Brand Strategy

  • Panelists at Advertising Week New York
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    Permission granted by Shutterstock for Advertising Week New York
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    How Molson Coors, PepsiCo operationalize rapid, relevant culture plays

    Brands must be aligned with agency partners and remove barriers to execution, executives explained at Advertising Week New York.

    By • Oct. 7, 2025
  • Several panelists discuss brand values on stage during a session at Advertising Week NY.
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    Credit: Shutterstock for Advertising Week New York

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    Why brands should stand firm on their values despite the fear of backlash

    Executives discussed the importance of brand values in growing loyalty and the future of inclusive strategies during Advertising Week New York.

    By • Oct. 7, 2025
  • Explore the Trendline➔
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    Spencer Platt via Getty Images
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    Trendline

    Multichannel Optimization

    There’s greater urgency around the need to optimize multichannel marketing efforts and unite channels including retail media, social media and others.

    By Marketing Dive staff
  • Todd Kaplan at AWNY
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    Permission granted by Shutterstock for Advertising Week New York
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    Kraft Heinz CMO on being culturally nimble without losing brand equity

    At Advertising Week, Todd Kaplan said marketers should think of brand building like pointillism and not rush to jump on every viral opportunity.

    By • Oct. 7, 2025
  • CeraVe NBA partnership
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    Courtesy of CeraVe
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    Inside CeraVe’s social-first partnership with the NBA

    The L’Oréal-owned brand will promote the alliance, which includes experiential and digital activations, with a social-based teaser phase.

    By • Oct. 6, 2025
  • A Starbucks remade as a "Starbies"
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    Courtesy of Starbucks
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    Starbucks ties in-store experiences, rewards to new Taylor Swift album

    The chain has outfitted a Nashville store with a pop-up vinyl shop, photo booth and more, and claims it is throwing “the largest global listening party.”

    By • Oct. 3, 2025
  • A Cracker Barrel sign hangs on the outside of a restaurant.
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    Joe Raedle via Getty Images
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    Cracker Barrel sacks brand consultancy, shuffles leadership

    The chain fired the firm that advised it on its recent logo and restaurant refresh after significant consumer pushback led to a strategy reversal.

    By Julie Littman • Oct. 3, 2025
  • Alan Ritchson in an ad for Dr. Squatch
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    Courtesy of Dr. Squatch
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    Column

    Campaign Trail: Dr. Squatch makes masculinity fun again in ‘Manlandia’

    The Unilever-owned men’s grooming brand tapped hunky “Reacher” star Alan Ritchson to address male malaise.

    By • Oct. 3, 2025
  • Three men in different colored button-up shirts each hold a bottle of Lunazul as they walk through a field.
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    Courtesy of Heaven Hill Brands
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    Lunazul Tequila expands NBA presence with team tie-ups, Shaq podcast

    Parent Heaven Hill recently partnered with two new agencies, one of several moves to bolster brands like Lunazul, Evan Williams Bourbon and more.

    By • Oct. 3, 2025
  • Jack in the Box video game
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    Courtesy of Jack in the Box
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    Jack in the Box launches AI-powered in-app game to deliver value

    DealQuest: Revenge of the Munchies offers bigger rewards the deeper players get into the game, potentially attracting cash-crunched consumers.

    By Aaron Baar • Oct. 2, 2025
  • A man holds a plate of Totino's pizza rolls
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    Courtesy of General Mills
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    General Mills doubles down on snackable content with sketch series

    “The Snacktime Sketch Show,” which parodies everything from “Love Island” to rogue artificial intelligence, promotes the “unsung heroes” of the snack aisle. 

    By • Oct. 2, 2025
  • Person wears Oura ring in a car
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    Courtesy of Oura
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    How Oura keys into self-expression to reach Gen Z, millennials

    The brand is betting on channels where return on investment is strongest as it launches a ceramic smart ring in different colors for the first time.

    By • Oct. 2, 2025
  • A Qdoba storefront
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    Retrieved from Qdoba on October 02, 2025
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    Q&A

    Qdoba’s new CMO on turning the fast-casual chain into a national brand

    As it rapidly expands, the chain is relying on an agency roster including Leo, Influential and other Publicis shops, newly appointed CMO Jon Burke explains.

    By • Oct. 2, 2025
  • A group of business executives networking at a conference.
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    Getty Images
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    Top marketing conferences to attend in 2026

    Organizers including the Association of National Advertisers and the Consumer Technology Association have already started to map out their plans.

    By • Oct. 1, 2025
  • An old TV displays the Target logo against a white background
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    Permission granted by Target
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    Target plots retail, marketing blitz around ‘Stranger Things’ final season

    Target is the only retailer running a national campaign developed directly with Netflix and featuring on-screen talent from the show.

    By • Oct. 1, 2025
  • Leighton Meester as Lady Godiva for a Godiva campaign
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    Courtesy of Godiva
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    Godiva taps Leighton Meester for brand reset ahead of 100th anniversary

    The Belgian chocolate brand’s global campaign features the “Gossip Girl” star and spans CTV, OOH, billboards, digital, social and influencer elements.

    By • Sept. 30, 2025
  • FanDuel, DraftKings, FTC, DOJ, antitrust, collusion, balto
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    Scott Olson via Getty Images
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    DraftKings bets on NBCU’s wide sports reach with multiyear ad deal

    The deal grants the betting platform exclusive integrations and digital sponsorships across sports properties including the NFL and NBA.

    By • Sept. 30, 2025
  • Doritos Stranger Things telethon
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    Courtesy of PepsiCo
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    Doritos dials up ‘80s-style telethon for ‘Stranger Things’ final season

    David Hasselhoff, Paula Abdul and ALF are featured on a hotline and in digital spots as the Frito-Lay brand taps into fandom and nostalgia.

    By • Sept. 29, 2025
  • Athletic Brewing
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    Courtesy of Athletic Brewing
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    Athletic Brewing makes a play for nonalcoholic beer this football season

    To drive visibility, the brand invested seven figures into a media plan that spans CTV, streaming audio, podcasts and targeted digital placements.

    By • Sept. 29, 2025
  • Motto by Hilton campaign
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    Courtesy of Motto by Hilton
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    Motto by Hilton gives travelers ‘main character energy’ in social series

    Inspired by choose-your-own-adventure video games, “Guest Quests” features influencers Hannah Berner, Connor Wood and Kordell Beckham.

    By • Sept. 26, 2025
  • Three children playing games at digital tablet.
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    Getty Images
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    Gen Alpha’s $5.46T economic impact: Here’s what the numbers say

    Gen Alpha members increasingly act as a “family CMO,” experts say, and 76% would like brands to gamify their consumer experiences.

    By • Sept. 26, 2025
  • Maxwell House Apartment rebrand with social posts
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    Courtesy of Kraft Heinz
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    In this economy!? Maxwell House rebrands as Maxwell Apartment

    The Kraft Heinz brand’s social-first campaign nods to the historically tough housing market by offering a 12-month “lease” on coffee for less than $40.

    By • Sept. 25, 2025
  • Various activations as part of an Essentia Water campaign
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    Courtesy of Nestlé USA
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    How Essentia pushes past category cliches with its New York takeover

    Created by Droga5, the Nestlé brand’s new campaign includes videos, out-of-home ads, experiential activations and influencer collaborations.

    By • Sept. 25, 2025
  • Oreo out-of-home ad
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    Courtesy of VML
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    Oreo transforms crosswalks into cookies to spur impulse purchases

    The Mondelez brand and agency VML decorated crosswalks outside of select Kroger locations to include QR codes accessing special offers.

    By • Sept. 24, 2025
  • Kellanova portfolio
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    Courtesy of Kellanova
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    How Kellanova uses AI to predict creative performance and drive KPIs

    The CPG marketer, in partnership with data firm Vidmob, found that predictive impact scoring can boost creative performance and media ROI.

    By • Sept. 24, 2025
  • Bud Light sits on a store shelf.
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    Joe Raedle via Getty Images
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    AB InBev teams with Netflix for co-branded campaigns around live events

    The mutliyear partnership includes consumer activations, limited-edition packaging, digital promotions and other efforts.

    By • Sept. 23, 2025