What marketers need to know this week

Case Studied Brief
Big stages, bigger signals

Well, the Super Bowl is just over two weeks away and the teaser ads are already starting to drop. 

In this week’s Brief, we unpack how brands are using creators, nostalgia, and inclusion to earn attention. We also put a few notable partnerships on your radar, plus some Editor’s Choice moments worth your time. 

Campaigns of the week 📺

Pringles

1. Sabrina Carpenter’s crunchy Super Bowl debut

Sabrina Carpenter made her big-game debut in a teaser for Pringles’ Super Bowl LX commercial. In the video ad, the pop superstar playfully plucks “petals” off a flower made of Pringles chips while riffing on “he loves me, he loves me not.” The spot leans into charm and absurdity, while reinforcing the brand’s refreshed global slogan: “Once You Pop, The Pop Don’t Stop.” The full commercial is set to air during the Super Bowl on Feb. 8, 2026.

Why it stood out: Carpenter brings instant cultural relevance, while the teaser-first rollout is built for social sharing. It feels more like entertainment than advertising, which is exactly how brands earn attention with younger audiences during high-stakes media moments.

📖 Read more: AdWeek

Dos Equis

2. The Most Interesting Man is back

After a decades-long hiatus, Dos Equis is reviving its iconic “Most Interesting Man in the World” character. The return leans heavily on nostalgia, with a modernized tone fit for today’s media landscape. By reintroducing a familiar face, Dos Equis instantly reconnects with long-time fans while re-introducing the character to a new generation.

Why it stood out: This is a deliberate move to reassert Don Equis’s brand personality at a time when many beer ads blur together. The campaign taps into an existing cultural memory, which allows the brand to rebuild distinctiveness without starting from scratch.

📖 Read more: AdWeek

Barbie

3. A new doll designed with inclusivity

After 18 months of development, Mattel unveiled its latest Barbie, created in collaboration with the Autistic Self Advocacy Network. The doll includes sensory-friendly details such as noise-canceling headphones, a communication tablet, and a fidget spinner. The response was immediate, with the product selling out at major retailers within days of launch. Mattel confirmed it will be restocked, citing strong demand and positive feedback from families and advocates.

Why it stood out: This demonstrates a brand putting time, money, and action behind its stated mission. By partnering with the Autistic Self Advocacy Network on the design, Mattel was able to create a product that resonates emotionally and performs commercially.

📖 Read more: People Magazine

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Industry news 🤝

Hershey’s major marketing overhaul

Hershey’s is increasing its marketing spend by 20% as part of its first major brand refresh in nearly a decade. The new approach blends traditional TV with TikTok creators, experiential moments, and even a biographical film tie-in. Rather than relying on seasonal spikes, the brand is investing in year-round presence and storytelling.

What it signals: Even the most established brands can’t coast on heritage. Cultural relevance now requires sustained investment, diversified channels, and a willingness to meet younger audiences where they actually spend time.

📖 Read more:  Wall Street Journal

e.l.f. Cosmetics x Liquid Death: A first drop on TikTok Shop

e.l.f. and Liquid Death reunited for a limited-edition drop of “lip embalms,” sold exclusively through TikTok Shop. The tongue-in-cheek product plays on both brands’ irreverent personalities, while using social commerce as the primary sales engine. The drop leads with humor and entertainment, with underpinnings of classic hype marketing.

What it signals: TikTok Shop is becoming a legitimate launchpad, not just a test channel. Brands that already understand internet culture have a clear edge in this arena where entertainment and checkout occur in the same scroll.

📖 Read more: Marketing Dive

MarTech moves 🤖

Apple inks a deal with Google Gemini 

Apple announced a multiyear partnership with Google to use Google’s Gemini generative AI models for its Apple artificial intelligence features. The deal will help fuel a long-awaited upgrade to Siri as well as other elements of Apple Intelligence (aka Apple’s personal AI system). The move expands Apple and Google’s relationship beyond search, and marks a notable shift for Apple which has traditionally prioritized in-house development.

What it signals: Even the most closed ecosystems are prioritizing speed and scale over ownership. For marketers, this points to more capable AI-driven interfaces across Apple devices. Think: innovation in voice, search, and assistant-led brand interactions.

📖 Read more: Marketing Dive

ChatGPT begins testing ads in its responses

OpenAI began trialing advertisements within ChatGPT conversations for some users in the United States. These tests involved inserting relevant ads at the top of certain chatbot interactions. Ads may appear contextually after queries like travel recommendations, blending paid placements with organic responses.

What it signals: Generative AI is shifting from a utility product to monetizable media. For marketers, this move suggests AI assistants could become direct ad channels. New formats, measurement models, and customer journeys could start emerging.

📖 Read more: BBC

Editors Choice 👀

1. Salesforce teases MrBeast Super Bowl ad 💻 After previewing the potential partnership back in December, Salesforce offered a glimpse into its MrBeast Super Bowl ad. The vlog-style video hinted at a million-dollar giveaway, with no mention of AI or typical enterprise messaging. 
   📖 Read more: AdWeek
   

2. Luxury brands re-enter the gaming arena 👔 Luxury brands are returning to platforms like The Sims and Fortnite with longer-term, community-first activations rather than one-off experiments. Gaming is increasingly treated as a cultural space, not a novelty channel.
   📖 Read more: Vogue
   

3. Social commerce is driving retail 👫 Social platforms now account for a meaningful share of U.S. retail revenue, with TikTok Shop leading the charge. Discovery, entertainment, and checkout are collapsing into a single scroll.
   📖 Read more: Business Insider

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