Campaign Trail: How Mike's Hard Lemonade squeezes out 'brighter times' for millennial men

The creative challenge behind the brand's latest campaign centers on acknowledging a negative message — our polarizing society — while combating it through smile-inducing content and tech.

By Natalie Black (Koltun) • April 12, 2019

Campaign Trail: How Reebok's artsy 'Storm the Court' may have missed its shot

The campaign's compelling first installment pivots from the athletic giant's past messaging, but did the creative risk to capture millennials sacrifice effective branding?

By Natalie Black (Koltun) • April 3, 2019

Campaign Trail: NFL celebrates 100 years; Del Taco's fry soap; Dua Lipa does 'shoppertainment'

The football league attempts to attract generations of fans, while a taco chain taps the quirky product trend and an Asian e-commerce platform melds online shopping and livestreamed concerts.

By Peter Adams , Natalie Black (Koltun) , Chris Kelly • March 15, 2019

Campaign Trail: Farmers' Dr. Seuss tie-in; Natural Light preps for summer; 'Sesame Street' gets designer digs

The AB InBev brand gets animated for a product launch, while an insurance company aims for whimsy and iconic stars of a children's show get fresh looks.

By Peter Adams , Natalie Black (Koltun) , Chris Kelly • March 1, 2019

What a truly integrated multichannel campaign can deliver

Specialty grocery chain finds higher sales and customer loyalty with a hyper-local integrated campaign.

By John Puterbaugh, Ph. D., Executive Director, Digital Business Development, Quad • Feb. 14, 2019

Campaign Trail: Burger King's royal gift; Krispy Kreme takes a stand; nutty holiday sweaters

Ahead of the holidays, marketers fight for gingerbread peoples' rights and offer goofy novelty gifts, including a $99 fire screen and snack-laden knitwear.

By Peter Adams , Natalie Black (Koltun) , Chris Kelly • Dec. 21, 2018

Campaign Trail: Budweiser rallies competitors; Chipotle cooks up holiday displays; Maker's Mark toasts tradition

The AB InBev brand celebrated Repeal Day with a DOOH campaign, burrito ingredients were transformed into window displays and Scarlett Johansson​ hawks whiskey.

By Peter Adams , Natalie Black (Koltun) , Chris Kelly • Dec. 7, 2018

Campaign Trail: Spotify shoots for holiday 3-peat; Stonyfield nods to 'Parks & Rec'; 'Viva La Vulva'

The streaming platform unwraps more data-driven billboards, while a yogurt maker fights against soccer fields sprayed with pesticides and a feminine-care brand gets provocative. 

By Peter Adams , Natalie Black (Koltun) , Chris Kelly • Nov. 30, 2018

Campaign Trail: Michelob's turkey trot; PETA grills Butterball; Yellow Tail hops on UGC trend

A very special Thanksgiving edition has our editors examining a health-focused holiday push, a scathing critique of a poultry maker and one brand getting started early on the Super Bowl. 

By Peter Adams , Natalie Black (Koltun) , Chris Kelly • Nov. 21, 2018

Campaign Trail: NFL teams with 'Fortnite'; Jennie-O gives families the bird; Air New Zealand's safety remix

Pro football looks to get in on a Gen Z phenomenon, a turkey maker trots out a fowl-mouthed Thanksgiving campaign and an airline's music video fails to take off for some viewers in this week's picks. 

By Peter Adams , Natalie Black (Koltun) , Chris Kelly • Nov. 9, 2018

Campaign Trail: Lundgren whips Volvo into shape; Starbucks' witchy brew; a powerful T-shirt

An '80s action star, a spooky spin on the Insta-worthy Unicorn Frappuccino and an $85 white tee make our editors' picks this week. 

By Peter Adams , Natalie Black (Koltun) , Chris Kelly • Oct. 26, 2018

Campaign Trail: Booking.com's spooky sleepover; Clooney's Nespresso quest; Gillette 3D prints razors

A travel site recreates the Alcatraz prisoner experience for Halloween, while a coffee maker launches its largest campaign to date and a P&G brand tries to sharpen product personalization. 

By Peter Adams , Natalie Black (Koltun) , Chris Kelly • Oct. 19, 2018

Campaign Trail: M&M's Halloween haunt; Carl's Jr. stumps for 'condimeat'; a legendary beer campaign

Not-so-spooky TV spots, an odd online petition and a storytelling push that blends experiential and social make our editors' picks for the week. 

By Peter Adams , Chantal Tode , Natalie Black (Koltun) • Oct. 12, 2018

Campaign Trail: Diesel embraces 'Hate Couture'; Ashley Madison parodies Nike's Kaepernick ad

Two marketers make bold plays this week: one by spinning online hate speech into fashion, another by poking fun at an already-contentious topic. 

By Natalie Black (Koltun) , Chris Kelly • Sept. 21, 2018

Campaign Trail: Nike aces Serena Williams ad; Snickers' rap battle; Alexa belts 'Mamma Mia!'

The athletic apparel marketer stands by its "superhero" amid French Open controversy, while the candy maker trots out Elton John and Amazon's voice assistant gamifies Abba tunes. 

By Peter Adams , Chantal Tode , Chris Kelly • Aug. 31, 2018

Campaign Trail: Old Spice's boardroom agenda; eBay sets up shop; Trojan answers intimate questions

P&G's male grooming line lets fans guide a marketing meeting, while eBay supports artisans and a condom maker takes a progressive stance in this week's picks.

By Peter Adams , Chantal Tode , Natalie Black (Koltun) • Aug. 17, 2018

Campaign Trail: SunnyD shakes things up; Van Heusen grapples with UFC; funeral ads get banned

A sugary beverage maker looks to win back teen tastes, a fashion label suits up fighters and a funeral price comparison site goes head-to-head with the Transport of London in this week's picks. 

By Peter Adams , Natalie Black (Koltun) , Chris Kelly • Aug. 3, 2018

Campaign Trail: Purple fights 'Sunday Scaries'; LG rewards Netflix bingers; lobster-themed live streams

A DTC disruptor taps the weird talents of Tim and Eric, an electronics maker courts fans of "The Crown" and a Maine seafood collective wins Facebook viewers in our editors' picks.

By Peter Adams , Natalie Black (Koltun) , Sean Gibbons • July 20, 2018

Campaign Trail: Dollar Shave Club grows up; Kit Kat proposes; Dunkin's 'Fry-Day' song

A brand built, in part, on edgy humor in marketing shifts gears while two other marketers find clever ways to crash the party. 

By Natalie Black (Koltun) , Chris Kelly • July 13, 2018

Campaign Trail: 7-Eleven Norway's chlamydia ads; LG calls on Ryans; Tiffany Haddish returns to Groupon

A tourism parody courts controversy, while one marketer runs a name-specific promotion and another falls back on a rising star in this week's picks.  

By Peter Adams , Natalie Black (Koltun) , Chris Kelly • June 29, 2018

Campaign Trail: Burger King Russia's World Cup disaster; Snickers' apology tour; McDonald's debuts the 'Frylus'

Two brands are saying sorry, albeit for very different reasons, while another marketer goes for a repeat with oddball novelty products in this week's picks. 

By Peter Adams , Natalie Black (Koltun) , Chris Kelly • June 22, 2018

Campaign Trail: Schwinn's 'Stranger Things' success; KFC's Bucket Björn; Tic Tac gamifies gum

Two marketers go retro — one with an infomercial, another with 8-bit games — while another offers an odd interpretation of a baby carrier for Father's Day.  

By Peter Adams , Natalie Black (Koltun) , Chris Kelly • June 15, 2018

Campaign Trail: IHOP's mystery name change; Wendy's ditches the snark; Planet Fitness examines 'dad bods'

"IHOb" sets Twitter into a frenzy, while a burger chain leaves behind the beef and a Father's Day promo misses the mark. 

By Peter Adams , Chantal Tode , Chris Kelly • June 8, 2018

Campaign Trail: Pedigree plays virtual fetch; Tums delivers 'TummerTime' relief; A1's meat-scented candles

Marketers jump into summer early with cross-platform mobile experiences, a Twitter service targeted at millennials and a goofy Father's Day gag gift. 

By Peter Adams , Natalie Black (Koltun) , Chris Kelly • June 1, 2018

Campaign Trail: Cintas maps bathroom stops; Ikea lulls people to sleep; Vitamin disruptor delivers

An app tailor-made for Memorial Day road-trippers, along with innovative print and mobile promotions, make our editors' picks ahead of the long weekend. 

By Peter Adams , Chantal Tode , Natalie Black (Koltun) • May 25, 2018