Connect with us

Published

on

Chinese-owned e-commerce giant Temu dropped tens of millions of dollars on three Super Bowl commercials and offered $15 million in giveaways in hopes of getting a major leg up with US shoppers.

The 30-second ad spots during Super Bowl LVIII — when the Kansas City Chiefs clinched the Lombardi trophy after the game went into overtime against the San Francisco 49ers — cost brands a reported $7 million each, according to Bloomberg.

Thus, Temu spent an estimated $21 million on its three commercials aired throughout the Big Game, which touted the bizarre tagline “shop like a billionaire.”

The online discount marketplace also offered $15 million in giveaways, coupons and other promotions, according to CNN.

Temu — which is based in Boston and owned by PDD, the group behind Chinese online shopping giant Pinduoduo — also paid for two post-Super Bowl advertisements to air during CBS’s late-night programming, CNN reported.

It’s unclear how much Temu spent on its post-game ads.

Temu’s Super Bowl spend had its desired effect, according to Google Trends data, which showed that web searches for the app spiked when the commercials played.

Temu searches had been steadily declining since early July, Bloomberg reported, along with the company’s observed sales, which fell 2.5% month-on-month in December and 4.8% in January.

However, Temu saw impressive growth last year, when it made its Super Bowl ad debut after officially launching in the US in September 2022.

In 2023, Temu’s sales increased a staggering 805% at the start of the year and more than 50% mid-year, according to Bloomberg Second Measure data tracking, a subset of US credit and debit card transactions.

Temu’s explosive growth in January 2023 sales was four times more than the No. 2 spot, Elon Musk’s Space X, and far above e-commerce rival Amazon, which experienced 191% and 1.71% sales increases, respectively.

But in recent months, the number of Americans shopping on Temu has also fallen, according to the Second Measure data, as Temu has developed a reputation for long delivery times, unresponsive customer service and incorrect orders.

The company’s Better Business Bureau profile boasts a dismal 2.5 stars, with customers complaining that the site is a “scam.”

Other shoppers have raised concerns that the Chinese app poses a security threat to Americans. Some even suggested that the company should be barred from advertising during the Super Bowl because of its origins.

“TEMU ads for the Super Bowl. Selling fake products. HP says theyre not their stuff. Orders that never show up,” one X user said. “In what world does it make sense to allow a China, communist, dictator controlled company to compete with Amazon and Walmart? WAKE UP AMERICA!!!!!”

Subscribe to our daily Business Report newsletter!

Please provide a valid email address.

By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Never miss a story.

“Freedom-loving” digital marketplace PublicSquare also weighed in: “Its shocking that we allow Super Bowl commercials from a company like Temu who has a long history of slave labor and funding of the Chinese communist party,” the company shared.

A late-January survey from Morgan Stanley offered cool comfort for Temu’s future: It found that nearly one-third of its users plan to shop less on the app over the next three months.

Only eBay and Etsy had weaker outlooks, according to Morgan Stalney’s findings, which were earlier reported on by Bloomberg.

Margins have declined in recent quarters and are expected to keep declining, according to Bloomberg, as PDD would have to continue offering steep discounts and rebates in order to grow rapidly in the US.

Profitability is a concern. Its just not a priority right now, Morningstar senior analyst Chelsey Tam said.

Representatives for Temu declined to comment on the company’s Super Bowl ad spend.

Continue Reading

Sports

Fantasy baseball: What to expect from Red Sox prospect Marcelo Mayer

Published

on

By

Fantasy baseball: What to expect from Red Sox prospect Marcelo Mayer

Boston Red Sox SS prospect Marcelo Mayer is getting the call to the major leagues, as starting 3B Alex Bregman (calf) is headed to the injured list. Fantasy managers should not expect Mayer, 22, to replace Bregman’s excellent numbers (.938 OPS), but he should see opportunity for playing time over the likes of Nick Sogard and Abraham Toro. Mayer is an excellent defensive shortstop, but he has played second base and third base at Triple-A Worcester as well this season.

Ranked No. 6 in Kiley McDaniels’ recently updated top 50 prospect rankings, Mayer hit .265/.342/.465 over 43 games and 193 plate appearances at Triple-A, with 9 home runs, 43 RBI and 2 stolen bases. The No. 4 pick in the 2021 amateur draft, Mayer hits left-handed, makes solid contact and drew a 10.4% walk rate this season. There is power upside, but as with most prospects, fantasy managers should keep initial expectations well in check.

Everyone loves the prospects until they reach the majors and alter their narrative (as most do). Chicago Cubs rookie IF Matt Shaw struggled earlier this season and was sent back to Triple-A, though he has returned to the majors. Arizona Diamondbacks SS Jordan Lawlar remains hitless in the majors this season. New Red Sox teammate Kristian Campbell is hitting .225 with a 27% strikeout rate. Hitting big league pitching can be problematic even for long-time veterans. In ESPN’s shallow standard leagues, with no middle infield spot and only nine active hitting spots, it is tough to make an argument to rush out and add Mayer. At the time of the promotion announcement, he was available in 94% of ESPN standard leagues.

Those needing to replace Bregman at third base should look at the Texas RangersJosh Jung and Jake Burger, and the Philadelphia PhilliesAlec Bohm, proven players with job security. For those looking at adding Mayer as their shortstop, Angels star Zach Neto somehow remains available in 71% of leagues, and he certainly comes recommended over Mayer, as does Colorado Rockies starter Ezequiel Tovar. Mayer will likely hit near the bottom of the Boston lineup. If he hits well, he might move up, and he might keep his roster spot even when Bregman returns to health.

It is exciting when one of the top prospects in the sport earns a promotion, but hitting a baseball against top pitching can be challenging for all. Those in deeper formats can make a better case to add Mayer and hope for the best.

Continue Reading

Sports

Sources: Red Sox call up heralded prospect Mayer

Published

on

By

Sources: Red Sox call up heralded prospect Mayer

The Boston Red Sox are calling up infielder Marcelo Mayer, the No. 6 prospect in baseball and a central part of their future who they hope can play a role in their push for a postseason berth this year, sources told ESPN.

Mayer, 22, who has excelled at shortstop as he ascended through the Red Sox’s farm system after they took him with the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft, is likely to get playing time with All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman expected to land on the injured list after leaving Friday’s game with right quadriceps tightness.

At Triple-A Worcester, where Mayer was hitting .271/.347/.471 with nine home runs and 43 RBIs in 43 games, he played four games at third base. Mayer also could see time at shortstop, with Trevor Story in a profound monthlong slump.

The arrival of Mayer marks the second of Boston’s big three prospects, with Kristian Campbell earning the second-base job in spring training. After a hot start, Campbell has slumped likewise and is hitting .225/.321/.369. The third of the group, outfielder Roman Anthony, is the No. 1 prospect in MLB, according to ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel, and is hitting .323/.455/.513 with six home runs and 18 RBIs at Triple-A.

The loss of Bregman, who is hitting .299/.385/.553 in his first year with the Red Sox, takes an MVP-caliber bat out of a lineup that has struggled. The Red Sox lost first baseman Triston Casas for the season to a ruptured tendon in his left knee and have struggled to find a productive fill-in, amplifying calls for the team to reach into its significant minor league depth.

Boston has taken Mayer’s development slowly, with injuries limiting him to 91 games in 2022, 78 games in 2023 and 77 games last year. He is a career .273/.360/.466 hitter in 315 minor league games and projects to be a middle-of-the-order bat and Boston’s long-term solution at shortstop.

Bregman’s contract includes an opt-out after the 2025 season, opening the possibility of a shift to third for Mayer. At 6-foor-3 and 190 pounds, he has both the size and the arm strength typically sought for the position. But his glove at shortstop is regarded as above average, and Boston could opt to move Story off the position for Mayer or Ceddanne Rafaela, who also plays center field for the Red Sox.

Continue Reading

Sports

Cora: Bregman moving closer to possible IL stint

Published

on

By

Cora: Bregman moving closer to possible IL stint

BOSTON — Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman could be nearing a trip to the injured list after leaving Friday’s game with right quadriceps tightness, manager Alex Cora said.

“He’s getting an MRI. He’s sore,” Cora said at Fenway Park on Saturday morning before the Red Sox were set to face the Baltimore Orioles in the first game of a split doubleheader.

“We’ll see where he’s at,” Cora said before later adding that Bregman said it felt “worse” than he expected.

Asked whether a stint on the IL could be coming, Cora said: “I don’t want to jump into conclusions, but yes.”

If Bregman does need to go to the IL, who will play third?

Cora said the plan is for the team to “mix and match” and answered “no” when asked whether Rafael Devers could be in the immediate plans.

“There’s a lot of guys in the conversation,” Cora said. “Roster construction comes into play, guys in the minor leagues, how they fit the roster — all that stuff.”

Could Devers be in the mix at some point?

“We made a decision in the offseason, and this is where we’re going,” Cora said, without completely closing the door. “There are a few things that we took into consideration, and I think we’ve been very consistent with it.

“I’m not going react to the outside world because [they] think that’s the right move. Maybe it’s not, right? Maybe we’re doing it right? Maybe we’re doing it wrong?”

Earlier this month, Devers told the Red Sox he wasn’t moving to play first base. The designated hitter has been red-hot lately after collecting a career-best eight RBIs in a lopsided victory over the Orioles on Friday afternoon.

“I know the guy. He’s raking. He’s the best DH in the American League right now,” Cora said. “If he keeps continuing to do this, he’s going to be in the All-Star Game as the DH and going to win a Silver Slugger as a DH. This is where we’re going. We’ll continue to talk. I’m not going to say we’re going to close the door.”

Boston already lost a corner infielder for the season when first baseman Triston Casas ruptured a tendon in his left knee and had season-ending surgery. The loss of Bregman could be a big blow to a lineup that has struggled at times.

“We’ll be OK. Obviously, he’s a big part of our offense,” Cora said. “Triston is a big part of our offense. We’ve just got to find a way to score runs in a different way, and we’re prepared for that.”

Devers, the team’s third baseman for eight seasons, was moved to DH after Bregman signed a three-year, $120 million deal as a free agent and was given the job. After a slow start at the plate, Devers has heated up and is batting .299 with 12 homers and 47 RBIs.

Continue Reading

Trending