Jose Cuervo taps Lil Dicky to host first episode of live YouTube series

The five-week series, "Who's Making Margs?," will bring viewers inside a new celebrity host's home each week to mix drinks and compete for prizes.

By Dianna Christie • Aug. 6, 2020

TikTok helps Gen Z learn about social justice issues, study finds

Social activism posts on the platform have urged 54% of Gen Zers to engage in deeper discussions with family and friends.

By Robert Williams • Aug. 5, 2020

Gillette Venus, Cottonelle help players customize Nintendo's 'Animal Crossing'

Both brands debuted digital content that gives players more ways to design their avatars and virtual homes in a game that surged in popularity during pandemic lockdowns.

By Robert Williams • Aug. 5, 2020

Kraft pushes Mac & Cheese as pandemic breakfast to reach busy parents

A new ad, limited-edition packaging and sweepstakes come after Kraft found that parents have served the meal in mornings more often in recent months.

By Dianna Christie • Aug. 5, 2020

Anheuser-Busch hosts virtual music festival for International Beer Day

Featuring its portfolio of brands, the marketer will run promotions on Drizly and other delivery services to urge people to enjoy the festival from home.

By Robert Williams • Aug. 4, 2020

Snapchat pilots TikTok-like feature to create shareable music videos

With TikTok facing potential bans, Snapchat's test could fill a void for users and marketers that utilize the popular social video app.

By Robert Williams • Aug. 4, 2020

Snapchat centers 1st B2B campaign on Gen Z appeal as pressure mounts on rivals

Frito-Lay and the NFL speak to Snapchat's hold on young users in the app's first ad effort targeting brands, which airs as TikTok faces threats of a U.S. ban.

By Peter Adams • Aug. 3, 2020

Microsoft pursues deal to buy TikTok's US operations following talk with Trump

For marketers, Microsoft's ownership of TikTok in English-speaking markets may provide another reason to develop campaigns on the app and lead to more assurance of data security.

By Robert Williams • Aug. 3, 2020

Amazon cut marketing by a third due to pandemic-driven-demand — but the pullback won't last

The news came as part of blockbuster results that saw the company's "other" category, which mostly consists of advertising sales, grow 41% to $4.22 billion.

By Peter Adams • July 31, 2020

Campaign Trail: Klarna's oddball ads spotlight Swedish roots, outlandish quirk

The payment service debuts its biggest U.S. effort with 15 new spots spliced from Swedish cinema, shoppable ads and a gaming integration.

By Natalie Black (Koltun) • July 31, 2020

PetSmart gamifies reptile adoption with Snapchat AR quiz

An immersive lens includes a discount on a pet reptile to drive store foot traffic, which rose during the pandemic's early days as people stockpiled supplies.

By Robert Williams • July 31, 2020

Current events fuel higher consumer expectations, concerns for marketers

Three paradigm-shifting events have fanned consumers' wants and needs in 2020, driving higher expectations for 98% of brands, writes Brand Keys' Robert Passikoff.

By Robert Passikoff • July 30, 2020

Mobile marketing in EMEA maintains high growth despite pandemic, study says

The percentage of EMEA marketers who are allocating more than a quarter of their ad budgets to mobile rose to 49% this year from 40% in 2019. 

By Robert Williams • July 30, 2020

E.l.f., GT's Kombucha drive 5B views with TikTok hashtag challenges

Teaming with influencers, the brands ran separate efforts that went viral on the social video app.

By Robert Williams • July 30, 2020

McDonald's boosts marketing budget $200M to drive recovery

The increase comes after the company slashed marketing spend by 70% in Q2, giving it a "sizable marketing war chest" for the remainder of the year. 

By Robert Williams • July 30, 2020

Wix admits its ads annoy with campaign centered on outlandish viewer complaints

Shot in-house and with Wix employees, the website builder brand's latest marketing effort acts as a mea culpa to win back online haters.

By Peter Adams • Updated July 29, 2020

Pepsi kicks off soccer quiz on Houseparty video chat app

Timed to the return of the Champions League, the Pepsi Football Trivia Deck has more than 250 questions for soccer fans to answer over a video call.

By Robert Williams • July 29, 2020

Gen Z, millennials drive growth in mobile video during pandemic, Snap study says

Three quarters of young consumers said they watched more video on their smartphones this year than in 2019, according to a Snap-commissioned study.

By Robert Williams • July 29, 2020

Honda evokes Disney memories with 'Enchanted Odyssey' digital campaign

The Odyssey minivan is popular with millennial parents, so the carmaker is targeting the group with a Pinterest microsite and custom Disney playlist for road trips.

By Robert Williams • July 29, 2020

WSJ: Instagram lures TikTok creators to drum up buzz for Reels launch

As the social media rivalry heats up, Instagram is reportedly offering a hefty payday to creators who will post exclusively to its copycat service.

By Peter Adams • July 28, 2020

Popeyes urges fans to prank family members with autocorrect campaign

In a ploy to turn pizza lovers into fried chicken fans, the QSR is asking people to edit "pizza" into "Popeyes instead of pizza" using the autocorrect feature on smartphones.

By Robert Williams • July 28, 2020

62% of agencies will ramp up video production after readjusting to WFH demands

A report reviews how four large creative agencies pivoted to a remote workflow during the pandemic and what changes might persist.

By Dianna Christie • July 28, 2020

1st certified brand safety officers quickly put to the test

Graduating from the Brand Safety Institute's new certification program during a pandemic and just before racial justice protests erupted, these experts help advertisers navigate difficult waters.

By Graham Vyse • July 28, 2020

Domino's sets up virtual film festival rewarding fans for making home videos

While lighthearted, the concept recognizes that the pandemic may keep people cooped up for several more months, driving demand for creative outlets.

By Peter Adams • July 27, 2020

Michelob Ultra gives NBA fans a way to virtually attend live games

A digital experience with Microsoft Teams is part of a sponsorship agreement that makes the AB InBev brand the NBA's official beer.

By Robert Williams • July 27, 2020