Top takeaways from Advertising Week 2025 marketers need to know

Leading marketers like PepsiCo and Kraft Heinz delved into topics including culture-led marketing and artificial intelligence at the annual conference.

By Chris Kelly , Peter Adams , Jessica Hammers , Sara Karlovitch • Oct. 23, 2025

True Religion targets women, college sports fans in holiday campaign

The brand doubles down on the growing intersection of fashion and sports in its first holiday campaign since being acquired earlier this year.

By Jessica Hammers • Oct. 23, 2025

Netflix’s ad biz accelerates — what’s next as AI, M&A opportunities loom

The streaming platform had its best ad sales quarter to date, doubled upfront commitments and is on track to more than double its ad revenue in 2025.

By Chris Kelly • Oct. 22, 2025

E.l.f. Cosmetics first to test Twitch’s new livestream shopping ads

A new integration powered by Amazon Ads’ retail media data is meant to drive “more measurable business outcomes” for E.l.f. on the platform. 

By Peter Adams • Oct. 16, 2025

Sonoco’s inaugural TV ads put a lens on packaging’s everyday moments

Return on investment has been stronger than expected as the B2B firm turns to connected TV, said a company marketing director.

By Katie Pyzyk • Oct. 16, 2025

Herbal Essences taps into infomercial nostalgia to serve ‘scent traps’

The P&G hair care brand enlists “Love Island” star Amaya Espinal to celebrate the power of scent in digital and out-of-home ads.

By Chris Kelly • Oct. 15, 2025

How Keurig Dr. Pepper embraces flywheel marketing to drive performance

During an Advertising Week panel, CMO Drew Panayiotou explained how marketers can measure success when accuracy is not completely possible.

By Chris Kelly • Oct. 9, 2025

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 Peter Adams • Oct. 2, 2025

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 Jessica Hammers • Sept. 30, 2025

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 Sara Karlovitch • Sept. 29, 2025

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 Sara Karlovitch • Sept. 23, 2025

How Lee’s new brand platform reasserts its denim authority

“Built Like Lee” celebrates the heritage of a brand founded in 1889 and is the first expression of a creative vision meant to resonate with a new generation.

By Jessica Hammers • Sept. 22, 2025

YouTube simplifies brand, creator partnerships with new solutions

A new artificial intelligence feature is designed to help advertisers and agencies find and connect with relevant creators more easily.

By Aaron Baar • Sept. 18, 2025

Amazon debuts AI ‘creative partner’ to aid with campaign development

Now in beta, the chat feature draws on Amazon’s retail insights to assist with everything from research to pumping out final creative assets like video.

By Peter Adams • Sept. 17, 2025

Journeys remixes ‘90s hit for debut of ‘Life on Loud’ brand platform

A reimagining of New Radicals’ “You Get What You Give” includes a music video that features micro- and mid-level influencers as background actors.

By Jessica Hammers • Sept. 15, 2025

Mary Kay combats brand myths with social media series targeting Gen Z

“Miss Conceptions” includes content meant to debunk misunderstandings about the cosmetics brand, like “Isn’t Mary Kay just for grandmas?”

By Jessica Hammers • Sept. 11, 2025

Netflix ads come to Amazon DSP as streaming race evolves

Brands using Amazon DSP will be able to directly buy premium Netflix inventory, another sign of the e-commerce giant’s dominant ad-tech stature.

By Peter Adams • Sept. 9, 2025

T-Mobile taps into NFL hype as top sponsor of George Kittle series

“Kittle Things,” an original show from sports entertainment platform DAZN, has also drawn sponsorships from Little Caesars, Lysol and PrizePicks. 

By Jessica Hammers • Sept. 9, 2025

Modelo doubles down on college football marketing to reach sports fans

Representing a 20% jump in spend over last year, the brand’s latest campaign sees the return of The Recruiter, a character on the hunt for diehard fans.

By Sara Karlovitch • Sept. 4, 2025

Pepsi’s latest NFL blitz underscores larger marketing shift at soda giant

New ads star Josh Allen and Justin Jefferson as Crashers who swap rival sodas for Pepsi, a concept that will be translated to real tailgate experiences.

By Peter Adams • Sept. 3, 2025

Keurig Dr. Pepper bets big on college football with help from Disney

Mixed reality elements from the Dr. Pepper “Fansville” episodic campaign will be integrated into live college football broadcasts on ESPN and ABC.

By Aaron Baar • Sept. 2, 2025

Archer’s first national ad campaign pledges to ‘Stick to Real’

The meat snack maker founded in 2011 is building off an extensive brand refresh and 90% surge in sales with ads that challenge modern absurdity. 

By Peter Adams • Updated Aug. 28, 2025

TikTok spotlights its influence on music culture for global campaign

“See Where Music Takes You” includes a spot set to “Love Me Not,” the hit song by Ravyn Lenae, whose success on TikTok helped launch her career.

By Jessica Hammers • Aug. 28, 2025

CarMax ditches longtime tagline, repositions brand around omnichannel

The “pivotal” brand shift includes ads featuring a comedic house band singing about how CarMax lets customers shop the way they “wanna.”  

By Peter Adams • Aug. 25, 2025

White Castle sponsors NIL-focused podcast to engage football fans

The series hosted by sibling football standouts Caleb and Josh Downs will unpack viral trends and the intricacies of brand building.

By Jessica Hammers • Aug. 25, 2025