Two years after the New York Times wondered if we were “past peak newsletter,” the category continues to grow—and newsletter writers are getting more tools to bring eager advertisers on board.

Late last week, Beehiiv, a newsletter platform for creators, introduced a new tool that will let its users manage relationships with advertisers, giving newsletter creators the ability to insert ads directly into their newsletters, set rate cards, coordinate inventory, and send invoices.

The tool, called Direct Sponsorships, will allow publishers to sell their own inventory, Tyler Denk, Beehiiv’s co-founder and CEO, told Marketing Brew, and costs $10 for every ad placement. Denk said the tools are aimed at giving creators additional revenue options beyond subscriptions, which many do using platforms like Substack, a Beehiiv rival.

The tool is the latest new option to roll out in the big business of newsletters.

Advertisers have begun to embrace newsletters on Substack, which said last week that it had surpassed 5 million paid subscriptions, with one marketing exec previously telling Marketing Brew that newsletters are an attractive place since social media platforms have “become overloaded.” According to a Morning Brew Inc. survey of marketing industry decision-makers conducted in January, 51% said email marketing was an investment priority in 2025.

It hasn’t been seamless, especially for newsletters that don’t have the backing of a sales team. In January, the Wall Street Journal reported that some newsletter creators have finalized deals with Venmo and managed partnerships through Google Docs as they navigate ad-hoc advertising arrangements.

Beehiiv’s Direct Sponsorship tool aims to change that for its slate of creators.

“More people can make money by putting an ad that is relevant to their audience in their newsletter than charging $5, $10, $20 per month for their content,” Denk said. “It takes very differentiated content to be able to charge for it.”

Continue reading here.—RB

Ahead of Selection Sunday, some brands just couldn’t wait any longer to kick off their campaigns.

Powerade, the official hydration partner of March Madness and official sports drink of the NCAA, rolled out its campaign in February. The central ad follows a fictional basketball player as opposed to a real college star, but Powerade also teamed up with a handful of current players to help amplify its message as it looks to compete with Gatorade.

Last year, Powerade partnered with Simone Biles for an Olympics campaign focused on mental health, and so far this year, has set its sights on soccer, becoming the official sports drink of MLS and US Soccer. Now, it’s turning to the men’s and women’s NCAA tournaments in an effort to connect with younger consumers and go after the “leading brand” in the sports drink space, according to Tom Gargiulo, CMO of BodyArmor Sports Nutrition, which oversees the Powerade brand under Coca-Cola.

“We pride ourselves on being the underdog, what we call ‘underestimated to undeniable,’” Gargiulo told Marketing Brew. “We wanted to tell the story of not only this athlete, but also of our brand…With some hard work and some hard effort, we’ll be able to hopefully get to the top.”

Read more here about Powerade’s campaign and its March Madness approach.—AM

Each week, we spotlight Marketing Brew readers in our Coworking series. If you’d like to be featured, introduce yourself here.

Dana Hork is CEO and co-founder of the creative agency Beers with Friends, which has worked with brands like Dig, Virgin Galactic, and Perfect Bar. She has also held marketing roles at brands including Wonder, Walmart, and Jet.

Favorite project you’ve worked on? We love all our children the same, but we recently helped fast-casual restaurant Dig launch two seasonal campaigns, the latest of which is Dig’s Winter 2025 campaign, “Our Longcuts Are Your Shortcut,” which spotlights Dig’s scratch-cooked meals as a smart life hack for those who don’t have time to cook. Beers With Friends developed CTV spots featuring two Dig chefs extolling Dig’s scratch-cooked ethos, from crispy chicken that’s been brined all night long and hand-breaded to chargrilled steak that’s been perfectly seasoned and sliced to order. “Longcuts” was inspired by a key consumer insight: most Dig consumers had a love-hate relationship with their kitchens, hated grocery shopping, but wanted to uphold wellness goals by fueling their bodies with nourishing meals.

One thing we can’t guess from your LinkedIn profile: I’m from Minnesota. If you are too, I’m always happy to talk about the 1991 Halloween blizzard, Mighty Ducks, the State Fair, or which freeways we grew up near.

Read more here.

Get ready to dunk into the world of fan data with Nana Dadzie, head of marketing at Curry Brand—Stephen Curry’s powerhouse brand under Under Armour. He’s sharing how fan data can help you shoot your marketing efforts straight through the hoop. Join us on April 8 in person or virtually. Grab your ticket now.

Mergers and acquisitions, company partnerships, and more.

• Omnicom’s proposed acquisition of IPG could be facing roadblocks after the FTC reportedly asked both companies for additional information.
• Novartis signed a deal making it the NFL’s first official pharmaceutical sponsor.
• Wonder, a food-delivery startup, acquired independent media company Tastemade.