Why Brands Are Turning to Video Games for Creative Inspiration
Brands are increasingly borrowing retro video‑game aesthetics to make ads more emotionally resonant. Coinbase’s Oscar‑season spot uses early PlayStation graphics to illustrate financial freedom, while Met‑Rx, Skittles and Jack in the Box have launched Nintendo‑style videos and even a playable game. With over 3.4 billion gamers worldwide and less than 5 % of media spend aimed at them, marketers see a huge, under‑tapped audience. Success stories show that interactive, game‑based experiences can translate nostalgia into measurable sales lifts.
‘Don’t Trust Those Models’: How Marketers Are Thinking About the Next Era of Transparency
At the ARF AudiencexScience conference, Horizon Media’s Bob Lord warned marketers not to trust black‑box AI models that run ads, citing risks of opaque decision‑making. He advocated for open‑source collaboration, highlighting tools such as Claude and Google’s recently released Meridian...
Meet the Newest ‘Running Point’ Character: Jake From State Farm
State Farm announced a co‑branded partnership with Netflix’s basketball comedy *Running Point*, inserting its mascot Jake from State Farm into Season 2 as a scripted character. The move marks the first time Jake appears in a television narrative rather than a...
Can the Trade Desk Remain ‘King’ of the Open Web?
The Trade Desk, the world’s largest independent DSP, posted 19% YoY revenue growth in Q4 2025, buoyed by AI‑driven product upgrades like Kokai and Audience Unlimited. Founder‑CEO Jeff Green bought $150 million of stock to underscore confidence, while the firm deepened joint‑business...
How Soccer Orgs and Sponsors Are Putting Local Spins on World Cup Campaigns
As the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup spreads across 16 host cities in three countries, sponsors are abandoning generic campaigns in favor of hyper‑local activations. Broadcasters like Telemundo are targeting key Hispanic markets, while Visa staged an artist‑driven showcase in...
All Things Creator Marketing with Tiffany Rivers
Tiffany Rivers, VP of emerging media and influencer marketing at Media Cause, will speak at Marketing Brew’s "The Next Phase of Social and Creator Marketing" on May 12. She advises nonprofit clients such as the University of Florida, Parkinson’s Foundation,...
Merrell’s Pitch to Non-Outdoorsy Consumers: Go Outside Instead
Merrell, the 45‑year‑old hiking‑footwear brand owned by Wolverine Worldwide, unveiled its first global brand platform, “It Starts Outside,” aimed at making outdoor activity feel accessible to everyday consumers. The 30‑second digital spot features Olympian Alexi Pappas, marathoner Lisa Thompson, and...
How IBM’s Masters Campaign Marks a Shift in Its Sports Strategy
IBM marks three decades of sponsoring the Masters by launching a pop‑up activation in New York’s Madison Square Park. The event features a golf simulator with AI‑driven “hole insights,” a digital “Masters Vault” of over 50 years of broadcast footage,...
‘This Famous Butt’: How Verizon Created that Ad with Connor Storrie
Verizon launched a four‑minute horror‑styled brand film, “Look Behind You,” starring Connor Storrie and directed by Nia DaCosta. The ad blends a spooky cabin narrative with a tongue‑in‑cheek focus on the actor’s famed glutes to showcase the reliability of Verizon’s...
Social Platforms Are Facing Increased Scrutiny. How Long Will Advertisers Stick Around?
Recent jury verdicts ordered Meta to pay $375 million and Google/Meta $6 million for child‑safety and mental‑health harms. Despite these landmark cases, advertisers have kept spending, with Meta posting double‑digit ad‑revenue growth in each quarter after the scandals. Rising CPA costs, AI‑related...
How Meta’s AI Push Is Changing Ad Creation
Meta is pushing to automate ad creation, targeting a fully AI‑driven process by the end of 2026. The rollout includes the Andromeda ad retrieval system and expanded Advantage+ tools that handle creative, targeting, and budget decisions. Marketers report mixed results:...
Hockey-Stick Growth: The Year of the PWHL
Women’s hockey rode an Olympic‑driven surge, culminating in the Professional Women’s Hockey League’s first nationally televised game on Ion’s sports network. The March 28 matchup between the New York Sirens and Montréal Victoire marked the league’s entry onto the same broadcast tier...
Tech Companies Are Churning Out Agentic AI Tools, but Agencies Are Still Scratching Their Heads
Tech giants are rapidly releasing agentic AI tools aimed at reshaping commerce and advertising, highlighted by Google’s Universal Commerce Protocol and Meta’s new agents. Brands are urged to enrich product data to enable seamless AI‑driven shopping experiences, while retailers like...
Where Should Retail Media Networks Make Their Pitch for Ad Dollars?
Retail media is transitioning from a lower‑funnel, conversion‑only model to a full‑funnel, brand‑building channel, prompting networks to showcase broader capabilities. Major players such as Albertsons Media Collective and Walmart‑Vizio used this year’s IAB NewFronts to demonstrate scale, data assets, and...
How Paramount+’s ‘Dutton Ranch’ Came Blazing to Life at SXSW
Paramount+ staged a high‑impact activation at SXSW, projecting a fiery Dutton Ranch logo on the Fairmont Austin for four hours across three nights. The campaign paired the OOH display with DR‑branded Angus ribeye specials at select Austin steakhouses, creating a...
