How Coke and Pepsi's rivalry shaped marketing — and where it goes next

As the most enduring consumer brand rivalry enters a new phase in the metaverse, tall orders around sustainability may demand cooperation over competition.

By Peter Adams • May 3, 2022

H&M hands mic to Pete Davidson in ads courting male shoppers

The comedian known for his "scumbro" style stars in an effort that isn't tied to a specific collection, but aims to grow H&M's overall market share with men.

By Peter Adams • May 2, 2022

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Retail Marketing

Top stories that underscore the leading influences on retail marketing, including Gen Z, pop culture and generative AI.

By Marketing Dive staff

Sweetgreen's ambassador team adds NBA's Devin Booker with TikTok-inspired spot

A celebrity-backed "Create Your Own" campaign looks to boost the chain's digital orders, which made up 65% of sales last quarter.

By Chris Kelly • May 2, 2022

Amazon misses ad sales forecast, capping off rough run of tech earnings

Inflation and the Ukraine crisis were cited as factors, but the company is also contending with increased competition from traditional retailers on the ad front.

By Peter Adams • April 29, 2022

Facebook sees users grow again while metaverse bets gain traction

Wendy's recent activation in Horizon Worlds drew 52 million visitors, a promising development as Meta's broader ad business continues to slow.

By Peter Adams • April 28, 2022

YouTube drags down Google performance as challenges pile up

The video platform severely missed revenue expectations in the first quarter amid the war in Ukraine and ongoing Apple headwinds.

By Peter Adams • April 27, 2022

Snap's ad business challenged as global chaos adds to Apple headwinds

While the Ukraine war and inflation are impacting revenue, the Snapchat owner has secured upfront commitments more than 60% higher than last year.

By Peter Adams • April 22, 2022

Netflix is finally open to ads. What's next?

Ads could reportedly be coming to Netflix before the end of the year — sooner than the timeline that co-CEO Reed Hastings previously suggested.

By Chris Kelly • Updated May 10, 2022

Tide's 'Doctor Strange' ads connect MCU to past marketing

The P&G label links the storied superhero franchise to its own universe with teasers drawing on the "It's a Tide Ad" Super Bowl campaign.

By Peter Adams • April 20, 2022

Epic Games raises $2B to develop its metaverse efforts

The funding brings its valuation to nearly $32 billion, and includes participation from Kirkbi, the investment firm behind The Lego Group.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • April 13, 2022

Irish Spring looks to wash away 'gamer funk' with shower pod

The soap brand teamed with a FaZe Clan member to show off an elaborate device that allows gamers to bathe without breaking a play session. 

By Peter Adams • April 13, 2022

IAB: US digital ad revenue skyrocketed in 2021 despite mounting challenges

The category notched its largest gains since 2006 for a total of $189 billion even as issues related to the supply chain, measurement and identifiers persisted.

By Peter Adams • April 12, 2022

Omnicom integrates LG's CTV inventory into Omni ecosystem

A new pact provides OMG shops and their clients access to advanced targeting segments across more than 20 million households.

By Peter Adams • April 11, 2022

Brands ramp up gaming marketing but still lag consumers

At the IAB's first PlayFronts, brands like American Eagle and Unilever dished on using gaming to support commerce goals and court favor with hard-to-reach audiences.

By Peter Adams • April 6, 2022

80% of CMOs turn to agencies for TV strategies amid streaming shift

While 58% of CMOs are comfortable with an increasingly complex video environment, most rely on agencies to create and execute a TV ad buying plan.

By Chris Kelly • April 4, 2022

New Balance among brands trying on Twitter's first 3D product ads

Three new formats seek to make brand experiences more interactive on the platform, with a focus on driving actions like a purchase. 

By Peter Adams • April 1, 2022

How Express drove revenue gains, 20% traffic bump with digital experiences

After adding more modern shopping features and functionalities in its app, the retail brand saw average order value rise 27% from a year earlier.

By Robert Williams • March 31, 2022

Skittles apologizes to sour lime fans with Twitch press conference

Livestreams, billboards and NASCAR tie-ins act as a mea culpa to the more than 130,000 people who have complained about the lack of lime since 2013.

By Peter Adams • Updated March 24, 2022

NBCUniversal elevates iSpot to ad currency in blow to Nielsen

At its One22 developer conference, the media conglomerate detailed several developments spanning data, technology and measurement.

By Chris Kelly • March 23, 2022

Pepsi enlists silent TikTok star Khaby Lame to pour new nitro cola

Lame, who's accrued more than 135 million followers, wordlessly showcases the proper way to serve Nitro Pepsi in print ads, billboards and social videos.

By Peter Adams • March 22, 2022

Honda tunes up Twitch strategy beyond gaming with DreamLab

The lifestyle-focused page hosts weekly content like DJ competitions and pop culture discussions in the race to win over younger drivers.

By Peter Adams • March 18, 2022

Instacart adds shoppable recipe tool to TikTok, Hearst sites

Integrating on popular mobile platforms where home cooks seek inspiration could help Instacart differentiate itself from rivals.

By Natalie Black (Koltun) • March 17, 2022

M&M's, T-Mobile, Wells Fargo integrate with NBC's 'American Song Contest'

The partnerships are NBCU's latest attempt to flex its suite of ad offerings following last month's simultaneous Super Bowl-Winter Olympics push.

By Chris Kelly • March 17, 2022

How a combined HBO Max and Discovery+ will change the AVOD landscape

As Disney+ prepares to open its platform to ads, Warner Bros. Discovery's new offering will become one of the bigger players in the growing OTT market.

By Chris Kelly • March 16, 2022

Schick ditches the script for rebrand targeted at everyday men

Black-and-white videos profile real people sharing what facial hair means to them, while the marketer is refreshing its logo, website and packaging.

By Peter Adams • March 11, 2022