🎯 Cuddly Puts Sweat To Work
Hi, Marketers!
When everything can be optimized, the most valuable signal may be proof that somebody actually bothered.
Cuddly Puts Sweat To Work
TL;DR: Australian fabric-care brand Cuddly asked comedian Dom Littrich to wear one activewear suit for seven days without washing it, completing increasingly sweaty challenges with VML Australia. Friends and athletes supplied sniff tests before the final wash, after which his partner wore the suit. VML reports more than 25.6 million views across TikTok and Meta for the campaign. Read more →
Liquid Death Optimizes Ads Daily
TL;DR: Liquid Death's chief media and digital commerce officer, Benoit Vatere, says AI has moved its retail media optimization from weekly reviews to daily action. Working with Power Digital, the brand can query campaign data directly and share findings quickly. Its team has refined the system through 17 iterations in three weeks, aiming to manage a sizeable budget with fewer people. Read more →
Fender Lets Buyers Hear First
TL;DR: Fender is rebuilding its website around helping musicians choose confidently, with real studio-recorded sound demonstrations, artist stories and profiles of its master builders. Interim CMO Kelly Magrath says the approach favors education and lasting relationships over individual product launches. An AI assistant answers product questions around the clock, while the instruments, artists and music remain untouched by AI. Read more →
Estee Lauder Keeps People Human
TL;DR: At Advertising Week New York, Estee Lauder's global chief digital and marketing officer, Aude Gandon, said the company uses AI to support creativity but keeps it away from anything related to humans. She argued that beauty advertising needs to show real product benefits. The boundary responds to consumer concerns without rejecting AI's usefulness behind the scenes. Read more →
OK COOL Finds Optimization Fatigue
TL;DR: Creative agency OK COOL's sixth annual trend report surveyed more than 2,900 culturally engaged respondents across generations and markets. Around 73% said relentless optimization was harming their lives, while 69% saw less individuality in the world. The agency argues for visible human effort and creative risk, while acknowledging that measurement and refinement remain useful parts of marketing. Read more →
SharkNinja Invites Creators Upstream
TL;DR: SharkNinja is bringing creators into its thinking before products even become prototypes, CMO Kaitlyn Hebert explained at the Marketing Brew Summit. Rather than waiting for launch-day endorsements, the company involves them in shaping concepts, identifying consumer needs and developing stories. Their role begins with questions about what a product should solve, not simply how to promote it afterward. Read more →
Wet Ones Reveals Its Hands
TL;DR: Wet Ones used gossip account DeuxMoi to tease a seemingly revealing photo of reality star Kyle Cooke, then disclosed that the image showed his hand, not his backside. Created with BBH USA, the campaign reinforces the wipes' hand-only purpose through New York outdoor placements, sampling boards and a social challenge offering fans a Times Square billboard appearance. Read more →
TOSSR Rehomes Its Maggots
TL;DR: Australian bin-bag subscription brand TOSSR has opened a fictional maggot adoption agency with Innocean, imagining that its split-resistant bags leave the creatures without food or homes. Social listening had revealed frustration with torn bags, but the campaign replaces conventional strength tests with an absurd story. Each adoption includes a 20% subscription discount, linking the joke directly to trial. Read more →
Disney Reveals Who Hulu Is
TL;DR: Disney+ Canada has revealed itself behind mysterious Hu Dis? billboards created with Courage, introducing Hulu programming to viewers who mainly associate the service with family entertainment. Sculptural references to shows, from Futurama to Shogun, bring the broader catalog into public view. Digital and social activity support the reveal, with a broadcast and connected-TV film following October 9. Read more →
Snuggle Borrows Linus's Comfort
TL;DR: Snuggle has paired its bear and signature blue blanket with Peanuts' Linus and his own blanket, linking fabric softness and fragrance to familiar comfort. Created by TBWA, the US campaign runs for six months across television and connected TV, supported by digital, social and outdoor advertising. A planned New York pop-up will extend the partnership into an immersive experience. Read more →
Lancome Questions I'm Fine
TL;DR: Lancome is challenging the reflexive phrase I'm fine through a World Mental Health Day campaign informed by Ipsos research. Eighty percent of women surveyed said they use it when they are not fine. Brand ambassadors share personal stories, while a dedicated website offers self-assessments, educational resources and connections to support through the Anxiety and Depression Association of America and HealthyWomen. Read more →
Perkins Brings Mahjong To Breakfast
TL;DR: Perkins Restaurant and Bakery has turned pancakes, bacon, pie and coffee into a custom mahjong set, working with agency Acadia and an independent Etsy artist. The restaurant chain is promoting face-to-face family time through store events, social content and a giveaway microsite. Limited sets will also be sold in stores, extending its dining experience beyond the food itself. Read more →
Svedka Makes Gameday Transparent
TL;DR: Svedka Vodka Water has turned stadium clear-bag rules into a collection of transparent game-day clothing and accessories, extending the look of its clear cans. Model and influencer Sophia Culpo wore the jersey at a San Francisco 49ers game to introduce the range. The limited collection goes on sale October 9, connecting the brand's packaging to football-season fashion. Read more →
EE Parts The Concert Crowd
TL;DR: EE has visualized its Fast Lane network feature by making a departing concert crowd part around a connected iPhone user in a 20-second social film. Created by Saatchi & Saatchi London, the scene turns dedicated 5G+ connectivity into a familiar human situation. A broader campaign carries the message across video, outdoor, audio, print, social, search and programmatic advertising. Read more →
La Mer Serves Its Craftsmanship
TL;DR: La Mer and Gourmet Traveller have teamed with Melbourne pastry chef Gareth Whitton to translate the skincare brand's textures and fermentation story into a takeaway experience. Available October 9-10 at Tarts Anon, the $20 combination includes a bespoke tart, cold brew and mini moisturizers. The partnership connects the brand's craftsmanship with a sensory encounter beyond magazine pages and social feeds. Read more →
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