The Latest

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  Heinz, Absolut cook up limited-edition vodka pasta sauce

  The supporting campaign invokes the vodka brand’s ‘80s aesthetic while expanding the condiment maker’s ongoing efforts to tap into foodie culture.

  Brand Strategy

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  Simply Spiked’s peach lineup arrives with innuendo-laced SMS promotion

  A “Juicy Calls” campaign with Ron Funches asks consumers to text a peach emoji for the chance to win a delivery of the new beverage flavors.

  Mobile

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  75% of marketers expect to spend more on TikTok even as ban looms

  As the battle over the future of TikTok intensifies, 56% of marketers believe it is highly or somewhat unlikely that the federal government will ban the platform.

  Brand Strategy

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  Gap pumps brakes on retail media unit

  The pause shows not all retail media networks are a surefire bet, even as overall ad sales by retailers are expected to sustain meteoric growth.

  Brand Strategy

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  CMOs struggle to balance first-party data needs with value creation

  New Gartner research challenges some conventional wisdom, including the belief that managing fewer channels leads to more effective data acquisition.

  Brand Strategy

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  Krystal puts Side Chiks in March Madness bracket on TikTok

  Consumers can vote for their favorite version of the chain's slider-sized chicken sandwiches by tilting their head using a TikTok filter.

  Mobile

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  Why PepsiCo’s women’s soccer sponsorship is about more than signage

  Mark Kirkham, senior vice president and CMO of international beverages, discussed why sponsors should invest in ways that elevate the sport.

  Brand Strategy

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  Ford shifts toward purpose with ‘Euphoria’ star Sydney Sweeney

  The actor will host an Auto 101 TikTok series and will debut her female-focused workwear collection made in collaboration with Dickies. 

  Brand Strategy

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  New York introduces ‘We Love NYC’ to mixed reactions

  The city’s new logo and campaign, a variation on the “I Love NY” effort originally launched in the ‘70s, has drawn ire on social media.

  Creative

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  Coke asks consumers to generate art with new AI platform

  The first fruit of the marketer's collaboration with Bain & Company and OpenAI combines the buzzy GPT-4 and DALL-E solutions.

  Brand Strategy

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  Mobile leads e-commerce activity among fashion consumers, report finds

  Fashion and apparel shoppers spend more money on desktop, but browse more on mobile, says Syte’s annual State of eCommerce Discovery report.

  Mobile

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  Walmart ramps up CTV ambitions with Innovid

  Innvoid solutions, including a creative optimization tool, are integrating with Walmart DSP as premium video becomes a retail media battleground.

  Video

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  Brand trust erodes as inflation continues, report finds

  The number of consumers blaming corporate greed as the cause of inflation rose 8% from a year ago, according to Horizon Media’s Catalyst.

  Data/Analytics

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  Netflix fortifies advertising guarantees with help from DoubleVerify, IAS

  The streamer’s ad-supported tier continues to build out its infrastructure even amid reports it’s exploring future changes to its ad-tech stack.

  Video

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  Stella Artois crashes into dining trends, shifts brand positioning

  The AB InBev brand is putting a bigger focus on casual dining in an attempt to court consumers as dinner habits evolve. 

  Brand Strategy

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  Third-party data remains key even as cookieless world approaches

  A new report reveals widespread concern around disruptions to data strategies from unexpected privacy, technological or legal challenges.

  Data/Analytics

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  MLS strikes TikTok partnership as threat of US ban looms

  A multi-year agreement follows growing traction for soccer in the U.S. but also arrives as lawmakers pressure ByteDance to divest the video app.

  Mobile

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  NBA scores by personalizing emails with blend of timely content

  Conversion and click-through rates got a boost when fan interests were reflected in dynamic content like animations, countdown timers and GIFs.

  Brand Strategy

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  Column

  Campaign Trail: Smartwater elevates hydration with athletes — and Pete Davidson

  The Coca-Cola brand teamed with VMLY&R to show how its latest innovation helps consumers elevate their lives in a variety of ways.

  Brand Strategy

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  Bushmills unleashes sheep on NY bar for St. Patrick’s Day campaign

  In a humorous new ad, the Irish whiskey brand urges bar goers to avoid herd mentality and ditch its competitors.

  Brand Strategy

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  Tide inserts Kumail Nanjiani into messy viral videos for bigger pods push

  The actor pops up in viral posts, like one where a baby is covered in peanut butter, to promote overhauled Tide Power Pods with more detergent.

  Brand Strategy

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  Meta’s ‘year of efficiency’ brings lofty AI ambitions — and more mass layoffs

  The company detailed a restructuring plan that will see 10,000 more layoffs and a focus on AI, speaking to the impacts the tech could have on social media.

  Brand Strategy

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  Twisted Tea drops vasectomy underwear for March Madness

  The hard iced tea brand's novelty merch is timed to an increase in vasectomies that occur during the NCAA basketball tournament.

  Brand Strategy

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  How Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse could compound a marketing slowdown

  Funding prospects for martech and ad-tech startups could dry up, along with media spend that’s already been on a steady downward trajectory.

  Agencies

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  Northwestern Mutual, Pinterest team to give free financial advice to Gen Z

  “From Pinning to Planning” includes an online quiz that users can take to reveal their Pinterest Persona and receive custom financial advice. 

  Brand Strategy

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