Brand Strategy


  • Two people in a Coca-Cola ad
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    Courtesy of Coca-Cola
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    Column

    Campaign Trail: Coca-Cola travels across decades to tell a family story

    A culturally rich short film by “Black-ish” creator Kenya Barris captures how the marketer’s portfolio and the world have evolved over the years.

    By Feb. 7, 2025
  • Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez and Ludacris for Häagen-Dazs
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    Courtesy of Häagen-Dazs
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    Häagen-Dazs’ ‘Fast & Furious’ Super Bowl debut scores with star wattage

    The ice cream maker, a first-time big game advertiser, ranked No. 3 in System1’s analysis of Super Bowl spots released so far.

    By Feb. 6, 2025
  • A person pulls items out of one paper shopping bag with handles that is on a table next to four similar bags. Explore the Trendline
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    FreshSplash via Getty Images
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    Trendline

    Retail Marketing

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

    By Marketing Dive staff
  • NFL
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    Brian Ach via Getty Images
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    Opinion

    Breaking into the big game: Tips for first-time Super Bowl advertisers

    The real winners in big game advertising aren't crowned during the game, but they're revealed in the months that follow, said 5WPR’s Ronn Torossian.

    By Ronn Torossian • Feb. 6, 2025
  • Tums Fantasy Foodball Pool spokesperson Vince Wilfork
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    Courtesy of Tums
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    Deep Dive

    As Super Bowl’s cultural cachet grows, brands look beyond in-game ads

    Avocados From Mexico, Tostitos and Twix are among the brands looking to engage with tuned-in consumers without paying millions for an in-game ad.

    By Feb. 6, 2025
  • A Starbucks barista hands a customer a coffee
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    Courtesy of Starbucks
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    Starbucks says ‘Hello Again’ by advertising around the Super Bowl

    A new spot and a free coffee promotion on the Monday after the big game are part of the chain’s marketing-powered turnaround plan.

    By Feb. 5, 2025
  • McDonald's brand characters Grimace and Uncle O'Grimacey
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    Courtesy of McDonald's
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    McDonald’s brings back Uncle O’Grimacey for return of Shamrock Shake

    In social media videos, purple mascot Grimace visits Ancestry.com and discovers a connection to his Irish uncle.

    By Feb. 4, 2025
  • Bliss x Iliza Shlesinger
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    Courtesy of Bliss
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    Bliss takes on ‘Sephora kids’ in a bid for elder millennials, Gen X

    The skincare brand is attempting to reconnect with its core audience through a tie-up with comedian Iliza Shlesinger for a video spot and skincare kit.

    By Feb. 4, 2025
  • Lady Gaga wearing a white gown appears in a promotional image for Mastercard to promote her album "Mayhem."
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    Permission granted by Mastercard
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    Mastercard helps Lady Gaga fans sow ‘Mayhem’ in music culture play

    A tie-up with Gaga around her eighth studio album saw the payments marketer unveil the singer’s latest single around the Grammy Awards.

    By Feb. 3, 2025
  • Mustard with Mustard
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    Courtesy of Kraft Heinz
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    Heinz teams with hip-hop hitmaker Mustard for new product, campaign

    The marketer launched the culturally minded — and perhaps overdue — campaign with a spot that aired during the Grammy Awards.

    By Feb. 3, 2025
  • Top view of businesspeople discuss idea while team joining meeting
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    NanoStockk via Getty Images
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    Inside the marketing industry trends to follow in 2025

    During what could be a banner year, a focus on generative AI and the connected TV-retail media convergence key into where the industry is headed.

    By Marketing Dive staff • Jan. 31, 2025
  • A woman bites a Clif Bar after a workout
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    Courtesy of Mondelēz International
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    Clif Bar celebrates athlete perseverance with new brand platform

    The Mondelez-owned snack marketer is extending a partnership with fitness app Strava to include fresh co-branded content, events and challenges.

    By Jan. 31, 2025
  • A nighttime photo of Chili's building with green and red neon signage
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    Courtesy of Brinker International
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    How Chili’s boosted comparable sales by 31%

    Value-oriented ads and marketing for its Triple Dipper menu boosted the chain’s traffic by nearly 20%, driving a record-breaking quarterly performance.

    By Julie Littman • Jan. 31, 2025
  • Digital screens inside a store.
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    Courtesy of Grocery TV
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    Deep Dive

    What marketers can expect as CTV and retail media converge in 2025

    Expectations are high that the two synergistic and growing channels can deliver on the promise of full-funnel, data-driven digital marketing.

    By Jan. 31, 2025
  • Doechii sits for an MLS ad
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    Courtesy of MLS
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    Q&A

    Why MLS is kicking off a brand campaign around the Super Bowl

    CMO Radhika Duggal detailed the strategy behind the league’s “Game On” effort starring rapper Doechii that will premiere before the big game.

    By Jan. 30, 2025
  • Chipotle
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    Courtesy of Chipotle
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    Chipotle connects SMS, social to celebrate Super Bowl ‘extras’

    The fast-casual chain is also giving out free guac and queso blanco to loyalty members as it bills the day after the big game “Extra Sunday.”

    By Aaron Baar • Jan. 30, 2025
  • People sit in a coffee shop.
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    Adam Gray via Getty Images
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    Starbucks bets on marketing to broader audience to support turnaround

    CEO Brian Niccol detailed how marketing investments can lead to future growth as the chain’s latest earning results have “room for improvement.”

    By Jan. 29, 2025
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    Laurence Dutton via Getty Images
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    Deep Dive

    How generative AI’s role will evolve in 2025 as marketers probe its utility

    The fast emergence of disruptors like DeepSeek could cater to marketers’ desire for tech that produces concrete outcomes at lower costs. 

    By Jan. 29, 2025
  • Meaghan Trainor for E.l.f. Cosmetics
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    Courtesy of E.l.f. Cosmetics
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    How E.l.f. balances entertainment, purpose to tap into a TikTok trend

    In the brand’s third collaboration with Meghan Trainor, the pop star appears as an airplane captain to showcase soft matte makeup products. 

    By Jan. 28, 2025
  • Kimberly-Clark brand names displayed on banner in NYC
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    The image by Marco Verch is licensed under CC BY 2.0
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    Kimberly-Clark appoints first global chief creative and design officer

    AlmapBBDO veteran Luiz Sanches joins the CPG giant, which no longer has a traditional CMO role and recently reorganized its agency roster.

    By Jan. 27, 2025
  • uncrustables smucker
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    Courtesy of The J.M. Smucker Co.
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    Q&A

    J.M. Smucker’s CMO on how brands must face the challenges of 2025

    Gail Hollander discusses the convergence of brand building and pop culture and how marketers should think about retail media, AI and other emerging tech.

    By Jan. 27, 2025
  • NYX Professional Makeup NYXTAPE Album
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    Courtesy of NYX Professional Makeup
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    NYX blends music and makeup for TikTok-focused mixtape

    The makeup brand is leveraging TikTok’s SoundOn platform to promote five women artists as the fate of the ByteDance platform remains uncertain.

    By Jan. 23, 2025
  • A bag of Cheetos features a custom Other Hand Font and Chester Cheetah design
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    Permission granted by PepsiCo Foods US
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    Cheetos continues to embrace ‘Other Hand’ imperfection with custom font

    The design described as “hilariously bad” is available via web download and a Chrome plug-in and will appear on special bags of the snack.

    By Jan. 23, 2025
  • Dogfish Head's 30 Minute Light IPA in bottle and glass
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    Courtesy of Dogfish Head
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    How Dogfish Head uses social-first marketing as craft beer tides change

    The Boston Beer Company-owned brewery leaned into Quitter’s Day and doled out participation medals and beer money to launch a new light IPA.

    By Jan. 23, 2025
  • McDonald's, Pokemon Go hero imagery
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    Courtesy of McDonald's
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    McDonald’s amplifies mobile app with Pokémon Happy Meal

    The burger chain is again wedding pop culture and nostalgia with a Happy Meal box inclusive of a Pokémon booster pack, poster and sticker sheet.

    By Jan. 22, 2025
  • Sabrina Carpenter appears in a Dunkin ad
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    Courtesy of Dunkin'
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    Q&A

    Dunkin’ CMO on building a ‘cinematic universe’ to capture attention

    Jill McVicar Nelson explains what the brand has learned from its Super Bowl ads and how it’s facing uneasiness around TikTok’s future.

    By Jan. 22, 2025