Virtual Vanguard Recap: Michael Ventura
The latest Virtual Vanguard brought together chief marketing officers and leadership strategist Michael Ventura to explore how empathy can be operationalized in today’s fast‑changing business environment. Participants examined empathy’s concrete impact on decision‑making, trust building, experimentation, and purpose across teams, brands, and boardrooms. Ventura emphasized that empathy is not a soft skill but a strategic lever that shapes outcomes. The session offered actionable frameworks for CMOs to embed empathy into daily leadership practices.
Zendaya’s On Collection Gets a Surreal Spin From Spike Jonze
Actress Zendaya has unveiled a new footwear and apparel collection with Swiss sportswear brand On, titled “Shape of Dreams.” Co‑created with stylist Law Roach and On’s design team, the line blends modern sportswear aesthetics with performance technology. To promote it,...
Kepler’s Zach Schimpf Makes Music for Adult Swim—And About His Dogs
Zach Schimpf, Kepler’s content production lead, transitioned from indie musician to agency creative, leveraging his home‑studio expertise to produce music for Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim. His early love of guitar and a digital recorder evolved into audio‑engineering, video editing, and...
Ogilvy Taps Carol Reed to Serve as Its First Global Chief Innovation Officer
Ogilvy, the WPP‑owned creative agency, has hired veteran Carol Reed as its inaugural Global Chief Innovation Officer, a role created to centralize AI, technology, and product development. Reed will lead the scaling of new tech products, bolster social, influencer, and...
Dollar Shave Club Launches Its First Products for Women by Removing the “Pink Pastel Garbage”
Dollar Shave Club announced its first women‑specific line of razors and shave aids, deliberately abandoning the stereotypical pink pastel packaging. The launch follows internal data showing women make up 30% of its customers, with roughly half of those women—about 15%...
ADWEEK Creativity Advantage: Brand Entertainment Meets Its Moment
Brand entertainment is moving from fantasy to reality as major companies establish in‑house studios to produce Hollywood‑caliber content. Nike’s Waffle Iron Entertainment and LVMH’s 22 Montaigne Entertainment have led the charge, prompting rivals like Dick’s Sporting Goods to launch Cookie Jar...
Steamy Dating Site Ashley Madison Ditches Infidelity in Pursuit of Single Women
Ashley Madison, once known for facilitating extramarital affairs, is undergoing a major rebrand. After the 2015 data breach that exposed 37 million users, the company has shifted its messaging and target audience. In February, it replaced its old slogan “Life is...
Ticker: ABC News Anchor Reportedly Exiting
ABC News will not renew co‑anchor Janai Norman’s contract, ending her tenure that began in 2016 and most recently as weekend Good Morning America anchor. Meanwhile, CBS News 24/7 settled a three‑year collective bargaining agreement after a recent walkout, and the...
Ads of the Week: 12 Campaigns That Caught Our Eye, From KFC to Pringles
Weekly roundup spotlights 12 standout ad campaigns, from KFC’s animated Colonel Sanders to e.l.f.’s true‑crime parody and Verizon’s suspenseful “Look Behind You.” The piece highlights unconventional collaborations such as McDonald’s with K‑Pop Demon Hunters and Liquid Death teaming with real‑estate...
CorePower Yoga Is Turning an Ancient Ritual Into a Modern Movement
CorePower Yoga, under chief marketing officer Sarah Choi, is recasting yoga as a high‑intensity, science‑backed wellness experience. The brand blends digital tools with studio sessions and leverages more than 5,000 teacher ambassadors to create a community‑first model. By anchoring mental‑health...
‘Letting Cam Be Cam’: How Brands Can Work With Athlete Creators Like Cam Newton
Former NFL star Cam Newton announced a partnership with Revolt/Offscript at the 2026 IAB NewFronts, positioning himself as an athlete‑turned‑creator for brands. Through his Iconic Saga Productions, he will integrate his podcasts and the upcoming "4th&1 College Tailgate Tour"—a showcase...
Virtual Vanguard Recap: David Sable
In the latest Virtual Vanguard session, David Sable dissected the accelerating consolidation of marketing agencies and platforms. He highlighted how the wave of mergers threatens brand creative autonomy and dilutes strategic partnership value. Sable offered concrete steps CMOs can take...
Verizon Casts Heated Rivalry’s Connor Storrie in Cabin Thriller Ad With a Twist Ending
Verizon unveiled its new "Look Behind You" ad, starring Connor Storrie from the hit series Heated Rivalry and directed by horror‑film auteur Nia DaCosta. The four‑minute spot places Storrie alone in a dim cabin where mysterious phone activity highlights the...
Ray Media Advisory Wants To Fix Agency-Client Relationships Before They Break
Ray Media Advisory has launched a Partnership Accelerator to proactively safeguard brand‑agency relationships amid industry consolidation and AI‑driven workflow changes. The service, debuting March 31, runs 10‑12‑week sprints that include diagnostics, joint workshops, and a 90‑day accountability framework. It is being...
Redfin Just Listed Rocket Arena as Its Biggest Open House, and Everyone’s Invited
Redfin announced an unprecedented marketing activation by listing Cleveland’s Rocket Arena as an open house, even though the venue isn’t for sale. The event, part of the "Own the Dream" campaign, features a community‑focused garage sale, historic Cavalier memorabilia, and...
A New Wave of Challengers Is Ramping Up the Mayo Marketing Arms Race
Mayonnaise remains a staple in American kitchens, with 77% of households storing a jar and 67% of consumers expressing strong preference. A fresh wave of challengers, including newcomer Ayoh and revitalized regional label Duke’s, is intensifying the marketing battle for...
EXCLUSIVE: CourtAvenue Acquires GTX Solutions to Bolster Enterprise Data And AI Capabilities
CourtAvenue announced the acquisition of data‑marketing consultancy GTX Solutions, blending cash and stock in a deal whose financial terms remain private. GTX, known for its work with brands like Hard Rock and Merck, brings deep expertise in customer‑data platforms such...
Google Folds Gemini Deeper Into DV360 to Automate Media Planning and Buying
Google is embedding its Gemini AI model as the core operating layer of Display & Video 360, turning the DSP into an automated media buyer. Marketers can now upload a media plan and have Gemini generate a complete campaign setup, streamlining...
YouTube Launches Gemini-Powered Creator Partnerships With AI Matching
YouTube has rebranded its BrandConnect tool as Creator Partnerships and infused it with Google’s Gemini AI to automate brand‑creator matchmaking. The service is now embedded in YouTube Studio, Google Ads and the DV360 demand‑side platform, letting advertisers use natural‑language queries...
Cardi B Tackles Inbox Anxiety in Yahoo Mail Push for Its AI-Powered Planner
Yahoo Mail unveiled Planner, an AI‑powered productivity hub that transforms emails into actionable tasks and reminders. The launch is anchored by the "Cardi B Busy" campaign, starring rapper Cardi B, which dramatizes inbox overload and introduces the new feature. Planner also...
Facebook Co-Founder Chris Hughes Warns AI Could Harm Workers—Even If It Doesn’t Entirely Replace Them
Facebook co‑founder Chris Hughes warned that AI will disrupt workers even if it doesn’t fully replace jobs. Speaking at a panel with economist Simon Johnson, Andrew Yang and AI researcher Rumman Chowdhury, Hughes emphasized the welfare of displaced workers and...
CMOs Are Driving Growth, So Why Aren’t More Becoming CEOs?
Chief marketing officers are increasingly credited with delivering top‑line growth, yet their ascent to the CEO role remains limited. A NewtonX survey of 500 senior marketers shows that while 56 % believe they possess the necessary skills, only 26 % consider themselves...
JCPenney Takes on Fashion Elitism With a Runway Show in Paris, Texas
JCPenney staged "The Other Paris Runway" in Paris, Texas, positioning the event as an affordable, inclusive antidote to high‑end Paris Fashion Week. The open‑air show featured 43 looks costing a total of $8,710.74, with prices displayed for every outfit. The...