The NCAA Tournament is the ultimate basketball event in the college domain. This year, it also became a case study for brands on how to navigate name, image and likeness (NIL) deals with student-athletes. The 2022 championship drew an average of 10.7 million total viewers for its 67 live telecasts, up 13% year over year….
The streaming wars haven’t been limited to streaming services–there’s livestream shopping, live sports, Twitch (just to name a few) and, as it gains regulatory approval in more places across the U.S., online gambling. That’s because more casino apps are hosting live casinos, in which real dealers shuffle cards and spin roulette wheels as remote gamblers…
Life was different in 2000, when an episode of Sex and the City catapulted Magnolia Bakery into the national consciousness. The iPhone and Instagram didn’t exist. Ecommerce represented around 1% of total U.S. retail sales, according to the Census Bureau. Now, the iPhone is ubiquitous, a reported 2 billion people scroll through Instagram each month,…
Following the end of any captivating TV series, dedicated fans are often left wanting more–more answers, more missions and, most importantly, more content. In collaboration with Netflix’s series La Casa de Papel–known in the U.S. as Money Heist–Reebok has launched the Reebok x La Casa de Papel Collection of apparel and footwear. As a nod…
Even though he’s toured the world, won four Grammys, sold 40 million records, acted in several Hollywood films and, as a child, sat on Duke Ellington’s lap while the jazzman played piano, Lenny Kravitz has one particular memory that’s never left him. And it’s got nothing to do with fame or music. Since 1989, the…
Irish whiskey brand Jameson is owning orange, the vibrant Spring color, in Pinterest’s first-ever color takeover partnership. Starting today, users who search for orange will see Jameson’s content for its new spirit flavor across top orange hits on Pinterest’s page. The break-through ads will appear in searches like orange chicken and orange nails, according to…
For a couple of years now, Twitter users have been pointing out something odd about Guitar Center’s logo. The crux of the discussion: The guitar, which has a slight gap between its body and neck, is meant to represent the letter “G.” Some consider it a stretch: I just feel like we’re being really generous…
The wedding industry was severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Nearly half of couples (47%) postponed their wedding reception to a new date according to The Knot, the 25-year-old media, commerce and technology platform that is all things weddings. Now, the industry is booming. 94% of weddings planned for 2021 successfully took place…
We are used to seeing brand partnerships where brands with shared values come together to broaden their reach and maybe cachet. However, what we have seen more recently are brand collisions and mash-ups, where on the surface, it’s not as obvious as to why they’ve come together. Perhaps when thinking about potential collaborations, shared brand…
Brands have fallen in love with flat and simple logos, to go along with pared-down messaging, in hopes of establishing a faster and deeper connection with consumers who are spending increasing amounts of time on smartphones. Trying to hit on those flavors of innovation and quality, Baskin-Robbins is updating its logo with a new simplified…
Charlamagne tha God debuted The Black Effect Podcast Network in September 2020, dedicated to Black listeners and voices in Black culture, with audio network iHeartMedia. And while the audience growth since then has been solid, the network’s founder wants brands to recognize the platform is not only for Black audiences. “We keep having these conversations…
Despite the #MeToo movement raising awareness and advocacy against sexual harassment, the need for education and advocacy remains. And while the onus will always be on every individual not to harass, beauty brand L’Or?al is offering tips on how to help when it happens. L’Or?al’s “Stand Up” campaign was created in partnership with global nonprofit…
The word “equity” is synonymous with Silicon Valley. The tech hub is packed with startups short on capital using equity to entice employees with stock options and ownership in a company. That’s where Carta comes in. Created in 2012, the fin-tech startup helps manage equity for about 20,000 companies. With the goal of educating employees…
Those of us old enough to remember the financial meltdown of 2008 might also recall the final, disgraceful chapter of it. It wasn’t just that 9 million people lost their jobs; it was that the financial institutions that had traded all those securities based on subprime mortgages–and then been bailed out by the federal government–proceeded…
Mastercard’s marketing team was well aware of the challenge inherent in launching the Touch Card, its payment tool for the blind and visually impaired, with a TV commercial. The idea behind the ad, “Spotlight,” reflects Mastercard’s wider attempt to convey its appeal to all senses, while demonstrating its intention to foster inclusion among underrepresented groups….
In recent weeks, the letter Z has become more than the last letter of the alphabet–it’s been hijacked as a symbol supporting Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Visible on the side of Russian tanks rolling into Kyiv, prominent on flags and t-shirts at pro-war rallies in Russia and even taped on the uniform of one…
Cola-Cola knows the usual media channels don’t provide a meaningful, direct connection to younger, mobile-centric audiences around the world. The marketing game, so to speak, has changed. That’s why the soft drink brand is expanding its previous relationship with Riot Games in a multiyear partnership. The deal makes Coca-Cola the worldwide founding partner of League…
Food and beverage brands have been experimenting with various flavor combinations in recent years, with mixed results. We’re here for Girl Scout cookie-flavored Dunkin’ iced coffees, but did the world really need the Aviation Gin Riblet? Pepsi and IHOP are hoping sweet-toothed drinkers will want the limited release Pepsi Maple Syrup Cola. The product “harmonizes”…
When Sean Tresvant was named global chief brand officer of Taco Bell in December, he had three priorities: leadership, consumer focus and digital acceleration. Those focuses fit with Taco Bell, which in the past year has prioritized its app and website–according to the brand’s Q4 earnings report in February, almost 20% of its transactions in…
When it comes to the anatomy, health and sexual wellness of people with vaginas, discussions around true representation and its correlating imagery remain fairly taboo–and at times, totally censored–within marketing and media. For wellness and sexual health brands, the issue of censorship largely impacts folks looking to connect with platforms that discuss natural phenomena like…
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
