The Pace Report Vol. 24

In a novel twist on Super Bowl advertising, Miller Lite is turning fans into ads with its "Running of the Beer Ads" campaign, where 1,000 fans will become mobile billboards by wearing special QR code jerseys. Starting February 1, participants can sign up for a Miller Game Time Jersey and become part of a unique advertising strategy during Super Bowl commercial breaks. The QR codes on these jerseys link to a contest with a $170,000 prize pool, and the top scanners win beer for a year. This campaign, featuring actor Rob Riggle as the lead promoter, marks a shift from traditional advertising methods, aligning with trends in more cost-effective marketing strategies.

This initiative follows Miller Lite's previous year's creative approach, where they partnered with DraftKings for an interactive Super Bowl ad. As Super Bowl ad costs soar, with a 30-second slot costing around $7 million, brands like Miller Lite are exploring innovative ways to engage consumers without the hefty price tag. 

Elon Musk’s X has taken the significant step of blocking searches for Taylor Swift. The action comes in response to the circulation of AI-generated, sexually explicit deepfake images of the pop star. The images gained widespread attention, with one particular image being viewed 47 million times in approximately 17 hours before it was removed from X. This incident has sparked renewed discussions about the ethical use of AI in the creator economy and the need for stricter legislation to protect individuals against its gross misuse.

As a result, X has implemented a ban on all searches for Swift and related queries, displaying error messages instead. This incident has also drawn attention from the White House, with Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre expressing alarm over the images. Swift's fans have also mobilized against the deepfakes, reporting offending accounts and launching a counteroffensive with positive images of Swift under the hashtag #ProtectTaylorSwift. The incident broadly underscores the challenges ahead for social media platforms and lawmakers given the need to maintain safety and privacy while simultaneously fostering a culture of technological advancement.

Media conglomerate Condé Nast has absorbed Pitchfork, a leading voice in music journalism, into GQ, sparking debates on the future of niche media in the broader publishing landscape. The shift has led to significant staff reductions, raising concerns about the potential impact on Pitchfork's editorial focus and its legacy of in-depth music coverage. 

The merger  comes at a critical juncture for the music journalism field, which has been grappling with the challenges posed by the rise of social media and streaming platforms. These platforms have changed the way audiences discover music, potentially diminishing the role of traditional music criticism and analysis. The integration of Pitchfork into GQ symbolizes a test case for the adaptability of music journalism in an era where its traditional functions are being reevaluated.

Trouble is brewing between TikTok and major label Universal Music Group (UMG) as the latter has announced it will not renew its licensing agreement with the video platform due to disputes over artist compensation and AI concerns. UMG has criticized TikTok for proposing a deal that significantly undercuts the fair market value of music and offers a fraction of the compensation rate paid by similar platforms. Despite TikTok's vast user base and rising ad revenue, UMG states TikTok's contribution to their total revenue is only about 1%. Meanwhile, UMG maintains over 37% share of the recorded music industry overall.

UMG's grievances with TikTok include inadequate compensation for artists and songwriters, the dilution of royalty pools by AI-generated content, and insufficient efforts to manage infringing or harmful content. UMG has accused TikTok of employing intimidation tactics, such as selectively removing music from developing artists while retaining global stars, in an effort to coerce UMG into accepting an unfavorable deal.