While those lucky enough to be off on Labor Day across the country sat in airport terminals, in traffic or waited on train platforms, Nike quietly dropped one of its biggest ads of the year--or perhaps, of the past 30 years. Said ad stars Colin Kaepernick, the NFL quarterback and former San Francisco 49er, and...
Why Nike’s 30th Anniversary Ad Featuring Colin Kaepernick Is a Worthwhile Risk
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A Brief History of Nike Using Advertising to Address Social Issues
Nike's new campaign celebrating the 30th anniversary of Just Do It--which technically launched the previous week with Serena Williams-starring spot "Voice of Belief"--blew up faster than any ad in recent memory on Monday due largely to the presence of NFL free agent Colin Kaepernick. A single image of his face quickly led to an almost...
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FX Turns Sons of Anarchy Into Its First Franchise With Spinoff Mayans M.C.
Most networks have aired spinoffs or prequels based on at least one of their most popular shows, but not FX. That changes tonight, with the debut of Mayans M.C., which is set in the world of--and features a few characters from--Sons of Anarchy, one of FX's most popular series of all time. Sons--about an outlaw...
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How Online and Brick-and-Mortar Stores Saw a Bump in Sales This Back-to-School Season
We are nearing the end of back-to-school shopping with this past Labor Day weekend being the final critical shopping period of the season, according to new research that reveals key insights about the plans of both consumers and other merchants. The season started strong with Prime Day and ended with in-store pushes over Labor Day...
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Levi Strauss’ CEO Unleashes a Plan to Put an End to Gun Violence in America
Levi Strauss & Co. CEO Chip Bergh has called on business leaders in power to stand up in support of gun control laws in a letter posted today on Fortune. The brand has also released a three-tiered plan to help bring an end to gun violence in America. "As president and CEO of a values-driven...
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Doner’s Marcus Collins Says Marketing Is Simple When You Apply a Human Touch
It may seem obvious to sell to human beings rather than "consumers." But marketers often ignore this basic tenet, one that Doner chief consumer connections officer Marcus Collins holds above all else. "When we walk into the office as a marketer, we take our human hat off and put on the marketer hat, strategist, creative,"...
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GDPR’s Lack of Clarity Is Causing Google and the Ad-Tech Industry Problems
It has been more than three months since the European Union's General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) came into law, and as similar legislation is being drafted in California and Vermont, many companies from agencies to tech giants like Google are trying to avoid the pain points experienced by European parties. In particular, the industry seeks...
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Bright Lights, Small Cities: Why Talent Is Leaving the Industry’s Metro Hubs
For generations, the prevailing view in advertising held that a world outside the major metro hubs of New York, Chicago and later Los Angeles didn't exist--or at least didn't matter. But as the industry settles firmly into its digital age, a new generation is flocking to smaller cities like Austin, Texas, Omaha, Neb., and Knoxville,...
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This Agency’s Small Size Is What Keeps It Nimble and Fast
One of Must Be Something's biggest assets is its small size. Co-founders Andrew Schafer and Jed Alger say the creative agency's staff of just seven people lets it be "nimble and responsive." The team, which is based in Portland, Ore., is surrounded by a creative freelance community, ready to pitch in for short-term projects and...
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How Grey Goose Made Americans Realize That the Taste of Vodka Matters
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With Nike’s Longstanding Brand Purpose, Featuring Colin Kaepernick Made Perfect Sense
Nike's decision to feature Colin Kaepernick front and center for their 30th anniversary of their famous "Just Do It" campaign is igniting conversations and debates among marketers and consumers alike. For the past few years, brands have witnessed a steady shift in culture where consumers are increasingly expressing their preference for brands to stand for...
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To Recommend or Not to Recommend: Why Businesses Will Benefit from Facebook Review Changes
Facebook is known as a social network, but it's also one of the most popular websites for customers to leave reviews for local businesses. Long reliant on a five-star ratings system, the social giant is streamlining its approach with the new recommendations for Facebook business pages. Instead of assigning a star rating and writing a...
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How In-House Teams and Agencies Can Find a Commonality and Work Together
Advertising agencies all around the world are worried--and rightly so. More and more brands are growing in-house teams to better address their own fast-evolving creative needs. This expanding gap between clients and partners reveals a sometimes ugly truth: The ad industry is not quite what it used to be. It's been a good decade since...
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Exercise Is One Hell of a Drug in These Fantastically Trippy Ads
In the land of short ads, there aren't many that pack a punch. 15 seconds isn't a lot of time to get a fully-formed message in and, let's face it, the ad unit that has often been relegated to pre-roll isn't usually stimulating. Swedish sportswear brand Bj?rn Borg, however, has flipped the script and created...
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Nike’s New Colin Kaepernick Spot Inspires You to Pursue Your Craziest Dreams
Nike has opened up all kinds of conversation and controversy (on both sides) after the brand launched a new "Just Do It" campaign featuring Colin Kaepernick. Yet questions remained as to what was next? Was this a one-off? Where would the campaign go from here? Today, the world has its answer as a new 2-minute...
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ESPN Ad Sales Chief Ed Erhardt to Retire; Rita Ferro Named President of Disney Ad Sales
Disney is starting the new TV fall season by making some big changes to its ad sales leadership. Ed Erhardt, who headed up ESPN ad sales for 20 years, is retiring in January. And the company has promoted Rita Ferro to president of Disney advertising sales, where she'll oversee all Disney media properties, including ABC,...
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Instagram Is Reportedly Developing a New App Dedicated to Shopping
The social shopping wars are just beginning, and Instagram might be about to take it up a notch. According to The Verge, Instagram is developing a new app that will let consumers shop for products from brands they already follow. They can also purchase the items in the app, potentially creating a relatively frictionless experience...
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Amazon Adds a J.Crew Storefront, Stands to Gain More Than Just the Retailer
J.Crew Mercantile, the label from the specialty retailer that is sold at outlets, is now available on Amazon, according to an announcement. "We are focused on continually enhancing our assortment and innovating the shopping experience to enable fashion discovery and inspiration on Amazon," Michelle Rothman, vp of Amazon Fashion, said in a statement. While Amazon...
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Trump Tweeted the NFL and Nike Are ‘Getting Absolutely Killed,’ But Here’s the Data
Few were likely surprised that President Donald Trump would tweet about Nike's polarizing new ad featuring Colin Kaepernick. The only real surprise is that it took him a few days. But this morning, Trump fired off a tweet that takes digs at Nike and the NFL--though the two brands are, at best, uneasy allies in...
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Designated Survivor, Canceled By ABC in May, Lives On As Netflix Orders Season 3
ABC canceled Designated Survivor in May, but the Kiefer Sutherland drama has just lived up to its title, as it has been given a last-minute reprieve and will move to a new home: Netflix. The streaming service has ordered a third season of the series, which will go into production this fall and air next...
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