Marketing and media events for October 25 to October 31

Oct. 27
 

InfoTrust holds its CPG & Multi-Brand Digital Analytics Virtual Summit from noon to 4 p.m. ET, with speakers including Joanna Goldblatt, head of advertising tech sales at Google, and Shaafi Khokhar, global director of media technology and investment at GSK.

McDonald’s third-quarter results will show how well the world’s largest restaurant chain is navigating continuing labor shortages. “I’m constructive and positive on the staffing outlook in the back half (of the year). I think we’re going to continue to make progress,” CEO Chris Kempczinski said in July. “But it certainly is a challenge.” The Golden Arches has somewhat divergent plans for early November, bringing back the McRib nationally and testing its McPlant sandwich (made with Beyond Meat) in select U.S. markets. 

Kraft Heinz will also post its third-quarter results. The food marketer has been finding new ways to promote old brands. Last week, it announced a “Flvrs Club” for fans of its iconic Kraft macaroni & cheese. 

Oct. 28

Facebook Connect, an annual AR/VR conference, starts with a speech from CEO Mark Zuckerberg at 1 p.m. ET today. The event is hotly anticipated because Facebook is expected to unveil a new corporate identity this week. The company’s future is much invested in the “metaverse” and virtual reality platforms that are likely to launch at Connect.

Hershey Co. will report third-quarter earnings days ahead of Halloween, a crucial time for the brand. While shoppers might be rushing out this week to get Reese’s and the company’s other products in time for trick-or-treating, Hershey and its rivals sold their products to retailers months ago in preparation for the season. 

WPP reports earnings. The pressure is on to match positive third-quarter results posted by Omnicom, Publicis and IPG.

Amazon and Shopify both deliver third-quarter earnings reports today, offering an overview of the e-commerce marketplace. 

Oct. 29

Kohl’s Chief Marketing Officer Greg Revelle will discuss how the department store chain is gearing up for the holidays and dealing with the supply chain crisis on Ad Age Remotely, a livestreamed interview. Revelle will also reveal Kohl’s new holiday spot. 

​​Fast-forward right past Halloween and Thanksgiving by watching “Christmas in Harmony,” a Hallmark Channel original movie premiering tonight at 8 p.m. ET.

Oct. 30-31

Halloween falls on Sunday, giving trick-or-treaters plenty of time to load up on candy. Last year, some areas had restrictions in place due to COVID-19—remember those tubes that allowed sweets to slide from homes while social distancing? This year, expect to see bigger crowds of candy hunters, perhaps in costumes that integrate masks. At press time, there were plenty of  Squid Game Front Man masks available online.