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Natural Light illustrates college debt crisis with art installation valued at $470M

A "Da Vinci of Debt" piece made of authentic diplomas accompanies a Snapchat experience that lets users virtually explore the exhibit.

O'Doul's and Match connect for sober-curious virtual dates

AB InBev's non-alcoholic beer brand is tapping research by the dating app that found 32% of singles feel social pressure to drink on a first date.

Ads on Facebook may not be that important for brands after all, Forrester data shows

An analyst with the research firm studied what happened when companies pulled their advertising from the social platform during a boycott last year.

Deep Dive

8 marketing trends to watch for in 2021 as aftereffects of a volatile year linger

Brands will continue to feel pressure to fill gaps during a patchwork pandemic recovery, while digital channels like streaming and gaming have become enshrined as consumer favorites.

P&G's Pritchard shares playbook for managing ongoing disruption

Speaking at CES, the executive detailed how P&G is asserting greater control over its business, including a media planning strategy that is now handled 80% in-house.

FIFA teams soccer players with musicians in new podcast series

The soccer federation partnered with Universal Music to showcase the power of music as part of a broader push into original audio programming.

How the NHL, WNBA and WWE changed digital strategy on the fly to meet COVID-19 demands

During a CES session, executives at major sports organizations detailed how they altered content strategies to better engage homebound fans.

White Castle revamps Valentine's Day event with drive-in, carhop service

Fans of the burger chain can book time for a socially distanced date through the OpenTable website or app.

Mattel marks 50 years of Uno with new logo, tagline, global tournament

The toymaker is leveraging the card game's popularity to expand its reach via in-app games, livestreams and collaborations with celebrities.

Q&A

Checkers & Rally's CMO on 'crunching' 2020 and being nimble in the new year

QSR veteran Dwayne Chambers explained how an in-house marketing team and the restaurant's drive-thru concept helped the chain score a record year.

Frito-Lay to run trio of Super Bowl ads for first time

An expanded Super Bowl play from the snack marketer suggests parent PepsiCo is looking to dominate advertising around an unusual big game.

S4 buys agency Tomorrow to expand MediaMonks' business in China

The group's third acquisition of the new year signals marketing M&A may be ramping up after stalling during the early days of the pandemic.

88% of marketers say collecting first-party data is a 2021 priority, study says

About half of respondents have amplified digital experiences and strategies to collect more first-party data, per Merkle's 2021 Customer Engagement Report.

GM ushers in electric era with ambitious brand refresh, inclusive marketing campaign

An "Everybody In" platform features figures like Malcolm Gladwell and comes as the automaker plans to invest $27 billion in electric vehicles.

Ford declares new Bronco Sport the G.O.A.T. in ads detailing mythic origins

Creative riffing on the "greatest of all time" phrase launches as the automaker confirmed it is skipping the Super Bowl this year.

WW pumps up app-based membership with podcasts, virtual experiences

The company formerly known as Weight Watchers debuted a plan for digitally savvy members built with pandemic-spurred behaviors in mind.

Roku buys rights to Quibi shows for growing ad-supported channel

The Roku Channel will premiere more than a dozen titles that didn't get a chance to stream on Quibi, which could drive audience and ad revenue growth.

T-Mobile, Snickers, Capital One top rankings of 'stand-out' 2020 ads

Next month's Super Bowl is likely to bring more lighthearted, nostalgic and inspiring spots as brands look to engage pandemic-weary consumers, Ace Metrix predicts.

Pepsi promotes Super Bowl halftime show instead of running in-game spot

As part of its multichannel campaign, the brand debuted a national TV ad, an Instagram activation and packaging with QR codes that activate digital content.

Opinion

Will Disney leverage its growing strength in streaming to launch an ad-subsidized model?

Disney+ had the advantage of brand recognition and a strong content library from the outset, positioning it for the next step in its evolution, Innovid's Tal Chalozin writes.

Coors Light lobbies to induct Latino legend to football Hall of Fame

The campaign is consistent with a strategy that parent company Molson Coors developed amid pandemic-related disruptions.

Facebook: 35% of gaming newcomers prefer ad-supported monetization model

A report examining COVID-19's impact on the gaming space found Facebook's streaming service in 2020 notched 1 billion viewership hours for the first time.

Ben & Jerry's calls for Trump ouster as more brands condemn Capitol riots

With more companies criticizing Wednesday's chaos, the ice cream brand's endorsement of removing the president from office stands out.

Burger King prioritizes digital with first rebrand in more than 20 years

With its all-encompassing visual update, the QSR chain also seeks to demonstrate its improvements to food quality and sustainability.

Consumers spent over $100B on mobile apps in 2020, study finds

TikTok generated $4.7 million globally in revenue on Christmas, making it the top non-gaming app based on spending, according to Sensor Tower.