Brand Strategy

  • A rendering of Lowe's
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Lowe's
    Image attribution tooltip

    Lowe’s bets on sports video games to drive up Gen Z brand loyalty

    A new pact with EA Sports will put the home improvement retailer’s rewards program front-and-center in titles like Madden and College Football.

    By • April 11, 2025
  • Heineken Flipper on a bar
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Heineken
    Image attribution tooltip

    Heineken flips phones for IRL interactions

    A phone case that flips over when the word “cheers” is uttered and a matchmaking-like app for discovering new bars spotlight socializing.

    By Aaron Baar • April 10, 2025
  • A person pulls items out of one paper shopping bag with handles that is on a table next to four similar bags. Explore the Trendline➔
    Image attribution tooltip
    FreshSplash via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip
    Trendline

    Retail Marketing

    Top stories that underscore the leading influences on retail marketing, including Gen Z, pop culture and generative AI.

    By Marketing Dive staff
  • Collage of Panera campaign assets
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Panera
    Image attribution tooltip

    Panera reintroduces brand with focus on dine-in cafe experience

    “It Just Meals Good,” the chain’s first work from 72andSunny, captures a variety of occasions for eating at Panera, whether catching up with a kid or an ex. 

    By • April 10, 2025
  • A JCPenney ad in Times Square
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by JCPenney
    Image attribution tooltip

    How JCPenney’s new brand positioning is subverting consumer expectations

    “Anonymous Ads” was created and executed by new appointments Mischief and VaynerMedia, and helps the brand address a “sea of sameness” in retail.

    By • April 10, 2025
  • WWE Superstars for Minute Maid
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Minute Maid
    Image attribution tooltip

    Why Minute Maid is teaming with WWE to punch up its new brand platform

    The sponsorship supports “Bring the Juice,” which serves as the culmination of several years of brand transformation work.

    By • April 9, 2025
  • A person holds a Subway sandwich and drink cup
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Subway
    Image attribution tooltip

    Subway hires CMO from PepsiCo beverages to lead global marketing

    Greg Lyons, who left the Pepsi owner late last month, will join Subway as it shifts its creative account to Publicis Groupe’s Leo New York.

    By • April 9, 2025
  • A person using a cellphone featuring Target's new spring campaign
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Target
    Image attribution tooltip

    Target launches campaign highlighting spring merchandise

    The campaign comes after the mass merchant announced a multibillion-dollar investment in stores, technology and supply chain.

    By Howard Ruben • April 9, 2025
  • Google Cloud logo
    Image attribution tooltip
    Alexander Koerner / Stringer via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Google Cloud touts new AI tools to simplify marketing, customer experience

    At Google Cloud’s Next ‘25 conference, the tech giant will lay out innovations that speak to how brands and agencies can use artificial intelligence.

    By • April 9, 2025
  • Kit Kat
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by The Hershey Company
    Image attribution tooltip

    Kit Kat protects downtime in a chaotic world with Break Brothers

    The brand's first character-driven campaign looks to appeal to people dealing with hectic work environments and return-to-office policies.

    By • April 8, 2025
  • Scotch-Brite campaign imagery for "The Brite Side of Clean"
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of 3M Company
    Image attribution tooltip

    Scotch-Brite jams to ‘So Fresh, So Clean’ to showcase joys of cleaning

    “The Brite Side of Clean” centers around self-expression and spans CTV, social media, out-of-home and the 3M brand’s “Sparkle Squad” ambassadors.

    By • April 8, 2025
  • Cécred
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Cécred
    Image attribution tooltip

    Beyoncé’s Cécred tells real women’s stories in first brand campaign

    Created with Wieden+Kennedy, “A Deeper Understanding of Hair” revolves around a documentary-style film that details real hair care experiences.

    By • April 7, 2025
  • Domino's Squid Game collaboration
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Domino's
    Image attribution tooltip

    Domino’s expands remit of AOR WorkInProgress after campaign wins

    The independent shop behind Domino’s popular Emergency Pizza promotion has been named social AOR as brands ramp up work around creators. 

    By • April 7, 2025
  • Hand holding a smartphone which displays an online shopping application with discounts.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Sefa Ozel via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip
    Sponsored by Brandmovers

    From discounts to devotion: how to build customer loyalty beyond price cuts

    Break free from discount dependency and build real customer loyalty with these smart strategies.

    April 7, 2025
  • people smiling
    Image attribution tooltip
    Harbucks/iStock/Getty Images Plus via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip
    Sponsored by Valpak

    Spring some strong offers this Easter

    Attract new customers and drive holiday sales with easy-to-implement Easter and spring marketing offers, ad design and outreach.    

    By Jed Dreben • April 7, 2025
  • U.S. President Donald Trump holds up a chart while speaking during a "Make America Wealthy Again" trade announcement in the Rose Garden at the White House on April 2, 2025.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    How CMOs can stay reactive as Trump tariff chaos threatens budgets

    Industry decision-makers must embrace a willingness to scrap some of their plans and reassess what makes commercial sense, analysts say.

    By • April 4, 2025
  • Bloomberg Contextualist campaign
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Bloomberg Media
    Image attribution tooltip
    Column

    Campaign Trail: ‘Brutalist’ director helms Bloomberg’s ‘Contextualist’ ads

    Director Brady Corbet made his commercial debut with three spots that turn idioms into insights in a campaign by Wieden+Kennedy New York.

    By • April 4, 2025
  • A bottle of Captain Morgan is poured over a lime-green backdrop from a bird's eye view
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Captain Morgan
    Image attribution tooltip

    Marketers are moving at the speed of culture — but can they define it?

    Culture has become a central part of brand strategy for companies like Diageo even as definitions remain fuzzy, executives said at an event on April 2.

    By • April 3, 2025
  • Special K boxes
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Kellanova
    Image attribution tooltip

    How Kellanova’s clean room is improving targeting and lifting sales

    The CPG marketer reworked creative and media plans to help turn around Special K in the U.K. and is using the same approach for brands like Pringles.

    By • April 3, 2025
  • Harry's grooming products on a sink
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Harry's
    Image attribution tooltip

    Harry’s resets brand with push beyond product-focused marketing

    The DTC innovator worked with creative agency Zulu Alpha Kilo on a campaign while Mythology developed the brand refresh with support from Collins.

    By • April 2, 2025
  • Nicola Coughlan for Olaplex
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Olaplex
    Image attribution tooltip

    Why Olaplex is leading with emotion for its latest refresh, campaign

    CMO Katie Gohman explains how talent like “Bridgerton” star Nicola Coughlan is key to connecting with both salon pros and everyday consumers.

    By • April 2, 2025
  • A woman shops for yogurt
    Image attribution tooltip
    Joe Raedle via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Trader Joe’s roasts in-store retail media

    In a recent podcast, company leaders emphasized that their marketing model focuses on human interaction, not robots and screens.

    By Peyton Bigora • April 1, 2025
  • Two people sit at a tiled table inside a Chili's with an Awesome Blossom in front of them.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Chili's
    Image attribution tooltip

    Chili’s serves up ‘Office’ nostalgia at new Scranton location

    The Pennsylvania location arrives as the workplace comedy, which stopped airing over a decade ago, continues to resonate strongly with consumers.

    By • March 31, 2025
  • Five Pepsi cans
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of PepsiCo
    Image attribution tooltip

    PepsiCo names new US beverages CMO amid soda category disruption

    Mark Kirkham, a 14-year company veteran, is taking over the role long held by Greg Lyons as PepsiCo ramps up a focus on better-for-you offerings.

    By • March 31, 2025
  • Hellmann's "Ketchup Currency" campaign imagery
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Hellmann's
    Image attribution tooltip

    Hellmann’s turns ketchup into currency to push mayo, fries combo

    Consumers can use the cameras on their mobile devices to scan spare ketchup packets and generate a coupon for Hellmann’s Mayonnaise.

    By • March 31, 2025
  • Juno Temple and Myles Garrett in an Oikos Super Bowl ad
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Danone
    Image attribution tooltip
    Q&A

    Danone’s CMO on adapting advertising as GLP-1 upends the food industry

    Linda Bethea details how the marketer of brands including Oikos and Silk is approaching artificial intelligence and emerging channels like Pinterest.

    By • March 31, 2025