Uber Eats Scoops US Grand Effie
Uber Eats captured the 2026 Grand Effie for the most effective U.S. marketing work with its "Football is for Food" campaign, which leveraged NFL fandom to boost the food‑delivery brand. The effort, developed with agencies PHD, O Positive, Exile and Pariah, combined strategic positioning, entertainment partnerships and culturally resonant creative. The Effie judges highlighted both measurable business results and broad brand impact. Uber Eats also topped the Effie list of Most Effective Brands.
Uncommon Puts the Pressure on for Under Armour
Uncommon, the creative agency behind Under Armour’s HeatGear Elite line, has launched a new campaign timed with the FIFA World Cup. The ads showcase France defender Ibrahima Konaté and Spain striker Ferran Torres, positioning the apparel as a tool for athletes to...
Overpriced World Cup Tickets Inspire Air Transat Alternative
Air Transat, in partnership with Courage Montreal, launched a campaign that juxtaposes World Cup match ticket prices with the cost of a round‑trip flight to the host country. The ads highlight examples such as a $3,563 England match ticket versus a...
World Cup, US-Style: Coffee Breaks and Skincare Routines
Dove and Nescafé have launched World Cup‑centric ads that pivot football marketing toward lifestyle habits. Dove, via Lola USA, urges male fans to protect their skin from dirty jerseys and face‑paint, while Nescafé, with Casanova, introduces a “third half” coffee...
Fox Sports Conjures a Winning World Cup Game
Fox Sports has partnered with the agency Special US to launch a high‑profile advertising campaign ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The spot features a roster of American and global sports icons—including Tom Brady, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, former U.S. coach Bruce Arena and hockey...
Adidas Sets Football Legends a New Challenge in World Cup Spectacular
Adidas has launched a five‑minute "Backyard Legends" World Cup commercial starring football greats Lionel Messi, David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane, plus rising stars Lamine Yamal and Jude Bellingham. The spot also features Hollywood actor Timothée Chalamet and music star Bad Bunny, with...
Opportunity Knocks for New ISBA Boss Mark Given
Mark Given, a veteran Sainsbury’s executive, has been appointed chair of the UK advertisers’ trade body ISBA, succeeding Pete Markey. He inherits a fractured relationship between advertisers and agencies, with both sides accusing each other of wasteful spending. Meanwhile, dominant...
Omar Oakes: Advertising Has Reached Peak Self-Delusion
The UK advertising market reported a 6.4% increase last year, reaching £46.7 bn (about $58 bn). However, two‑thirds of that spend now flows to three Big‑Tech platforms—Alphabet, Meta and Amazon—leaving roughly £15 bn ($18.6 bn) for the rest of the industry. Growth is concentrated...
Disney+ Finds Monsters Under the Bed in Latest VCCP Spot
Disney+ continues to lean on nostalgia as a growth engine, and its latest VCCP‑produced spot epitomizes that tactic. The two‑minute film stitches together iconic moments—from Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. to the eerie tone of The Sixth Sense and the gritty world...
Santander Likes to Say ‘No’ to TSB as Brand Disappears After 215 Years
Santander completed a £2.65 billion ($3.4 billion) purchase of TSB last week and immediately announced plans to retire the 215‑year‑old brand, rebranding the business as Santander UK. The move ends a long‑standing marketing legacy that included the iconic “yes” jingle and the 1989...
Uncommon Puts the Pazazz Into Payment Platforms for Airwallex
Uncommon Creative Studio has unveiled a global advertising campaign titled “Build the Future” for fintech payments provider Airwallex. The kinetic spot showcases a timeline of inventions—from alarm clocks to jetpacks—to illustrate how the platform fuels modern business innovation. Airwallex’s global...
David Patton: In-Housing Creativity Won’t Make Brands More Creative
Brands are increasingly building in‑house creative studios, assuming internal talent and AI tools will automatically generate better ideas. David Patton argues that while these studios improve speed, cost control, and brand consistency, they rarely enhance originality, which depends on culture...
Publicis Gets Santander Moving with Ant and Dec Still on Board
Santander has officially brought Publicis Groupe on board to run its creative and media work, debuting the first "It starts here" campaign aimed at first‑time home buyers. The new effort keeps long‑standing ambassadors Ant & Dec, whose warm, relatable style is blended...
Post-Merger Omnicom on Track
Omnicom’s first‑quarter income jumped to $405 million in 2026, up from $287.7 million a year earlier, following its merger with IPG. Revenue reached $5.6 billion, a 3.9% increase that placed the combined group ahead of WPP but behind Publicis. CEO John Wren highlighted...
Advertising Gets Absurd: VCCP and Joint Serve up Strange Solutions
Advertising agency Joint and VCCP have each rolled out off‑beat campaigns that prioritize absurdity over product logic. Joint’s new spot for Fridge Raiders snacks depicts hapless arctic explorers, while VCCP’s collaboration with Müller FRijj features a moo‑ing dinosaur. Both pieces...