Disney immerses YouTubers with 'Maleficent' virtual makeup try-on

To promote the movie sequel, an experimental AR video lets viewers transform themselves into the title character as they watch a makeup tutorial.

By Robert Williams • Oct. 15, 2019

Wild Turkey, Complex partner on social video series starring McConaughey

The actor and creative director for the Campari brand interviews cultural influencers in "Talk Turkey," which streams on Complex's IGTV page.

By Robert Williams • Oct. 14, 2019

Marmite tries to hypnotize haters with new 'Mind Control' ads

A campaign acknowledging the yeasty spread's divisive reputation includes the chance to win a trip to London for a hypnosis session.

By Dianna Christe • Oct. 14, 2019

HBO turns popular shows into PSAs around mental illness

Bumper ads indicate what mental health disorders are depicted in "Barry," "Girls" and other shows while a doctor comments on relevant scenes.

By Dianna Christe • Oct. 14, 2019

Sony's 'Ghostbuster' experience in Japan includes AR headset prototype

Visitors to Ginza Sony Park can battle virtual ghosts in the immersive, location-based game that blends CGI with real-world settings.

By Robert Williams • Oct. 11, 2019

Verizon's 'Made Up Family Montage' tops YouTube ad leaderboard in Q3

Agency McCann created the 30-second spot, which got 38 million views, to show how phone plans can be customized for individual family members.

By Robert Williams • Oct. 11, 2019

Google Play powers 23% app store spending jump in Q3, study says

Tinder saw the highest revenue among non-gaming apps, while TikTok ranked No. 2 in downloads behind Facebook's WhatsApp.

By Robert Williams • Oct. 11, 2019

Campaign Trail: Nectar cuts through snoozy mattress marketing with 'motivational sleeper'

Yawn Yawnson, a new fictional spokesperson and sleep-obsessed evangelist, energizes crowds in 26 parody ads by the DTC mattress brand.

By Natalie Black (Koltun) • Oct. 11, 2019

Citi ad highlights girls' reactions to wage gap with #ItsAboutTime

"The Moment" campaign coincides with International Day of the Girl on Oct. 11 and will include a Times Square billboard, print ads and social elements.

By Dianna Christe • Oct. 10, 2019

Amazon assures marketers it can help them build brands at first-ever AdCon event

The invite-only event, first reported on by CNBC, focused on more holistic Amazon strategies achieved through products like video in search. 

By Peter Adams • Oct. 9, 2019

StubHub kicks off 'Sportober Challenge' with Dude Perfect deal

Fans can win tickets and cash for posting sports mashup photos on Twitter or competing in social media challenges this month.

By Robert Williams • Oct. 9, 2019

YouTube trumps Netflix as most popular video channel for teens, Piper Jaffray says

For teens, spending is down while worries about the economy are up — a warning sign for retailers as the holiday shopping period approaches.

By Dianna Christe • Oct. 9, 2019

Skittles' 1st Halloween ad in years flips the witch's role

"Annoy the Rainbow" will run online on YouTube, Hulu, Amazon, IGN and Meredith properties.

By Barry Levine • Oct. 8, 2019

Facebook nears $40M settlement of advertiser lawsuit

The legal battle centered on how much the inflated viewership metrics affected the advertisers' businesses.

By Robert Williams • Oct. 8, 2019

Adidas 1st to sell shoes via Snapchat game

Dick's Sporting Goods is also partnering on "Baseball's Next Level" to let gamers buy limited-edition cleats displayed in retro, 8-bit graphics.

By Robert Williams • Oct. 8, 2019

LG and BuzzFeed's Tasty bake up cookie subscription boxes

Featured recipes supposedly bake best in LG ranges and ovens, which have been designated the "Official Oven of the Tasty Kitchen."

By Barry Levine • Oct. 8, 2019

Apple acquires visual effects startup iKinema

The tech giant is intent on creating software tools that take AR experiences to the next level. 

By Robert Williams • Oct. 7, 2019

5G smartphone sales will top 1B by 2025, study forecasts

Samsung is the current leader in 5G devices, but the market is set to grow more crowded next year.

By Robert Williams • Oct. 7, 2019

Nike dominated culturally impactful video ads in Q3

Half of the ads on Ace Metrix's ranking tied in an athletic narrative, even when the brand was not endemic to sports.

By Peter Adams • Oct. 7, 2019

WSJ: Disney bans Netflix ads on TV networks

The move is the latest in a series of aggressions among competing streaming services.

By Dianna Christe • Oct. 7, 2019

Report: Google in acquisition talks with video-sharing app Firework

Discussions may indicate that the tech giant sees TikTok as a growing threat to YouTube.

By Robert Williams • Oct. 7, 2019

Modelo enlivens Day of the Dead murals via AR

The murals show a 3D animation of a woman extending her skeletal arm forward to grab a bottle of Modelo Especial.

By Robert Williams • Oct. 7, 2019

GOAT showcases world's rarest sneakers with AR try-ons

App users can test out limited-edition styles from Nike's Air Jordan, Air Force 1 and Dunk brands.

By Robert Williams • Oct. 4, 2019

Amazon, Disney spat over CTV ad revenue signals shifting power dynamics in media buying

Marketers may actually benefit from the increasingly fragmented channel, which last year surpassed $8 billion in ad spending.

By Peter Adams • Oct. 4, 2019

Nivea wants to inspire kindness by urging consumers to 'Rethink Soft'

A positivity-focused creative effort follow reports that the brand's longtime agency cut ties over an executive's insensitive remarks.

By Barry Levine • Oct. 4, 2019