For all the little (and big) girls who dream of living in a Barbie world, fantasy is about to get one step closer to reality.

Earlier this month, Mattel joined forces with the fan convention company Mischief Management to put on Barbie Dream Fest, dubbed “the ultimate Barbie fan event.”

• The three-day Barbie extravaganza, which is set to take place in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in March 2026, will feature attractions for attendees young and old, including themed play zones, collector showcases, interactive activations, panels, and more.

The festival is designed to extend the long-lasting love for Barbie beyond the toy or screen, Melissa Anelli, founder and CEO of Mischief Management, told us, and it’s the latest high-profile event in the booming experiential marketing industry.

“It came out of conversations with our friends at Mattel about wanting to bring this incredibly rich and diverse world into the [real] world in a greater way,” Anelli said. “Let people step into it, let people touch it, let people live in the Barbie world for a little while.”

Life is plastic, it’s fantastic: Barbie Dream Fest isn’t the first time Barbie has gone to the real world (other than, you know, the entire plot of the movie). In 2023, around the time of the film premiere of Barbie, a pop-up Malibu Barbie Café came to New York City, serving Barbie-inspired bites and offering plenty of merch and photo ops; it’s since popped up in cities including Houston, Austin, and San Diego.

Keep reading here.—JN

Dove. United Talent Agency. TelevisaUnivision.

These are just some of the companies that were represented at Marketing Brew’s What’s Next? Navigating the Future Business of Creator Marketing event in New York last week. Executives discussed the evolving creator marketing landscape, which is being shaped by new platforms, trends, and technologies. Below are a few of the juiciest tips given onstage.

LinkedIn is the place to be: LinkedIn is no longer just a job-hunting platform, Aneesh Lal, founder of creator firm The Wishly Group, told attendees. Brands are looking to capitalize on the platform’s audience, which includes “all these influential…people who drive budgets at home and drive budgets at the office.” He pointed to short-form video and carousels as content types that work well on the platform.

Another way to potentially stand out on LinkedIn is to post lifestyle content on the platform, Sara Uy, an influencer who goes by the moniker SellingSara, said onstage. She pointed to a video she made walking through a day in her life attending Cannes this year with the AI brand Luster as an example.

“When you try a little bit less in sales and try to be a little bit less sales-y, it goes a long way,” she said. “I think that’s why the lifestyle piece on LinkedIn is doing so well right now, just because it’s a refresher.”

Keep reading here.—JS

People in higher income countries are using AI more—but those in the highest income countries may also trust it less.

A recent report from the United Nations Development Programme examined attitudes on and usage of AI through a survey of more than 21,000 people in 21 countries across its spectrum of Human Development Index (HDI) scores.

• In countries with low and medium HDI, only 14.4% of people reported AI use in health, education, or work within the last month.
• Around 23.6% answered similarly in high-HDI countries, a group that includes China, Brazil, and Indonesia.
• Around two in five (19%) reported using AI this way in very high HDI countries, like the US, most of Europe, Japan, and Korea.

But those in the first two groups of countries also expected to use AI much more in the next year—around two-thirds of respondents in each—while a more muted 45.9% expect to do so in very high income countries.

Keep reading here.—PK

At the Marketing Brew Summit on September 10, we’re lifting the lid on brand building, and Kristin DiCunzolo is bringing the support. As SVP of direct, marketing, and marketplace at Wacoal, she’s shaping strategy across channels and helping a legacy lingerie brand thrive in today’s market. Join us to hear how she’s turning fit into fierce results—grab your ticket now.

Strategic pitching and storytelling can help your brand secure a spot in holiday gift guides. Learn from PR expert Lauren Kleinman and Mavely CEO Evan Wray about connecting with editors, pitching creators, and reaching consumers to boost your brand’s holiday visibility.