By Amy Houston After 10 years in the wilderness, the anthropomorphized sausage stick makes his dramatic return in true cheeky fashion. Growing up in 90s Britain, no other brand mascot had quite an anarchistic or dominating aura as Peperami’s Animal. His commanding presence in ads saw him grating his own head off in one spot and becoming enraged at the sight of a potato chip in another. The meaty monster either had you laughing or absolutely terrified. Regardless, he had your attention and the tagline, ‘It’s a bit of an Animal,’ fitted the wild creation perfectly. Created by London shop Lowe (now MullenLowe), the character Read full story › Source: The Drum...
Read MoreBy Leigh Gammons Tangent’s Leigh Gammons is here to guide you through the deep dark woods of empty AI promises (and towards that small minority that actually knows what they’re talking about). I could, I suppose, have written this using AI. Hopefully it’s clear from the weather-beaten undertone, though, that this is all me. Over the last year, we reached fever pitch around AI. Almost every conversation in the marketing and technology space touched on it. We’ve seen this phenomenon before, with terms like ‘data-driven’, ‘personalization’, ‘omnichannel’, ‘agile’, and the old faithful ‘transformation’. But as the dust has settled and businesses ramp up their Read full story › Source: The Drum...
Read MoreBy Richard Pinder Rankin Creative’s Richard Pinder reflects on the implications of the shifting powers in auto land. The brands must open to change or be the canary in the coal mine. When in 2020, the then-CEO of the then-world’s largest car maker, Volkswagen, urged wholesale change in his company’s business model to avoid becoming the next Nokia, he was met with incredulity. And not long after, he was out. Four years later, his warnings feel way more, not less, relevant. Chinese automaker BYD, a brand most people in Western Europe have barely heard of, recently overtook Tesla in EV sales. It Read full story › Source: The Drum...
Read MoreBy Audrey Kemp The shutdown not only marks the end of an era for price-conscious consumers, but also serves as a cautionary tale for even the most established businesses to stay agile in the face of increasing competition. On Thursday, 99 Cents Only Stores, a staple discount retailer in the Western United States, announced the closure of its 371 locations across Arizona, California, Nevada and Texas. Liquidation sales of its in-store merchandise have already commenced. In a statement, the recently resigned interim CEO, Mike Simoncic, lamented the necessity of the decision and the formidable challenges the company has faced in recent years. These including the Read full story › Source: The Drum...
Read MoreBy Audrey Kemp Creativity shines bright, from SunChips’ Solar Eclipse Chips to MoonPie’s celestial wrestling match. Prepare for an astronomical spectacle unlike any other as the total solar eclipse approaches on April 8. Compared to its predecessor in 2017, this year’s celestial performance promises to be even more captivating, with a longer duration and darker skies. As millions prepare to witness the extraordinary event, brands aim to seize some of the spotlight, or perhaps more fittingly, sunlight. From SunChips and MoonPie to Pizza Hut and CosMc’s, join us as we explore the cosmic creativity inspired by Monday’s total solar eclipse. SunChips to debut ‘Solar Eclipse Chips’ Read full story › Source: The Drum...
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