McDonald's collabs with Reggaeton star J Balvin, and Peloton peddles real fans: Tuesday Wake-Up Call

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McDonald’s collab

McDonald’s released another celebrity-themed value meal, this time in connection with global Reggaeton phenom J Balvin. The restaurant chain saw a run on Quarter Pounders last month when it marketed a meal deal with Travis Scott. It figured why not keep the hits coming?

J Balvin’s preferred order is a Big Mac, hold the pickles, and it comes with a free Oreo McFlurry. The collab meals lend instant buzz, reports Ad Age’s retail reporter Jessica Wohl. “Promoting a meal with the hit Colombian Reggaeton singer gives McDonald’s a fresh way to get people excited about its brand and potentially garner followers of its own from among the millions of J Balvin fans,” Wohl writes. “As McDonald’s notes, the 35-year-old singer has sold more than 35 million records worldwide. The meal quickly generated buzz for McDonald’s … Complex and Hypebeast posted interviews with J Balvin promoting the meal.”

Top 35 Social Good Trends in October – From Voter-Encouraging Lipsticks to Climate Change Clocks (TOPLIST)

(TrendHunter.com) The October 2020 social good trends are dedicated towards numerous causes in a variety of different ways. They include launch campaigns, collaborations, products, and more to bring awareness and…

Top 90 Life Stages Trends in October – From Classroom Safety Partitions to Circular Kid Clothes (TOPLIST)

(TrendHunter.com) These October 2020 life stages trends range from classroom safety partitions to circular kid-friendly clothing.

Standouts include the Bluemap Design x ClearSpace Safety Barriers, designed to ensure…

As Coronavirus Invades West Wing, White House Reporters Face Heightened Risks

At least three correspondents have tested positive for the coronavirus, along with the press secretary and two of her deputies.

Accor Live Limitless: Paris Saint-Germain – New European Season

There were times of joy, of doubt, of disappointment, of excitement. But it was just the beginning. Now we’re ready for even greater emotions. ALL together with our partner Paris Saint-Germain for this new European season.

Surfer Magazine’s Long Ride May Be Over

The bible of surfing and surf culture, which became part of the company that owned The National Enquirer last year, is closing after a six-decade run, its editor said.

Swedish Agency Creates Simple But Genius Social Distancing Hack––the ‘No Douche Bag’

When traveling on the packed commuter trains and buses of the pre-pandemic times (remember those?), it felt incredibly annoying when a fellow commuter took up a whole extra seat with their bag, selfishly leaving you to attempt to balance for the entire journey. But today, with Covid-19 still circulating and sadly claiming the lives of…

To Sell a Microwavable Burger, These Ads Celebrate Things That Are ‘Better Than Expected’

The thought of putting a hamburger in the microwave is pretty unsettling to most Americans, and judging by the U.K. ads we’ve seen in recent years for British brand Rustlers, the idea also requires some convincing across the pond. In Droga5 London’s newest work for Rustlers, we see a series of scenarios that seem to…

With No New Films, Regal Cinemas Shuts Down Again

Cineworld, the parent company of the second largest chain in the U.S., is closing all its theaters in the country, as studios keep postponing releases and audiences remain reluctant to return to the movies.

VMLY&R Hires Havas Vet as CCO for Health Practice

VMLY&R appointed Aug? Reichenberg as CCO of its health practice, hiring her away from competitor Havas Health & You. In the role, Reichenberg will be tasked with overseeing creative for health clients including AstraZaneca, GSK, Merck, Pfizer and Sanofi. She will report to VMLY&R New York CEO and VMLY&R North America co-CCO Jason Xenopoulos, who…

PayPal Survived the Dot-Com Bubble and Swept the Digital Financial Services Industry

In retrospect, it seems like the most obvious idea in the world. In 1998, as the dot-com bubble had inflated nearly to its bursting point, online merchants such as Boo.com, Kozmo.com and Pets.com were multiplying like rabbits. Everyone was talking about a future when Americans would do all their shopping online. Yet strangely, almost nobody…

Brands Are Finding Deepfakes Increasingly Appealing for Ad Campaigns

Viewers tuning into ESPN’s Michael Jordan docuseries may have done a double take when the show led straight into what appeared to be a 1998-era clip of SportsCenter anchor Kenny Mayne predicting in far-fetched detail the exact circumstances of the documentary’s airing. The attention-grabbing stunt was the culmination of three weeks of scrambling on the…

In-Person Brand Experiences Are Making a Comeback—If You Have a Car

The Covid-19 pandemic has devastated the experiential industry this year, forcing brands to cancel pop-up events and agencies to lay off staff and close entirely. But as Americans get used to living with public restrictions, in-person events are returning–for those with access to a car, at least. Brands such as Freeform, HBO Max, Impossible Foods…

How This Documentary Filmmaker Landed a New Job After Pitching a Workshop

You don’t get the title of director of empathy without having a story to tell. For Tiffany Persons, that story began after poor grades in chemistry at Georgia State denied her entrance to the university’s nursing program. Instead, she enrolled in the film school, finding her place in a documentary film class. After graduation, in…

As Coronavirus Invades West Wing, White House Reporters Face Heightened Risks

At least three correspondents have tested positive for the coronavirus, along with the press secretary and two of her deputies.

Top Editor at Los Angeles Times, Norman Pearlstine, Steps Aside

Mr. Pearlstine came out of retirement two years ago to steady the newspaper, one of the country’s largest, after years of turmoil under its previous owner.

McDonald’s Partners With Another Music Star—J Balvin—for a Custom Meal

J Balvin is an international icon, award-winning reggaeton star and one of the best-selling Latin music artists. Now, he has another honor to his name: having a McDonald’s meal named after him. His go-to order? A Big Mac with no pickles, medium fries with ketchup and an Oreo McFlurry. “As a longtime McDonald’s fan, I…

‘Stairway to Heaven’ Copyright Case Won’t Go to Supreme Court

The court’s decision leaves in place an appeals court ruling that Led Zeppelin did not copy part of a 1968 song, ending the long-running dispute.

White House Press Faces Risks as Coronavirus Invades West Wing

At least three correspondents have tested positive for the coronavirus, along with the press secretary and two of her deputies.

Facebook, Instagram Users Can Dance With LeBron James During the NBA Finals

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers lead the National Basketball Association Finals two games to one, and James can also lead Facebook users through some of his signature dance moves thanks to an augmented reality effect the social network built in partnership with Sportsmanias. Fans can superimpose the AR effect on their photos and…