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Need to Know – The latest US media & marketing news: Trump's actor 'fans' exposed, Barbie's TV makeover & Facebook's diversity push

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By John McCarthy, Opinion Editor

June 18, 2015 | 4 min read

Morning all, here’s a glimpse at all the media and marketing news you should know today.

1. Donald Trump paid actors $50-a-go to cheer him during his presidential announcement, reports the Hollywood Reporter. New York-based Extra Mile Casting last Friday requested for background actors to thicken out the crowd.

2. Barbie has refreshed its marketing strategy to make the brand more inclusive, according to Adage. The new Barbie Fashionistas line, a diverse group of 23 dolls with eight skin tones, will be boosting the dolls' 'Super-Style' with a series of mini-music video ads.

3. Facebook is utilising the NFL's 'Rooney Rule' to diversify its staff. The Wall Street Journal reports that the rule makes it mandatory to for Facebook interview minorities – a move which will help chief executive Mark Zuckerberg boost the diveresity of the company.

4. The Association of National Advertisers (ANA) is looking to enquire about the state of industry-wide transparency, according to Mediapost. The US advertising trade body has issued a call for a research agency to investigate a feared lack of transparency regarding media spend and rebates.

5. Google is bringing cross-device measurement to its DoubleClick advertising platform, moving it closer to rival Facebook's Atlas service. Business Insider notes that the move will help create a clearer path acknowledging consumer purchase routes across multiple devices after seeing an ad.

6. Airbnb is primed to add another $1bn to its cash reserves, according to the New York Times. The mobile-based room rental service is in talks to fund $1bn in venture captial, notes anonymous individuals close to the deal.

7. McDonald's is under pressure to stop advertising during Family Guy due to the clashes between the fast-food chain's family-friendly image and the show's crude content. The Daily Caller reports that the The Parents Television Council (PTC) has singled the brand stating: "How can a company that sells Happy Meals to children use its media dollars to sponsor jokes about sexually assaulting children?”

8. Time Warner Cable has been hit with a net neutrality complaint since new rules were put in place last Friday. The Washington Post reports that Commercial Network Services has issued a complaint alleging that the web giant charges unreasonable rates to reach its customers.

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