Meet This Year's Women Trailblazers

Today, we'll start with a note from Adweek's features editor Kristina Feliciano:

"When we interviewed our picks for this year’s Women Trailblazers issue, the mood was understandably introspective. Not only was the pandemic reshaping life at work and home, but the nation was (and remains) at a cultural tipping point. While many of us wonder what the future will bring, the women featured here are actively building the future they want—pursuing an end to racial and gender inequality, leveling the playing field and making room for those who might otherwise be overlooked. Here, they talk about career milestones, the people who inspire them, what they’re setting their sights on next and even their go-to songs."

See the full list: More than two dozen women make up the list, including Kara Swisher, Padma Lakshmi and Dara Treseder.

Adweek Cover Interview: Gabrielle Union on Speaking Out, How Companies Can Step Up and Who Inspires Her to ‘Bust Ass’

Adweek chatted with the actress/activist/business owner to find out where she gets her confidence, what real industry change looks like, and how she’s empowering and uplifting diverse talent through her growing production house, I’ll Have Another.

Even as influencers gain tens of millions followers on social media (hello, Charlie D'Amelio and your 70 million followers on TikTok), celebrities still have a firm place as product endorsers for brands according to one study. During the first two months of quarantine, Instagram posts from brands that featured celebrities saw 1.5 times more traffic. Chase, Secret Deodorant and Samsung Mobile X saw huge gains thanks to partnerships with Kevin Hart, Sophia Bush and Steve Aoki, respectively.

See the infographic: Not all segments of brands saw big gains thanks to celebrities. Here's which ones did.

As the founders of Sleeping Giants began to seek the public spotlight once they were publicly identified, co-founder Nandini Jammi says she found herself sidelined as co-founder Matt Rivitz made himself the public face of the organization. Jammi is leaving the organization as a result, writing in a blog post, “I hope other brilliant WoC and marginalized folks see yourselves in me and don’t wait as long as I did. The stakes are too high for you to disappear.”

Another reason for her departure: Jammi learned she was being left out of critical conversations about the Facebook advertiser boycott.

Amazon now says that an email telling employees to delete TikTok from their phones was sent in error. The email claimed the app, which is owned by ByteDance, could be considered a security risk because of ByteDance's relationship with the Chinese government. Already, TikTok has been blocked in India, threatened in Australia and voluntarily pulled out of Hong Kong.

Related: Byte, the Reboot of Vine, Surges on App Store

As the U.S. government also considers banning TikTok, Byte is gaining steam. Users downloaded the app more than a million times last week, making it the No. 1 free app on the App Store.

Best of the Rest: More top stories and insights

With its latest U.K. campaign, market leader Audible has spotted an opportunity in that escapism, especially with few people around the world going on holiday this summer—but definitely wishing they could get away after months of the same routines and anxieties. Watch them here.

Gain industry recognition for your team's successes over the past three years (2017-2019). Submissions close tonight at 11:59pm! Complete your submission or request an extension at adweekfastestgrowing.com

Nearly two-thirds of senior executives said environment-friendly initiatives help boost revenue.

Expect more plant-based, gluten-free and snack-friendly options on store shelves soon.

Campaign offers live conversations and a series of original films.

The #BeatsDaisyChallenge will let the community contribute to Ashnikko’s new video.

Toymaker's Loungefly fashion house debuts 3 lines with Disney, Coca-Cola and Barbie.

The bill could limit these companies’ ability to use social media in the same ways.