Ad spend retraction due to COVID-19 worse than expected: WARC

The "most hostile" year in four decades for advertising has hit traditional media particularly hard while online video advertising's growth is stronger than previously forecast.

By Aaron Baar • Dec. 1, 2020

TikTok owner granted extended deadline to complete sale of app to Oracle, Walmart

The Trump administration gave ByteDance another week to iron out a proposed takeover that would remove advertiser uncertainty about the app's future.

By Robert Williams • Nov. 30, 2020

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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

Kinder Joy's holiday campaign highlights family moments

The Ferrero brand joins other marketers in reinforcing the idea that the holidays this year can still be a special time despite some traditions being put on hold.

By Aaron Baar • Nov. 30, 2020

Corona kicks off major in-house content push with digital travel series

"Free Range Humans" consists of eight brief episodes shot for social media platforms and comes as the brand doubles down on entertainment.

By Robert Williams • Nov. 25, 2020

Snapchat distributes $1M a day to video creators of new TikTok clone

The photo-messaging app now has a feature called Spotlight that shows a customized feed of user-made content.

By Robert Williams • Nov. 24, 2020

E.l.f. Cosmetics taps into overlooked gamer market with Twitch star Loserfruit

Aiming to replicate a strategy that has paid off on TikTok, the cosmetics brand is targeting Gen Z gamers who are also interested in beauty products.

By Peter Adams • Nov. 24, 2020

Brands serve up sides of helpfulness for a topsy-turvy Thanksgiving

Meal insurance, baking fails and cooking tips command the marketing spotlight this year as homebound consumers are forced to improvise and experiment.

Nov. 24, 2020

3 mistakes CMOs are making with COVID-era budgets

Becoming good at strategic cost optimization isn't just about making hard decisions and cutting costs. It ensures marketing is sustainable in the face of upheaval, writes Ewan McIntyre of Gartner for Marketers.

By Ewan McIntyre • Nov. 24, 2020

HBO teams with Verizon on AR ads for 'His Dark Materials'

Both companies have been putting a big focus on AR of late as research underscores the tech's potential in the entertainment category.

By Robert Williams • Nov. 24, 2020

ESPN touts mobile sports content with app-focused campaign

A 60-second spot debuted during last night's American Music Awards to show the breadth of ESPN content that mobile users can experience in the app.

By Robert Williams • Nov. 23, 2020

Jersey Mike's tests Twitch's interactive multiplayer ads

The Amazon-owned platform will reward digital currency to video streamers who host polls after interactive video ads.

By Robert Williams • Nov. 23, 2020

Ferrero mocks lofty ad claims in fresh campaign for Crunch bars

The candy maker, which bought Nestlé's U.S. confectionery business in 2018, touts the benefits of "Crunching," a fictitious lifestyle trend.

By Robert Williams • Nov. 23, 2020

Walmart boosts shoppable videos with Tastemade cooking shows

Tastemade's "Struggle Meals" series lets viewers text an on-screen number to add suggested ingredients to a virtual shopping cart.

By Robert Williams • Nov. 23, 2020

Bacardi remixes 'Conga' with Meek Mill, Leslie Grace in UGC push

Its latest music-infused campaign will splice fan content into a music video for the Grammy Awards as the pandemic pauses traditional ad shoots.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Nov. 20, 2020

Dunkin' pushes for TikTok followers with return of branded onesies

After its recent holiday merch drop mostly sold out, the brand is promising to bring back last year's onesie if it reaches two million TikTok followers.

By Robert Williams • Nov. 20, 2020

Holiday ads nod to COVID-19, but depicting gatherings also works, study finds

An Ace Metrix analysis found that showing safety measures like wearing masks doesn't register a significant difference in an ad's reception.

By Peter Adams • Nov. 19, 2020

Travelocity taps Sarah Michelle Gellar for Thanksgiving cooking tutorial

The celeb-focused Zoom cooking class comes as the pandemic changes many consumers' plans for the holiday.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Nov. 19, 2020

Verizon touts 5G with geotargeted AR concert on Snapchat

The wireless carrier is giving people a chance to see a virtual performance by Black Pumas singer Eric Burton outside the New York Public Library.

By Robert Williams • Nov. 19, 2020

HelloFresh enlists Mindy Kaling for sitcom-style series on quarantine cooking

The actor and "solid B-minus cook" will share tips on topics like avoiding the grocery store in the latest celebrity-led content marketing during the pandemic.

By Peter Adams • Nov. 18, 2020

Frito-Lay unwraps online gift shop, brings back Anna Kendrick holiday ad

Its e-commerce push comes as the marketer's research shows 50% of U.S. residents plan to shop for holiday groceries online, up from 15% last year.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Nov. 18, 2020

YouTube touts audio ad results in shot across Spotify's bow

Among brands that tested the platform's first push into radio-like ads, 75% experienced an increase in awareness.

By Robert Williams • Nov. 18, 2020

Chipotle turns fans into 'royalty' with TikTok challenge

With its latest campaign on the embattled video app, the QSR gives users a chance to win $10,000 and turn their go-to orders into a temporary menu item.

By Robert Williams • Nov. 18, 2020

Facebook debuts shoppable livestreams with Anne Klein

The social network kicked off a four-part "Celebrate the Holidays" series of live shopping events with the fashion company.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Nov. 17, 2020

Home improvement retailer Wickes taps TikTok influencers in UK

Spurring 613,000 views so far, the campaign has seven creators demonstrate Wickes' range of products in social videos offering DIY tips.

By Robert Williams • Nov. 16, 2020

Dunkin' upgrades holiday merchandise following last year's success

An expanded selection for 2020, including customizable items, was previewed in an ad that borrows the look of vertical videos on social media.

By Robert Williams • Updated Nov. 18, 2020