When marketers think about growth, they often focus on purpose, storytelling, or functional benefits. Yet Ulli Appelbaum, brand strategist and award-winning author, argues that the most powerful driver of brand success has been hiding in plain sight all along: brand associations. With his new book, The Science of Brand Associations: Win Minds, Win Markets (out […]
Katie Couric knows how to make preventive health care memorable. Two decades after her on-air colonoscopy turned the “Today” show into a teachable moment, she’s back — this time trading her hospital gown for “great jeans” in a cheeky parody of Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle spot. Created with the Colorectal Cancer Alliance and Ryan Reynolds’ […]
Something extraordinary is happening in women’s soccer — and smart marketers are starting to take notice. A new study from Parity confirms that fans of women’s soccer are not only passionate but uniquely positioned to reward brands with loyalty, trust, and purchase intent. For marketers searching for an engaged, values-driven audience, the message is clear: […]
Luxury’s Transformation Is a Lesson for Every Marketer. Luxury fashion has long been a harbinger of cultural change. Today, the surging interest in sustainability, AI, and circularity is more than a couture trend — it’s a signal of how consumers everywhere are redefining value and meaning. For marketers across categories, the message is clear: agility […]
SuperHeroes always lives up to its name. The independent agency has built its reputation on making advertising exciting again, or to use their motto: “We Save the World from Boring Advertising.” Whether through a cheeky Netflix x NFL execution that resembles a blimp caught between two buildings or Buick cars reimagined as digital art installations, […]
Marketing Makes a World of Difference™: From Promise to Proof The 2025 Marketing Makes a World of Difference™ Awards highlight something profound: while the word purpose may be debated, its power in marketing is far from dead. Across industries, countries, and causes, brands are showing that when purpose evolves into promise—and promises are proven through […]
How Visit Sweden’s CMO turns national branding into lessons every marketer can use. When most people think of destination marketing, they imagine glossy brochures and aspirational taglines. Nils Persson, Chief Marketing Officer of Visit Sweden, has rewritten that playbook entirely. Under his leadership, Sweden’s national brand has become a global case study in how creativity, […]
“78% of brands could disappear tomorrow—and most people wouldn’t care.” — Meaningful Brands 2025. For nearly 17 years, Havas has tracked the evolving relationship between people and brands through its annual Meaningful Brands™ study. Since its launch in 2009, the report has served as a global barometer of how brands create value in people’s lives—functionally, […]
When Nike first released the Air Jordan 1 to the public in April 1985, sneaker culture as we know it was born. Michael Jordan’s black-and-red shoes did more than break NBA uniform rules—they ignited a cultural phenomenon, sparking decades of obsession with athletic footwear, retro releases, and the blending of sport, fashion, and identity. Now, […]
Upcoming Advertising, Marketing & Media Events Worldwide Have you ever landed in Miami, only to learn the big conference wrapped the day before? Or flown to Singapore for meetings—only to discover your event collided with another industry gathering? Or arrived in Paris a day early—only to find it’s a national holiday and everything’s shut tight? […]
