount, the company endured a succession of public brawls and setbacks. The Davis Doctrine is worth pondering today given the stalwart efforts of entities like Netflix, Disney and Warner Bros Discovery on image enhancement. Under Bob Chapek, Disney spent $8.3 million to reward its newly recruited PR chief, Geoff Morrell, for his stint on improving the company’s corporate image. Morrell’s four-month tenure culminated in his firing and, later, that of his boss prior to the re-anointment of Bob … [Read more...] about Peter Bart: Big Media Honchos Hunt For Ways To Accentuate The Positive In Turbulent Moment

Hasbro , which has been reeling from a series of economic and corporate shocks, plans to cut 15% of its global workforce this year, or about 1,000 positions. In addition to those reductions, the company plans to unveil “a new organizational model, commercial alignment, and leadership changes” during its quarterly earnings call on February 16. One preliminary exec move announced today was the departure of Eric Nyman as president and chief operating officer. The consumer products group Nyman used to oversee will now report directly to CEO Chris Cocks. The toy maker and film and TV supplier elevated Cocks to CEO about a year ago following the death weeks earlier of Brian Goldner, who had steered the Rhode Island company to a more high-profile role in Hollywood. Under Goldner, Hasbro reached deals with studios and streamers for adaptations of Transformers, G.I. Joe and many other properties. During the pandemic, though, and with resulting supply-chain and retail pressures, Hasbro has … [Read more...] about Hasbro To Cut 15% Of Workforce, Warns Q4 Results Hurt By “Challenging Holiday Consumer Environment”

UPDATE: President Volodymyr Zelensky was greeted by rousing ovations by a joint session of Congress as he told lawmakers that Ukraine would “never surrender” in its war against Russia. In his speech, running about 20 minutes and delivered in English, Zelensky compared his country’s winter fight to that of American soldiers fighting Nazis in the Battle of the Bulge, which also took place in a cold December. “Ukraine holds its line and will never surrender,” he said. It was one of several moments in his speech that connected American history — and American ideals — to what is happening in Ukraine. “It is just a matter of time when [Russia] will strike against your other allies … if we do not stop them now. We must do it,” he said. The speech reflected the former comedian’s gifts at communication, with memorable lines and standout visual moments, as when he presented House Speaker Nancy Pelosi with a Ukrainian battle flag as a “symbol of our victory in this war.” … [Read more...] about Volodymyr Zelensky, In Historic Speech To Congress, Says Ukraine Will “Never Surrender” To Russia