The Blog
A weekly post tearing down a fresh ad campaign — auto-generated, hand-edited, never magical.
- #lacroix#tv
Why is a Mime Selling LaCroix in 2024?
The sparkling water brand that owned your Instagram feed is making a bold, weird, and silent pivot to TV. We break down why LaCroix hired a mime to get you to drink more Pamplemousse.
- #Duolingo#TikTok
Why Did Duolingo's Owl Get a Butt Lift?
The language app is a master of chaotic social media. Their latest viral post is a perfect case study in how to win on TikTok by being aggressively, unapologetically weird.
- #heinz#ketchup-fraud
Adultery, Lies, and... Ketchup? Inside Heinz's 'Ketchup Fraud'
Some brands have fans. Heinz has co-conspirators. We're breaking down why their "Ketchup Fraud" campaign is a masterclass in flexing your brand's icon status.
- #popeyes#meme-marketing
How Popeyes Turned a Viral Meme into a Marketing Masterstroke
The story behind the "Popeyes Girl" meme shows how smart brands can leverage internet culture without ruining it. It’s a masterclass in listening, speed, and rewarding the creators who make the internet go ‘round.
- #scrabble#wordle
Why Scrabble's Poke at Wordle Was a Stroke of Genius
In the battle of word games, the 85-year-old classic showed the viral upstart how it's done. Hint: It involves more than five letters.
- #apple#ipad
Anatomy of a Fail: Why Apple's "Crush!" Ad Was So Bad
Apple’s ad for the new iPad Pro was meant to be a simple metaphor. Instead, it became a viral disaster that forced the company to apologize. Here’s what went wrong.
- #pop-tarts#brand-activation
Why Did Pop-Tarts Kill Its Mascot on National TV?
The Pop-Tarts Bowl wasn't just a football game; it was a masterclass in turning a brand sponsorship into a viral spectacle. And it involved a public execution.
- #cerave#super bowl
Is Michael Cera the founder of CeraVe?
Inside the pharma-grade trolling of CeraVe's Super Bowl campaign, a masterclass in turning a running gag into a cultural moment.
- #La-Z-Boy#Rebranding
How La-Z-Boy Made Laziness a Revolutionary Act
The 97-year-old furniture brand was stuck in the past. Their solution? Appoint Kristen Bell the "President of Laziness" and declare comfort a constitutional right.
- #he-gets-us#super-bowl
Washing Feet on the 50-Yard Line: The Most Divisive Ad at the Super Bowl
The "He Gets Us" campaign spent a fortune to put a modern, controversial spin on Jesus. We're breaking down the strategy behind the rebrand of the millennium.
- #airbnb#experiential-marketing
Airbnb Isn't Selling Stays, It's Selling The Story
The new 'Icons' campaign is a masterclass in using borrowed interest and experience design to create a PR machine that leaves hotel chains in the dust.
- #psa#dark-humor
Your PSA is Boring. Make It Deadly.
The "Dumb Ways to Die" campaign wasn't just a viral video. It was a masterclass in making a deadly serious message impossible to ignore by wrapping it in dark humor and a dangerously catchy tune.
- #mcdonalds#raise-your-arches
Forget Words. The Best Ads Speak in Eyebrows.
McDonald's UK created an instant classic with 'Raise Your Arches,' a dialogue-free ad that captures the universal urge for a cheeky Maccies. Let's break down why it's so damn effective.
- #barbie#movie-marketing
How Barbie's Marketing Team Built a Billion-Dollar Dreamhouse on the Internet
It wasn't just a movie, it was a cultural takeover. From a single-color billboard to a meme-making machine, we're breaking down the brutally effective strategy that made a 60-year-old doll the biggest star of the year.
- #heinz#taylor-swift
How Heinz Won the Internet With a Dollop of "Seemingly Ranch"
When a photo of Taylor Swift eating chicken tenders broke the internet, Heinz didn't just tweet about it. Their "Ketchup and Seemingly Ranch" campaign is a masterclass in moving at the speed of culture.
- #tumi#lando-norris
How TUMI Made Luggage Feel Weightless
By tapping into the global phenomenon of Formula 1 and its star driver Lando Norris, TUMI's "Nothing is everything" campaign sells more than just suitcases — it sells a high-performance ideal.
- #mcdonalds#fast-food
McDonald's Didn't Need a Celebrity. It Had the Script.
The 'As Featured In' meal wasn't just another campaign. It was a power move that cashed in on decades of cultural ubiquity, proving that the best co-star for your brand might already be in your archives.
- #cerave#michael cera
How CeraVe Hijacked the Super Bowl with a Single, Perfect Joke
For weeks, the internet buzzed with a ridiculous question: Did Michael Cera create CeraVe? The answer is a masterclass in modern advertising.
- #coors-light#beer
Coors Light Crashes the Party by Sponsoring… Everything.
How a clever piece of merch and a satirical campaign allowed Coors Light to hijack the stuffy world of beer sponsorships.
- #tubi#super-bowl
Did You Just Sit on the Remote? Nope, Tubi Just Hacked the Super Bowl.
Last year's Super Bowl featured one of the most talked-about ads in years. It had no celebrities and no epic storyline. Instead, Tubi created 15 seconds of pure, unadulterated chaos.