Arstechnica
Microsoft plans to deliver "console quality gaming on any device"—PC, Xbox, or phone—with a "game streaming network" that the company is developing, said Executive President of Gaming Phil Spencer at the company's E3 press conference. This isn't the first time that Spencer has spoken of such development. At the Xbox One X launch last year, he said that Microsoft would have a game streaming service within three years.
DenverPost
Quiznos, the battered Denver-based sandwich chain that started toasting subs in 1981, has been purchased by a California private equity firm specializing in corporate turnarounds. Fear not, local brand loyalists still processing
Chipotle Mexican Grill’s impending Denver departure, Quiznos’ new owner says there are no plans to move the sandwich maker’s corporate headquarters or to replace top executive, Susan Lintonsmith.
Battle Creek Enquirer
Kellogg Co. announced leadership changes for its North American and European divisions. The current president of Kellogg Europe, Chris Hood, is becoming president of Kellogg North America. Dave Lawlor, the vice president of Kellogg European Cereal Business, is becoming president of Kellogg Europe. The previous president of Kellogg North America, Paul Norman, left the company earlier this year.
Los Angeles Business Journal
The Hispanic Heritage Foundation has selected H Code Media to do digital marketing for the Washington, D.C., non-profit. The move is part of three-year-old H Code building upon its desired niche to do digital marketing for the Spanish-language audience. “We are focused solely on the U.S. Hispanic audience,” said H Code Media CEO Parker Morse. “The market for this demographic keeps growing.”
Fast Company
Physical and even mental health is a growing focus for Fitbit as it tries to fill the revenue gap left by a stalled business in fitness trackers. Fitbit supplies devices to health insurers and their members to promote wellness and help keep members from needing expensive health services. Now Fitbit is directing much of its time, money, and strategy toward presenting the value of its devices, services, and data to healthcare providers like hospitals.
Re/code
Bozoma Saint John has left Uber for Endeavor. She will become CMO there, focused on a range of creative connections between its enormous talent portfolio and big brands. Saint John has been at Uber for
almost exactly a year. She was brought in under ousted CEO Travis Kalanick by board member Arianna Huffington, but was never made head of marketing. Instead, she was in charge of brand efforts.
Mumbrella Asia
As discussions between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un get underway in Singapore this week, furniture brand Ikea has put its own side of the debate forward on social media. The Swedish company released an irreverent post on its Facebook page with the tongue-in-cheek suggestion that: “Today of all days, let’s make furniture not war.” Created by BBH Singapore, the campaign marks yet another attempt by Ikea to poke fun at current affairs.
Forbes
Howard Schultz, the chairman of Starbucks who recently announced his retirement, has been the subject of presidential candidate speculation. Will the people who disagree with him show their opposition by buying less often at Starbucks? In an era where politics is so personal and a potential candidate who so closely identified with one company, will people who oppose Schultz politically take their opposition to every local Starbucks?
USA Today
A hot new food trend combines two delicious summer fruits to create something entirely new. Meet the “braspberry." And it owes its sudden popularity to one of the planet's biggest celebrities,
Justin Timberlake. It was the singer's Instagram post that thrust the notion of stuffing a blueberry into a raspberry into the public consciousness. Now, marketers are starting to develop products around the idea.
eTurboNews
Hawaii Gov. David Ige and the Hawaii Tourism Authority praised the decision of Norwegian Cruise Line to resume port calls in Hilo and Kona on the island of Hawaii. The cruise ship carries up to 2,500 passengers per week and is serviced by 900 crew members. Norwegian halted port calls the to cities May 15 due to concerns about adverse conditions created by the eruptions of Kilauea volcano.