How Unilever is pushing sports marketing beyond broadcast convention

Set to nearly double its spend on U.S. sports marketing, the CPG giant sees the category as emblematic of a shift to “many-to-many” marketing.

By Peter Adams • Nov. 19, 2025

How Gen Z is reshaping holiday marketing — and what brands can do about it

The cohort’s reliance on social media and influencers for product discovery remains, while new levels of comfort with retail media and AI take shape.

By Jessica Hammers • Nov. 19, 2025

Explore the Trendline➔

Multichannel Optimization

There’s greater urgency around the need to optimize multichannel marketing efforts and unite channels including retail media, social media and others.

By Marketing Dive staff

Johnnie Walker updates ‘Keep Walking’ to focus on individual pursuits

The long-running brand platform, which in recent years has focused on post-pandemic social connection, is being retooled to emphasize self-expression.

By Peter Adams • Nov. 18, 2025

Chobani drives CTV ad outcomes via Albertsons, NBCU data collaboration

Albertsons Media Collective and NBCUniversal are working to provide closed-loop measurement that bridges connected TV ads and retail performance.

By Chris Kelly • Nov. 18, 2025

Gartner: AI agents fail to ease CMO pain amid need for deeper shifts

Nearly two-thirds of marketers believe AI will dramatically change their role, but many are not making the organizational changes needed to deliver results.

By Peter Adams • Nov. 17, 2025

How Walmart is deploying the Grinch to boost holiday marketing

The Dr. Seuss icon, played by Walton Goggins, appears in new ads and a Times Square takeover showcasing deals on products like the Switch 2. 

By Peter Adams • Nov. 17, 2025

Geico puts emotional spin on value for new brand platform

Created with The Martin Agency, “It Feels Good to Geico” enlists the Gecko and NFL greats A.J. Brown and Emmitt Smith across a series of ads.

By Chris Kelly • Nov. 14, 2025

Campaign Trail: Liquid Death lands a commercial inside ‘The Running Man’

The beverage brand’s latest movie collaboration moves beyond traditional product placement with an in-film ad starring Colman Domingo’s character.

By Chris Kelly • Nov. 14, 2025

E.l.f. bets on power of sound for kinder social media algorithms

A campaign timed to World Kindness Day includes audiovisual stories designed to interrupt consumers’ feeds and combat doomscrolling.

By Jessica Hammers • Nov. 13, 2025

Pizza Hut dishes out holiday value in multichannel campaign

The pizza chain supports its value-oriented holiday messaging with comedic ads, in-person events and digital games. 

By Sara Karlovitch • Nov. 13, 2025

Why marketers like Unilever, State Farm are headed to NBCU’s BravoCon

Bravo’s fan convention for its reality shows led to double-digit lifts in brand recall, purchase intent and emotional engagement for participants in 2023.

By Chris Kelly • Nov. 13, 2025

Marketers must wrestle with vanishing middle class in 2026: WARC

Rising costs and job insecurity are pushing marketers to focus on “affordability tension” and changing consumer milestones like having kids. 

By Peter Adams • Nov. 12, 2025

How McDonald’s turned K-pop fandom into a mass-market cultural play

An experiential activation crafted by the IW Group helped the fast food giant benefit from buzz around the return of BTS.

By Chris Kelly • Nov. 12, 2025

Wendy’s doubles down on marketing effectiveness as part of turnaround

The QSR’s partnership with consultant Creed UnCo aims to clarify what drives purchasing decisions and refine messaging around value. 

By Peter Adams • Nov. 10, 2025

Home Depot’s heartfelt holiday ads showcase Christmas tree farmers

“The Right Tree” tells the story of how the home improvement retailer helps families find their perfect tree and is accompanied by a series of social videos.

By Jessica Hammers • Nov. 10, 2025

How Corona Cero mixed AI, human insights to find Olympic gold

Artificial intelligence-powered language analysis and psychological theory helped AB InBev create an Olympic campaign in three weeks.

By Chris Kelly • Nov. 7, 2025

Starbucks’ animated holiday ads aim to reclaim cozy coffeehouse image

“Drawn Together” tells the story of two animated figures as they journey across holiday cups to reunite and is set to the tune of “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles).”  

By Peter Adams • Nov. 6, 2025

Why Coca-Cola keeps pushing the limits of generative AI despite backlash

An AI-generated holiday ad “scored off the charts” with consumers, according to Islam ElDessouky, global vice president for creative strategy and content.

By Chris Kelly • Nov. 5, 2025

Inside Lowe’s social-first holiday push as Gen Alpha enters the market

CMO Jen Wilson explains how the home improvement retailer measures the success of in-store experiences and its new creator network.

By Chris Kelly • Nov. 4, 2025

Gap extends ‘Give Your Gift’ holiday campaign to promote hope, unity

An emotional spot set to a cover of Miley Cyrus’ “The Climb” was handled by the same creative duo behind Gap’s record-breaking “Better in Denim” ad.

By Jessica Hammers • Nov. 4, 2025

What marketers are missing as loyalty drivers evolve: report

Nearly two-thirds of marketers still believe brand love motivates repeat purchases, which are in reality often driven by pragmatic considerations.

By Peter Adams • Nov. 4, 2025

How Liquid Death lifted sales with Ibotta’s promotion optimization tool

Chief Media Officer Benoit Vatere explains where the performance marketing platform’s new tool fits in the beverage brand’s full-funnel strategy.

By Chris Kelly • Nov. 3, 2025

Best Buy bets on sports, creators to serve up holiday gifting inspiration

The tech retailer will feature creators in its CTV ads for the first time and will advertise during 30 different NFL games throughout the season. 

By Jessica Hammers • Nov. 3, 2025

Naughty or nice? Coca-Cola doubles down on AI in new holiday campaign

Along with optimizing a previous ad made with generative artificial intelligence, the soda giant rolled out a separate spot focused on holiday memories.

By Chris Kelly • Updated Nov. 3, 2025

Campaign Trail: Hatch turns doomscrolling into horror film trailer

The in-house effort from the sleep device brand uses the tropes of scary movies to pitch its value proposition around the dangers of in-bed phone use.

By Chris Kelly • Oct. 31, 2025