Case Studied Brief 💼

A newspaper of evidence, a candy elimination, and four identical eye-patch grinders.

This week in marketing saw a $110 billion merger settlement, AI agents moving into checkout and ad buying, and a legal AI company's first commercial.

In today's edition:

• 📦 Amazon's AI takes over planning for a nearly $20 billion ad business

• 🏈 Thurman Thomas and Andre Reed appear in NFL Network's Bills stadium series

• 📱 Instagram publishes its own 2026 guide to Reels

Campaigns of the week 📺

The Washington Post turns its Flock camera investigation into a full print edition.

The Post launched "Relentless," a brand platform from Uncommon Creative Studio, with a special edition about its reporting on police misuse of Flock license-plate-reader cameras. The edition features much of the material behind that story, including interviews, documents, and other reporting. Five Indianapolis officers now face fraud and official misconduct charges following the Post's story. Uncommon also made a sturdier version of the journalist's press pass that reads "To honor the relentless and courageous pursuit of truth." The Post is sending the edition to subscribers and the White House. It is also sending physical packages to policymakers, media executives, and influencers. Source: LBB online

M&M's parodies telenovelas, crime thrillers, and "Survivor".

M&M's and BBDO Chicago created "Screentime," a campaign that drops the spokescandies into three TV genres. In "Unanimous," contestants vote the red and yellow M&M's off the island and onto the menu. In "Telenovela," the green M&M misses that the lead actor's words of passion are about eating her. Rami Hachache of Prettybird directed the spots, and Omnicom handled production. The campaign runs across broadcast, full-episode player video, programmatic, and social. It supports "It's More Fun Together," the creative platform M&M's introduced last year. Source: Marketing Dive

Legal AI company Harvey builds its first commercial around a handshake. 

Harvey and Better Half created the 60-second spot, using the handshake as a symbol of the agreements lawyers turn into contracts. Harvey develops AI software for law firms and corporate legal departments, with tools for contract review, due diligence, compliance, and litigation. Smuggler handled production, with Rubberband directing. CMO Rachel Hepworth said the team wanted the spot grounded in "the broader impact lawyers have on society." Source: Ad Age

NFL Network's "Building Buffalo" follows the workers behind the Bills' new stadium.

The two-part series tells the story of the laborers, tradespeople, architects, and contractors who built Highmark Stadium. Five-time Pro Bowl offensive tackle Dion Dawkins, founder of Shnow Vision Films, is an executive producer. Former Bills players Thurman Thomas, Andre Reed, and Steve Tasker appear alongside current players, including Damar Hamlin. Dawkins called the laborers "the offensive line of the job site." Source: Buffalo Bills

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Industry news 🤝

MarTech moves 🤖

Editors Choice 👀

📱 Instagram published a 2026 guide to making Reels, covering recording, editing, sharing, and effects. Source: Instagram

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