These days, did a movie even come out if there wasn’t a several-month period when the film was embedded in just about every aspect of culture possible?

The folks behind F1 The Movie would probably say no.

As Formula 1 fans geared up for the Brad Pitt-led blockbuster to hit theaters this summer, Apple made sure to remind them and newcomers alike of the film through OOH advertising, surprise Pitt-attended events, and—in a manner that only Apple could actually do—directly on their iPhones.

It’s a marketing blitz similar to what 2023’s Barbie phenomenon created, but with its own Formula 1–specific advantages that got a big movie audience interested, said Lucy Markowitz, the general manager of US marketplace at Vistar Media, a T-Mobile-owned digital OOH company. The movie, which has already outpaced Napoleon as Apple’s top-grossing film, cleared $460 million in global box-office totals as of this weekend, per Variety.

“Everyone wants to be a part of something that’s no longer just a movie, [and] part of something that is bigger than just a two-hour film,” she said. “That is partially created by all the buzz that goes around a film. You need social media and paid media in order to fuel that fire. It’s not just gonna happen on its own.”

Continue reading here.—JN

The (WNBA) stars aligned this past weekend in Indianapolis for WNBA All-Star Weekend, and you can bet many of the league’s sponsors were there, too.

In addition to the action at the Indiana Fever’s Gainbridge Fieldhouse, which included the 3-Point Contest and the Skills Challenge on Friday followed by the All-Star Game on Saturday, the roster of off-court events was deeper than ever, with a record 25 partners and licensees of the W involved throughout the weekend, according to the league.

Over the weekend, some brands worked to leave an impression as they courted the WNBA’s growing fandom with offers like access to athletes and exclusive merchandise.

Liven things up: A growing pillar of WNBA All-Star Weekend is WNBA Live, the fan festival focused on fashion, music, and culture in its fourth year. Some of the league’s biggest sponsors hosted events at WNBA Live this year, including several Changemakers, brands committed to helping elevate the league beyond sponsorship dollars.

• AT&T, the presenting sponsor of WNBA All-Star and the All-Star Game, offered nail art and set up a “4-point” game for fans to play.
• There was also an AT&T-branded “4-point” shot element in the All-Star Game.
• Ally Financial brought arcade-themed experiences, complete with custom debit cards featuring its WNBA athlete partners; visitors could shoot hoops onsite and accumulate points to redeem for merch.
• Google created an interactive experience that let fans take a quiz matching them with a WNBA team and take media-day-style photos.
• Google also put together a “Hall of Fits,” a collection of outfits from Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson and Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum.

Fan focus: Marketers also leaned into fans’ relationships with athletes as one way to make their mark on All-Star Weekend.

Read more here.—AM

Every other TikTok seems like it’s selling something these days, so getting a product to cut through the mindless scrolling and pause consumers’ thumbs for just a second isn’t as easy as it sounds. Videos of appliance company SharkNinja’s constantly viral innovations, whether it be mixing at-home treats with the Ninja Creami or achieving on-trend blowouts with the Shark FlexStyle, have repeatedly managed to do just that.

The latest to take over TikTok is its TurboBlade fan, with a video of it oscillating in front of a bed—soundtracked by Anna Nalick’s Y2K classic “Breathe (2 AM)”—amassing more than 32 million views since April, becoming its most-viewed product of all time, Lana Sanleandro, global CMO for Shark Home, told Retail Brew. Its 100+ million impressions on TikTok have translated into strong sales for the product, its CEO Mark Adam Barrocas said in May.

The company is what Sanleandro calls a “social-first organization,” prioritizing storytelling and marketing in tandem with product innovation. It sells in 37 categories, launching 25 new products annually, so it certainly has a lot of fodder for the FYP.

And its strategy is paying off across categories. SharkNinja’s net sales rose 14.7% in the first quarter thanks to growth across all four of its segments—cleaning, cooking and beverage, food prep, and beauty and home. Ninja Slushi, FlexBreeze fans, and CryoGlow face masks have also been among its most popular products as of late, the company said.

Sanleandro, a consumer tech vet with former roles at Amazon and Samsung, shared how SharkNinja is using social media to drive and sustain demand for its premium gadgets.

Continue reading on Retail Brew.—EC

From the fall of Pets.com to the rise of AI-driven ad strategies, the past 25 years have redefined how brands connect with consumers. Marketing Brew’s Quarter Century Project explores the pivotal moments that shaped modern marketing—and asks what’s next for the industry.