12 holiday campaigns embodying the seasonal spirit of 2023

Brands are approaching advertising in a variety of ways during a period when economic uncertainty has replaced pandemic-era concerns.

By Chris Kelly • Nov. 21, 2023

Pepsi brings back Shaq for fresh spin on Skee-Lo’s ‘90s hit ‘I Wish’

In a new commercial inspired by a 1994 collaboration, Shaquille O’Neal wishes he was “a little bit smaller” to promote Pepsi Mini Cans.

By Jessica Deyo • Nov. 20, 2023

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Retail Marketing

Top stories that underscore the leading influences on retail marketing, including the creator economy, '90s nostalgia and Gen Z. 

By Marketing Dive staff

Snoop Dogg gives up smoke for Solo Stove campaign

A viral pledge assumed to be about pot usage turns out to be a teaser for a new campaign developed by The Martin Agency.

By Chris Kelly • Nov. 20, 2023

Disney, Verizon help bring children’s wishes to life with AR experience

Arriving ahead of the debut of animated film “Wish,” the mobile effort enables consumers to support children by making a donation to Toys for Tots.

By Aaron Baar • Nov. 16, 2023

Sleigh the season: Will caution stifle the holidays or can marketers win?

Consumer spending is expected to surpass pre-pandemic figures, but brands are proceeding carefully as uncertainty looms.

By Jessica Deyo • Nov. 16, 2023

Nike names new CMO as it chases next era of growth

After leaving to found a creative ad agency, company veteran Nicole Hubbard Graham will return to oversee all aspects of marketing starting in the new year.

By Peter Adams • Nov. 15, 2023

Burger King, McDonald’s fling fast-food footwear with Fila, Crocs

Marketers continue to look to fashion and culture as a way to connect with younger consumers who are wary of ads — not brands.

By Chris Kelly • Nov. 15, 2023

Chili’s remixes Baby Back Ribs jingle with Boyz II Men

The effort leans into ‘90s nostalgia while trying to usher a signature piece of branding into the TikTok era.

By Peter Adams • Nov. 14, 2023

Lego uses AR for transatlantic snowball throwing contest

Shoppers at the brand’s New York and London flagship locations will go head-to-head to see which city can throw the most digitized snowballs this season.

By Jessica Deyo • Nov. 14, 2023

Drizly asks ‘What’s It Gonna Be?’ with game show campaign, gift registry

Gina Hardy, chief customer officer for the Uber-owned alcohol e-commerce platform, explained how the brand is evolving to meet consumer habits.

By Chris Kelly • Nov. 13, 2023

E.l.f. caters to Gen Z’s entrepreneurial spirit with Roblox experience

A virtual space focused on helping players build “dream startups” is themed around several of the beauty marketer’s top products.

By Peter Adams • Nov. 10, 2023

Campaign Trail: Postmates animates food-fueled fever dreams

Created by Mother in LA, “This Is Your Brain on Food” uses different illustrators to visualize the emotions created by BBQ, boba tea and beyond.

By Chris Kelly • Nov. 10, 2023

Lay’s, reality star Matt James join viral TikTok trend with cookbook kit

The brand and a veteran of “The Bachelor” are getting in on a viral cooking hack of turning chips into mashed potatoes with a social media sweepstakes.

By Aaron Baar • Nov. 9, 2023

How Uber built its TikTok creator strategy — and why it looks beyond vanity metrics

Phil Rosario, Uber’s global social media lead for TikTok, explains how he leveraged creators to grow the brand’s following to over 750,000 within a year.

By Jessica Deyo • Nov. 9, 2023

Jameson campaign dubs all easy-going adventurers part of the family

Ogilvy’s first global work for the brand, “Must be a Jameson,” is narrated by actor Cillian Murphy and depicts folks who aren’t easily fazed by life’s hiccups. 

By Sara Karlovitch • Nov. 8, 2023

Diageo brand Buchanan’s blends old and new traditions in holiday campaign

The blended scotch whisky is celebrating Hispanic-Americans with a continuation of its “We are the Spirit of the 200%” campaign.

By Sara Karlovitch • Nov. 7, 2023

Amazon embraces the joy of friendship for global holiday campaign

“Joy is shared” will span over a dozen countries and is anchored by a 60-second hero spot soundtracked by a rendition of The Beatles’ “In My Life.”

By Jessica Deyo • Nov. 7, 2023

What marketers can expect as Google rolls out AI asset generation for ads

The latest Performance Max feature allows agencies and brands to quickly create and test assets and rolls out in beta to all U.S. customers today.

By Chris Kelly • Nov. 7, 2023

Sam’s Club prioritizes emotions over sales in holiday ads

The move marks a strategic pivot by agency Arnold Worldwide away from traditional holiday marketing themes as economic uncertainties persist.

By Sara Karlovitch • Nov. 6, 2023

Foot Locker hypes up holidays with major brands, NBA stars

The campaign features Nike, Puma and Adidas alongside basketball’s biggest names and arrives as the retailer launches a sneaker-focused brand platform.

By Chris Kelly • Nov. 6, 2023

Coke boosts Santa-heavy holiday campaign with AI, digital experiences

The generative AI-fueled “Create Real Magic” platform will allow consumers to design digital holiday cards featuring Santa Claus and the brand’s polar bears.

By Chris Kelly • Updated Nov. 17, 2023

Home Depot, Vizio create shoppable content for the holidays

“Merry & Bright” stars Jordin Sparks and features QR codes that take consumers to a Shop the Look page on the retailer’s website.

By Aaron Baar • Nov. 2, 2023

Cutwater comes to the aid of holiday hosts with cocktail helpline

A holiday concierge from the AB InBev ready-to-drink cocktail brand is available by dialing 1-833-DRINK-CW and via its Instagram.

By Sara Karlovitch • Nov. 2, 2023

Doritos devises AI-powered ‘crunch-cancellation’ tech for gamers

Built on an analysis of thousands of crunches, the Doritos Silent tool claims to be able to filter out snacking sounds that can disrupt online play.

By Peter Adams • Nov. 2, 2023

Walmart reunites ‘Mean Girls’ to boost Black Friday push

Lindsay Lohan and company recreate scenes from the iconic teen comedy in the first of a series of ads created by a collective of Publicis agencies.

By Chris Kelly • Nov. 1, 2023