NerdWallet’s Super Bowl Teaser Stars a Chatty Beluga Whale

Not only do beluga whales have Einstein-level IQs, but at least one of the Arctic-dwelling creatures has been blessed with the gift of speech. That’s according to a comedic 30-second teaser from NerdWallet for its first Super Bowl commercial. The video, launching today during the NFL Conference Championship games, plays fast and loose with the…

Post Malone and Shane Gillis Come Knocking in Bud Light’s Super Bowl Teaser

Musician Post Malone and comedian Shane Gillis have been caught on someone’s doorbell cam with a case of Bud Light in tow. At least, that’s the story behind the brand’s sneak peek of its Super Bowl 59 ad. The 15-second teaser video “Knock, Knock… It’s SBLIX,” doesn’t give too much away–beyond the fact the pair…

Creator Marketing Platform ShopMy Raises $77.5 Million

Influencer marketing platform ShopMy has raised $77.5 million in a Series B funding round. ShopMy connects creators with brands to facilitate affiliate marketing partnerships. Creators use ShopMy’s links to share products with their followers, and earn commission when they purchase trough those links. Its technology automates the process of sending free products to creators in…

Progressive Insurance Will Not Return to Super Bowl After Last Year’s Overtime Ad

Progressive Insurance will not return to the Super Bowl this year, ADWEEK has learned. A spokesperson for the insurance giant confirmed it will be skipping this year’s Big Game, stating that it has no plans to advertise. Progressive aired its first Super Bowl ad in 2024, during the overtime match between the Kansas City Chiefs…

ADWEEK’s TV Upfronts and NewFronts 2025 Calendar

It’s time once again for the world of advertising, marketing, tech, and publishers to be upfront. Yes, there’s no escape: The 2025 TV upfront season is upon us–or at least upfront announcements are. Though we’re still early in the year, companies are already locking in their upfront and NewFronts dates for 2025. Among the early…

Netflix Reveals First Ad Tier Price Hike

The numbers 18.91 million — Netflix’s number of paid net subscriber additions in Q4. 302 million — The streamer’s total subscribers to end the year, up from 282.72 in Q3. 16% — The company’s reported year-over-year revenue increase. $43.5 billion to $44.5 billion — The company’s forecast for 2025 revenue. $7.99 — Netflix’s new ad…

3 Ways the Future of TV Was on Display at CES, According to Experts

The future of TV was on display at CES, and data and artificial intelligence were at the center of it. Media buyers, executives, and leaders in the tech industry flooded the Las Vegas Convention Center at the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this month, seeing the latest tech and trends affecting the TV ad industry. To…

How Brands TikToked Their Way Through a Supreme Court-Trump Flip-Flop

It’s been a busy few days in U.S. politics, from Donald Trump’s tech-CEO-studded presidential inauguration, the declaration of a “border emergency,” and the revoking of federal DEI guidelines. Amidst all this, America’s 47th POTUS found time to sign an executive order instructing the attorney general’s office to delay by 75 days enforcing a Supreme Court…

Some News Influencers Have Already Lost Ad Revenue As TikTok Ban Nears

Back in the 2010s, journalists and the legacy media outlets that employed them famously pivoted to video on digital platforms like Facebook and Twitter. In 2020, they pivoted to TikTok. As the world went into lockdown amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, the platform saw its audience skyrocket. And those incoming viewers proved particularly hungry for news–a…

As Supreme Court Upholds TikTok Ban, Creators Fret About The Future

On Friday (Jan. 17), the Supreme Court upheld a law that will see TikTok banned in the U.S. on Sunday (Jan. 19). The decision leaves creators searching for other platforms to reach their audiences. For creators like Gigi Robinson, TikTok’s silence on how to prepare for a ban has left them feeling uninformed. Robinson said…

GroupM U.S. Chief Investment Officer Matt Sweeney to Exit

Longtime GroupM executive Matt Sweeney has stepped down from his role, ADWEEK has learned. Sweeney has been with GroupM since 2014, when he joined the company as senior vice president of client engagement at programmatic trading desk Xaxis. Over his decadelong tenure with the group, he succeeded to CEO of Xaxis and then to chief…

NFL and Bleacher Report Team Up for Content Rights and Super Bowl Coverage

The NFL is adding Bleacher Report to its team this offseason with a multiyear deal that hopes to turn the Warner Bros. Discovery digital platform’s audience and content, as well as the league’s highlights and sponsors, into a dynasty. The partnership, which began on NFL Wild Card weekend, gives Bleacher Report and House of Highlights…

Mischief Has Been Quietly Building a Media Department

Buzzy creative shop Mischief @ No Fixed Address has entered the media planning and buying space. The agency exclusively revealed to ADWEEK that it has been quietly building a media department for the past year, led by executive director of media Kristie Lee. The group has roughly 15 people and works with brands including Duolingo,…

Snapchat Lures in Creators in New Ad Campaign Amid TikTok Drama

Snap is reminding creators that its app is a central place to build a community in a new ad campaign. The company’s campaign comes as rival TikTok faces a potential ban in the U.S. this week. The Supreme Court is set to rule on a looming ban that would wipe the app from the U.S….

LA Stations Saw Audience Increase During Wildfire Coverage

Los Angeles’ local stations saw a spike in viewership when the fires in Pacific Palisades and Altadena started on Tuesday. Stations went wall-to-wall with coverage. Variety said the local stations saw their normal viewership double and even triple in some cases, especially as the fires began to spread. According to Nielsen data, market leader KABC…

Indeed Vet Jessica Jensen is LinkedIn’s Latest CMO

Jessica Jensen, who served as Indeed’s CMO since March of 2021, has been named Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for LinkedIn, the company announced today. Charged with overseeing global marketing, brand and corporate strategy, Jensen will report to COO Dan Shapero when she assumes her new role on January 21. Jensen replaces Melissa Selcher, who…

How the Viral Fake Birkin Bag Is Likely to Change Luxury Brands’ Marketing and Trademarking

A version of the famous Hermes Birkin bag sold at Walmart took off on social media, marking a big shift in how luxury marketers think about cheaper versions of their products. In recent weeks, a bag that looks like the Birkin bag went viral on social media. According to Sotheby’s, a genuine leather Birkin bag…

Disney, Fox, and WBD Surprisingly Kill Their New Sports Streamer

Venu Sports is officially out of the game. Today, Disney-owned ESPN, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery announced in a joint statement that Venu Sports, their proposed virtual MVPD service, will be discontinued. The decision is effective immediately. It comes the same week that Disney announced a deal to combine its Hulu + Live TV business…

This is a test

Hello, this is a test

Disney Reveals 157 Million Global Monthly Active Users for Ad-Supported Tiers

Disney is giving advertisers tiers of joy thanks to its latest ad-supported streaming numbers. Today, at its 5th annual Tech and Data Showcase at CES, the company’s president of global advertising, Rita Ferro, announced that the company reached an estimated 157 million monthly active users globally, including 112 million domestically, on average per month over…