Kristina Monllos is a senior reporter for Marketing Brew. She has spent over a decade covering the advertising business for publications like Digiday and Adweek. Her reporting has also appeared in publications like Rolling Stone, New York Magazine's Vulture and Elle, among others. She is also a filmmaker.
The effort, part of an advertisement for the printer and computer brand HP, is an effort to bring the brand “into local culture,” an executive told us.
The age of AI is making marketing more important than ever—but more expectations and responsibilities, combined with largely flat budgets, are putting pressure on top practitioners.
Amid a broader shift in how consumers perceive hair loss, the category-defining company doesn’t want to be seen as only “a man’s brand,” an exec told us.
Brands like Denny’s and JCPenney are making odes to sitcoms and reality television in an effort to tap into nostalgia and get consumers who “hate” ads to pay attention.
But 2026 was a tough year for brand growth overall, according to Morning Consult.
“When you have strong brand storytelling, when you have strong brand activations and moments, it lifts all boats,” Quynh Dang, VP of brand, told us.
Ads across industries imbued with human-centric optimism is like “the real-life version of Captcha,” Andy Pearson, VP of creative for Liquid Death, said.
“People want more for their money, and it goes beyond the food,” Sheena Dougher, VP of brand marketing at Jack in the Box, told us.
The organization’s general perspective is that “if it’s not labeled, and it causes consumer deception,” it could pose a problem, Caroline Giegerich, VP of AI at the IAB, said.
“Where there are cultural conversations that your brand can earn the right to be in, add some value and show up,” Sara Brooks, chief growth officer for the brand, told us.
