Good Week/Bad Week in Branding

Good Week: AT&T – The former “phone company’s” $85B proposed purchase of content king Time Warner – itself the lovechild of two heavyweights – would be the biggest of all big-deal kahunas (and include such notable brands as HBO and CNN). That snapping sound you hear? It’s Congress adjusting their examination gloves in advance of the inevitable antitrust hearings 

Bad Week: Amazon – While most of us aren’t ready to see Christmas decorations in October, the holiday season can’t start soon enough for the online retail leader, who saw its stock fall as much as 7% on the new of less-than-prime Q3 earnings. Release the drones!

Worse Week: Twitter – Everyone’s favorite short-form soapbox pulls the plug on Vine only four years after paying $30M for the video-sharing platform. This comes on the heels of the company announcing imminent layoffs – 9% of its workforce – as it fights for profitability after a fruitless search for a buyer. #notakers