Taco Bell unwraps fresh song, fake movie trailer for Nacho Fries’ return

The chain’s original songs and sheet music follow a flurry of recent campaigns around musical branding.

By Barry Levine • June 6, 2019

Cadillac’s 3-step Oscars campaign drove a 47% spike in dealership site traffic

Purpose-led “Keep Rising,” which included custom Twitter emoji and celebrities Spike Lee and Constance Wu, spurred a similar jump in online searches.

By Peter Adams • June 6, 2019

Netflix app tests Stories-like feed

With an emphasis on sharing, the new “Extras” feed brings together movie trailers, photos and alerts for upcoming shows.

By Robert Williams • June 6, 2019

EMarketer: Americans spend more time on mobile devices than TV

Growth in mobile usage has gained momentum amid shifts in how people use smartphones to supplement TV viewing.

By Robert Williams • June 5, 2019

Belvedere Vodka duets with Janelle Monáe for UGC, diversity push

The “Beautiful Future” messages are in line with the advertising industry’s push for greater diversity and inclusion.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • June 5, 2019

Mtn Dew localizes national campaign with state-specific bottles, 50 unique digital ads

The brand’s summer push recognizes the variety of activities Americans engage in and celebrates those differences.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • June 5, 2019

Got to be real: the dos and don’ts of musical branding campaigns

Major brands like Oreo and Lay’s have tapped mainstream musicians to craft original songs, but not all the efforts are chart toppers.

By Chris Kelly • June 5, 2019

USA Today kicks off first AR game for Women’s World Cup

Immersive experiences include team updates, match schedules and a game that challenges users to test their virtual goalkeeping skills.

By Robert Williams • June 5, 2019

Amazon rolls out AR lipstick try-ons via L’Oréal’s ModiFace

Mobile shoppers on Amazon can use their device’s cameras to virtually trial shades of lip color.

By Robert Williams • June 5, 2019

Apple takes aim at Facebook, Google with new privacy features at WWDC

At its annual developers conference, the iPhone maker debuted “Sign in With Apple” to let users conceal their email addresses from third parties.

By Robert Williams • June 4, 2019

Angry Birds lets marketers take a shot at branded AR with new app

Chupa Chups and other partners will collaborate with Rovio on in-app mini-games and retail activations.

By Shane Schick • June 3, 2019

Gillette’s transgender ad stirs mostly positive social media buzz

The P&G razor brand was mentioned about 108,000 times in the week since the ad appeared, with nearly 600,000 engagements.

By Robert Williams • May 31, 2019

Gatorade boosts UGC with new app for teen athlete videos

The free platform aims to help younger users capture and share videos of their best sports moments.

By Robert Williams • May 31, 2019

Report: NFL lets alcohol brands use players’ likenesses in ads

The new policy covers AB InBev’s Bud Light, the official beer of the NFL, as well as other brands that have or want to have sponsorship deals with individual teams.

By Barry Levine • May 31, 2019

Ikea testing new app with shoppable feed, AR

The technology will first roll out in France and the Netherlands, with the goal to reach additional markets by the end of 2019.

By Caroline Jansen • May 30, 2019

Facebook expands rewarded video, playable ads for mobile games

Nearly 80% of game developers that use ads and in-app purchases to monetize their content said rewarded video is the most effective format.

By Robert Williams • May 30, 2019

Study: Gen Z cares about issues and is skeptical of brands

Supporting Gen Z’s values and seeking their input as co-creators are two ways brands can appear authentic in their marketing.

By Barry Levine • May 30, 2019

Old Spice salutes ‘Godzilla’ to promote Walmart exclusives

Tapping YouTube star DangMattSmith for its latest internet-friendly video effort comes as Old Spice’s parent Procter & Gamble looks to revamp the digital media supply chain.

By Barry Levine • May 30, 2019

Gillette extends #MyBestSelf push with video of transgender teen’s first shave

With its latest campaign, the P&G razor brand again tackled gender issues to demonstrate its commitment to diversity and inclusivity.

By Barry Levine • May 28, 2019

New Amsterdam Vodka sponsors NHL’s ‘Stanley Cup Live’ as it expands to Twitter

When it appeared exclusively on Facebook Live last year, the majority of the pregame show’s viewers were between the ages of 18 and 34.

By Robert Williams • May 28, 2019

Hershey teams with TwitchCon, influencers for gaming sponsorship

The candy giant is putting more marketing muscle into gaming to reach younger consumers who are more likely to view mobile streaming content.

By Robert Williams • May 28, 2019

EMarketer cuts 2019 estimate of Facebook usage by 5%

Efforts to discourage passive viewing of content led to a decline in engagement on the platform over the past year.

By Robert Williams • May 28, 2019

What brands can learn from a year of GDPR in preparing for the California Consumer Privacy Act

While there’s been a surprising lack of large fines in the wake of GDPR and ongoing data misuse, more stringent legislation is anticipated in the near future, writes Qubit’s general counsel.

By Jack Carvel • May 28, 2019

Baidu’s facemoji keyboard boosts buzz for Paramount’s ‘Bumblebee’

An interactive emoji saw 4.1 million downloads while a movie sticker pack was downloaded more than 600,000 times.

By Robert Williams • May 24, 2019

Budweiser plans moment of silence for Memorial Day

The AB InBev brand will honor fallen members of the U.S. military with a campaign that runs across TV, radio, print and social media.

By Barry Levine • May 24, 2019