On the day of the release of ChatGPT 4.0, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman tweeted “her”–a reference to the 2013 science fiction film in which an AI chatbot named Samantha, voiced by Scarlett Johansson, develops an intimate relationship with her human user. The tweet called attention to a new feature for the product: voice mode, allowing…
It’s not all fun and games for toy manufacturer Mattel, which was hit with a class-action lawsuit Tuesday over a high-profile packaging error on dolls depicting characters in Universal Pictures’ Wicked. Law firm Poulin Willey Anastopoulo filed the suit in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California on behalf of South Carolina resident…
Many brands simply add a celebrity’s branding when working with artists. But Olivia Rodrigio has partnered twice with Sony to make custom headphones. After developing a pair of earphones called LinkBud S last year, Rodrigo and Sony launched two new earphones in October that retail for $200: LinkBuds Fit and LinkBuds Open. Jordy Freed, director,…
Local news site Patch recently asked its readers to submit their worst Thanksgiving dinner fails, and–no surprise here–most of them stemmed from screwups in the kitchen. There was the cook who forgot to add sugar to the pumpkin pie, the grilled turkey that absorbed lighter fluid, and the neglected oven that set a house on…
In recent years, the marketing landscape has been dominated by large-scale, expensive campaigns designed to capture consumer attention. From the ubiquitous pink of the Barbie movie to the pervasive green of Wicked, these mega-marketing efforts raise a critical question: When does a campaign cross the line from excitement to exhaustion? Since debuting in theaters last…
According to recent polling from Pew and Harris, 91% of Americans celebrate Thanksgiving, and six in 10 plan to cook it themselves. Using a little back-of-the-envelope math means nearly 183 million people will be feeling the heat in the kitchen this week. But where home cooks see hot ovens and stress, savvy brands know a…
When it comes to drama, the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City are always going to give it to you straight, with no sugar. But on this rare occasion, the ladies are getting sweet by rolling out a special partnership with the iconic New York ice cream chain, Van Leeuwen. A new limited-edition flavor, “The…
When you think of luxury, British-founded car marque Jaguar, what is the first image that springs to mind? Perhaps it’s the brand’s growling cat emblem. Maybe it’s Ben Kingsley’s starring role in its “Good to Be Bad” F-Type campaign. What about an Avant Garde-style film showcasing a diverse cohort of models in luminous outfits set…
Gap is trying to stay relevant with Gen Z. In May, Fabiola Torres was hired as Gap’s first global CMO in two years. She’s a former Pepsi marketing exec tasked with turning around Gap’s sales and re-establishing the strong tie to culture that Gap had in the ’90s. Much of the marketing strategy focuses on…
Walgreens U.K. subsidiary, Boots, joins Target and Bud Light as the latest brand to face backlash from far right-wing groups online as DEI increasingly becomes a third-rail issue for brands. The pharmacy and beauty brand’s holiday ad, which stars Bridgerton actor, Adjoa Andoh, as Mrs. Claus, has become the target of conservative criticism over its…
It’s showtime for Thrilljoy. One month after ex-Funko CEO Brian Mariotti unveiled his new collectibles venture at New York Comic Con, the upstart company has secured its first exclusive retail partnership–and locked down a contract with that wily Ghost with the Most. ADWEEK has your first look at Thrilljoy’s new Beetlejuice Pix! collectible, available only…
As one of the oldest brand mascots in the world, Johnnie Walker’s “Striding Man”–a red-coated dandy with a top hat and cane–has appeared everywhere from magazine ads to digital billboards to, of course, the labels of the Scotch bottles themselves. But Diageo North America’s CMO Ed Pilkington will never forget the day that the Striding…
Toy maker Mattel went into crisis response mode over the weekend, as shoppers discovered that the packaging for its dolls tied to upcoming Universal Pictures release Wicked included the URL for age-gated pornography site Wicked.com, rather than the film’s official website (WickedMovie.com). X (formerly Twitter) was flooded with images of the packaging error this past…
Brands are always on the hunt for new audiences. At ADWEEK’s Mediaweek event in New York last week, executives from Coca-Cola’s Bodyarmor Sports Nutrition and news publisher The Shade Room discussed how they’re expanding their audiences by working with influencers and staying on top of changes to content distribution on social platforms. As a sports…
According to Gary Vaynerchuk, marketers should spend more time developing creative for social media. At ADWEEK’s Mediaweek event, Vaynerchuk, a serial entrepreneur and co-founder of the agency VaynerMedia, spoke with Jenny Rooney, Adweek’s chief brand and community officer. Vaynerchuk said that creative content plays a crucial role in driving reach and providing consumer insights. “I…
Shoppers can find most things they need on Amazon, and some they don’t (see: tiny deck chairs and emotional support pickles). They can also order sushi, burritos, and more without delivery fees, thanks to a tie-up with takeout app Grubhub. Since 2022, Amazon Prime’s 180 million members have had access to Grubhub+, the brand’s premium…
Diapers, laundry, soap, toothpaste, body wash, and toilet paper may not be the first products people turn to for inspiration, but according to Procter & Gamble (P&G) chief brand officer Marc Pritchard, such ordinary things can hold creative opportunities. “Everyday moments are full of inspiration potential,” Pritchard said during his presentation at the ANA Masters…
Brands looking to connect with Gen Z often don’t know how to connect with them. Talent agency giant United Talent Agency hopes to change that. In February, UTA acquired Gen Z consulting firm JUV Consulting for an undisclosed amount to form a practice called Next Gen focused on helping marketers reach younger consumers. This week,…
With only a couple of weeks left before the U.S. election, it’s crunch time for making sure that young American voters like Gen Z and millennials get to the polls. A new nonpartisan campaign from organization Civic Wisdom Foundation and agency David&Goliath called #SpeakYourVote aims to register 50,000 new voters while educating and encouraging young…
It’s that time of the year where the Javits Center will be full of superheroes, supervillains, and more. New York Comic Con kicked off Oct. 17 and will run through Oct. 20. While the East Coast leg is not nearly as large as San Diego’s version that took place earlier this summer, organizers and fans…
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