Over the past several weeks, dozens of brands across tech, fast food, retail and CPG have released statements promising to ramp up spending with Black-owned ad agencies and media companies. A group of 20 brands including Target, L’Or?al U.S., Nestl? and DoorDash pledged through GroupM’s Media Inclusion Initiative that they’d spend at least 2% of…
When we began assembling this year’s class of Pride Stars, the editorial team was united in what we wanted to accomplish: a celebration. It felt important at this moment, in the summer of 2021, to celebrate a community that has persevered through obstacles both historic and ongoing to create inspiring brands, services, entertainment ventures, nonprofits…
When Kiehl’s Canada approached Toronto illustrator Tim Singleton to design special Pride packaging for its popular face cream, the decision was a no-brainer. He’d used the brand for years, and more importantly, Kiehl’s vowed to use part of the proceeds to help the queer community in practical, tactical ways. The partnership will create 2SLGBTQIA+ workshops…
As a gay woman and a marketer, every June I brace myself for the onslaught of rainbows. They’re in social media logos, storefront window displays, colorful capsule collections, TV spots and packaging as brands signal support for the LGBTQ+ community to sell everything from cars to HR software. Earlier this month, I woke to find…
Every Pride Month, there are conversations about how to do things the right way–avoiding mistakes and inauthentic gestures. And according to LGBTQ+ community members surveyed by retail app Shopkick, this continues to be the case, especially coming out of a chaotic year. Of the more than 2,700 people surveyed across the U.S., more than half…
For the second year running, Adweek is recognizing remarkable LGBTQ+ leaders across media, marketing and tech industries with our Pride Stars honors. In a year when people didn’t get to celebrate Pride to its fullest–or at least in the usual way–our honorees remained steadfastly joyful and persistent. This class of Pride Stars includes some very…
There are few retailers more beloved in the U.S. than Target, which gained some $9 billion in market share over the course of 2020. Entrusted with protecting that brand and its $90 billion business is Cara Sylvester, who was promoted to chief marketing and digital officer in February. “When I tell people I work at…
For retail, hell hath no fury like a pandemic. Nearly 15,000 stores–equal to about 52 million square feet of retail space–were permanently shuttered in the U.S. in 2020, according to real estate services provider Cushman & Wakefield. That’s a new record. Closures were led by retailers such as Ann Taylor’s parent Ascena, which filed for…
Ben Branson wanted a sophisticated and refreshing tall drink–hold the alcohol, please. But what he got instead was “a pink, fruity, childish, sickly-sweet mocktail.” That was his lightning bolt moment. “It was so terrible,” he said of the Shirley Temple-like concoction served to him at a fashionable London restaurant. “I thought maybe I could figure…
After the CDC’s recent announcement that vaccinated people don’t need to wear masks indoors anymore, the live events space is having its reckoning as it determines how to safely open again. According to data from experiential agency Momentum Worldwide, which polled more than 1,700 people in early April, music fans in particular cannot wait to…
Sometime around Halloween 2012, a Houston woman named Helen Arnold set out to buy a shark costume for her dog, a pit bull named Sharkey. When she could find only a small-sized outfit, Arnold decided to let her cat Max wear it instead. Max, as things turned out, not only tolerated being dressed as a…
The invite came over text a couple weeks ago–“I’ll be in NYC for a few days. Happy hour?” It was the first time a marketer reached out to meet in person in 15 months, and I hardly knew how to respond. There was a lot to consider. Where would we go? How would we get…
Everything most likely has been, or will be, democratized by the internet. The same can be said about status. Pre-internet, the concept of status was more polarized. You either had it or you didn’t. A handful of celebrities, mostly actors, TV stars, musicians, authors and the odd business personality, boasted notoriety. It was incredibly difficult…
Was there ever any thought about chucking our third annual Experiential Awards, since the pandemic that hit last spring effectively made hallmarks of the industry like “high touch” and “IRL” nearly impossible? We’re happy to report that we’re soldiering on with this special section that honors innovative and breakthrough campaigns, finding that 2020’s lockdown did…
Apple customers are among some of the most desirable for marketers, given their willingness to pay more than $1,000 for a cellphone. They also collectively generate more than $500 billion a year in revenue via in-app billings, a statistic that inspires advertisers to pay top dollar for real estate on an iPhone. However, on April…
The idea of any travel brand counting 2020 as a “winning” year would strike even the most wildly confident marketing executive as absurd. And yet, for Airbnb, 2020 was successful. Proof of that can be found in the company’s December IPO, which opened at $146, more than double the price it set the day before…
Like a Big Bang, the streaming universe exploded out in all directions just in time for a pandemic to lock audiences at home by the millions. The experience of the past year has helped put the work of modern television’s most creative talents in front of more people than ever–at a time when comfort, empathy…
During a year defined by tension, solitude and unrest, art again proved its value as a vital lens for how we make sense of the turbulent and changing world around us. Here are the artists and authors featured on this year’s Adweek Creative 100: Temi Coker Multidisciplinary artist Reimagining icons: The silhouette of the Oscars…
Today’s most admired celebrities don’t just show up, stand in front of a camera and look the part. They’re often strategic content creators, hands-on brand builders and high-profile investors. Here are this year’s icons and influencers featured on Adweek’s Creative 100: Ziwe Fumudoh Comedian and TV host The hottest hot seat: Fumudoh’s no-holds-barred interview style…
The media field, once defined by glossy magazines and national news broadcasts, is today more accessible and multifaceted than ever, which is also enabling a new breed of media innovators to rise to prominence. Here are this year’s media innovators featured on Adweek’s Creative 100: Whembley Sewell Editor in chief, Them Community rules: Since Sewell…
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