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☆ Would-be Tesla buyers snub company as Musk's reputation dips
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-01 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Vehicles for sale at a Tesla store in Vallejo, California, US, on Thursday, March 2, 2023. While Tesla continued to post strong sales growth last year, helped by aggressive price cuts, the electric-vehicle maker is expected to report weak quarterly sales as early as Tuesday. Caliber cited strong associations between Tesla's reputation and that of Musk for the scores. Tesla sales are projected to increase by 3%. "The EV slowdown is shaping up to be a Tesla slowdown," Cox analyst Stephanie Valdez Streaty said during a conference call Thursday.

Persons: Elon Musk, Tesla, Musk, Shahar Silbershatz, Tim Calkins, Cox, Stephanie Valdez Streaty, —, Musk's Organizations: Tesla, Reuters, Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, Wall Street, Cox Automotive, Teslas Locations: Vallejo , California, United States, U.S, California

☆ Opinion: The biggest Super Bowl ad winners — and losers — over the past 20 years
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Opinion Tim Calkins | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

These were all among the notable Super Bowl ads of the past 20 years. These are some of the very best Super Bowl ads over the past 20 years. Google, ‘Parisian Love’Super Bowl XLIV in 2010 included Google’s first-ever Super Bowl spot. Amazon, ‘Alexa Loses Her Voice’Amazon has been one of the most successful of all Super Bowl advertisers, at least according to the Kellogg Super Bowl Ad Review panel. But we are incredible, and we make incredible things.”Kia's 2019 Super Bowl ad helped launch its new SUV, the Telluride.

Persons: Tim Calkins, Andy Warhol, Kellogg, Google’s, Alexa, Gordon Ramsay, Cardi, Anthony Hopkins, Alexa —, Kia, ”, Bar Refaeli, GoDaddy, Burger, Andy ’, Burger King, Warhol, HomeAway, Groupon, Timothy Hutton, “ Organizations: Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, Marketing, CNN, Amazon Alexa, Tim Calkins Kellogg School of Management, Google, Kellogg, Trade, Bowl, Super Bowl, Amazon, Amazon's, Alexa, Mobile, Verizon, Telluride, Nationwide, Companies, Brands, Super Locations: United States, Georgia, Telluride, US, Tibet

NEW YORK (AP) — Budweiser is bringing back some familiar characters this year in its Super Bowl ad. Some advertisers are releasing ads ahead of Super Bowl 58 in the hope of capitalizing on the buzz that builds as the game approaches. Bud Light also angered supporters of transgender rights who felt it abandoned Mulvaney. “The first Super Bowl spots to be released embrace light humor," said Northwestern University marketing professor Tim Calkins. "This isn’t a surprise; safety is key when advertising on the Super Bowl so most advertisers will stay far away from controversial topics.”As always, commercials are stuffed — even overstuffed — with celebrities.

Persons: Bud Light, influencer Dylan Mulvaney, “, ”, Ray Taylor, they’ve, hasn't, Lionel Messi, Kate McKinnon, Pete Davidson, Tim Calkins, Vince Vaughan, Tom Brady, Brady miffed, Wayne Gretzky Organizations: Budweiser, Super, advertising's, CBS, Paramount, Nickelodeon, Anheuser, Busch, Villanova School of Business, ” Anheuser, Bud, Kawasaki, Northwestern University Locations: Labrador, America

☆ It’s ‘pathological’ for brands to advertise on Elon Musk’s X, Yale professor says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Brands are being “irresponsible” by continuing to advertise on Elon Musk’s X after the billionaire endorsed antisemitic views, according to Yale professor Jeffrey Sonnenfeld. It’s pathological,” Sonnenfeld, dean for leadership studies at the Yale School of Management, told CNN in a phone interview. Yaccarino under pressureThe advertiser backlash is piling even more financial pressure on X at a time when the social media platform has been struggling. “This is a perfect opportunity for the market to do what the market does best,” Minow said. Tim Calkins, a marketing professor at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, said brands don’t need to “completely agree” with a media property and its policies to advertise there.

Persons: Elon Musk’s, Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, “, Sonnenfeld, Musk, ” Musk, ”, Joe Benarroch, “ Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Linda Yaccarino, “ Linda Yaccarino, ” Sonnenfeld, he’s, Yaccarino, Lou Paskalis, Nell Minow, ” Minow, Minow, Tim Calkins, Calkins, it’s, ” Calkins Organizations: CNN, Brands, Elon, Yale School of Management, Whites, Disney, Warner Bros . Discovery, Media, Twitter, Media Matters, Marketing, ValueEdge Advisors, Time Magazine, Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management

☆ Mattel wants to pay you $277 an hour to play Uno
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( Ellie Stevens | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Mattel says it is conducting a nationwide job search for a “Chief Uno player.” The salary: $277 an hour. The toy company is hiring someone to promote the release of their new game, Uno Quatro. Uno Quatro is a new version of Uno that combines connecting four tiles in a row, as in Connect 4, with the classic Uno feature of matching numbers and colors. Starting September 13, the Chief Uno player will teach players to play the game and participate in livestreams and interviews. An eye-catching five figure position to play Uno for four weeks can accomplish just that.

Persons: Mattel, Uno Quatro, “ We’re, ”, Ray Adler, Uno, Tim Calkins, ” Calkins, TikTok, “, …, Skittles, French’s, McDonald’s, Calkins Organizations: CNN, Uno, Mattel, Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management Locations: New York City

☆ Mattel's Barbie is a hit. Retailers and restaurants want in
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-29 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Around that time, it started planning Barbie parties: Celebrations with themed cocktails, pink food and plenty of opportunities to show off Barbiecore outfits in the Instagram-friendly venue, including life-size hot pink Barbie and Ken boxes. By marketing Barbie products to adults, large retailers may be able to get them to buy similar products for kids. With Barbie products that appeal to grown-ups, marketers are “getting that interactivity between adults and children, that bonding,” which can also be used as a selling point. The clothing retailer offers a Barbie line that includes Gap and Barbie branded t-shirts, jackets and more, for both kids and adults. Nordhielm pointed to Cold Stone Creamery’s Barbie pink cotton candy ice cream as a standout.

Persons: Barbie ”, “ Barbie ”, Moshe Isaacian, Isaacian, Richard Drew, “, ”, Tim Calkins, Barbie, Ken, Leana Chavez, cabana, Lauren McCord, Christie Nordhielm, Richard Dickson, Richard B, Levine, Levine Roberts, “ Barbie, Oppenheimer, David Canales, David Reibstein, University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton, we’re, Mike Blake, ” Reibstein, “ it’s, Northwestern’s Calkins, Mattel, Chrissy Teigen Organizations: New, New York CNN, Twitter, Mattel, Warner Bros, CNN, Warner Bros ., Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, Wunder, Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, Press, University of Pennsylvania’s, Reuters, Creamery Locations: New York, Wunder Garten, Washington , DC, Zara, Gran Via, Madrid, Malibu, Malibu , California

☆ Heineken, Unilever and Oreo maker Mondelez accused of breaking promises to leave Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

It’s shameful and unethical.”Sonnenfeld, who has testified before Congress about companies leaving Russia, is not accusing these corporations of breaking the law. ‘Implied endorsement of the Putin regime’The “poster child” for this problem is the popular Dutch brewing giant Heineken, Sonnenfeld said. In March 2022, just one month after the invasion of Ukraine, Heineken won praise for promising to leave Russia. “We expect a significant financial loss to the Heineken company. The Yale research said Mondelez shows “no tangible signs of progress towards exiting” and continues to do business in Russia.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Jeff Sonnenfeld, Philip Morris, ” Sonnenfeld, “, ”, ‘, Putin, Sonnenfeld, Steven Tian, ExxonMobil –, ” Heineken, ” Mondelez, Mondelez, That’s, Lipton, Mark Dixon, Nestle, Kit Kat, Purina, Sbarro, Carl’s Jr, Carl’s, Yale, Tim Calkins, Calkins Organizations: New York CNN Business, Yale, Heineken, Unilever, CNN, ”, Institute . Yale, BP, ExxonMobil, Nabisco, Kyiv School of Economics, Agency, Nestle, WeWork, Mondelez, McDonald’s, Starbucks, Restaurants Holdings, CKE, Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Russian, ”, American, South Africa

☆ Target is being held hostage by an anti-LGBTQ campaign
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-25 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

New York CNN —During every Pride Month in June for the past decade, Target has sold merchandise for LGBTQ customers, employees and allies. But this year, Target faced an anti-LGBTQ campaign that went viral on social media. Fueled by far-right personalities and on social media platforms, the anti-trans campaign spread misleading information about the company’s Pride Month products and its business practices. It won’t be worth whatever they think they’ll gain.”The campaign became hostile, with threats levied against Target employees and instances of damaged products and displays in stores. Meeting demandTarget became the focus of the anti-LGBTQ campaign’s ire for its Pride Month merchandise, but the campaign misrepresented Target’s ambitions.

Persons: ”, Matt Walsh, Kelley Robinson, Bud Light, Yoram, “ It’s, Brian Cornell, Fortune, Erik Carnell, ” Target, Gavin Newsom, Sarah Kate Ellis, Tim Calkins, Ron DeSantis, “, Paul Argenti Organizations: New, New York CNN, Target, Twitter, Human Rights, Pride, University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, Gallup, ”, Wall Street Journal, GLAAD, Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, Companies, Nike, Disney, Florida Gov, Los Angeles Dodgers, Dodger, Dartmouth University’s Tuck School of Business Locations: New York, California, statehouses

☆ Bud Light wanted to market to all. Now, it's alienating everyone
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

New York CNN —For years, Bud Light leaned on jokey ad campaigns and its designation as a light beer to push sales. Now, Bud Light finds itself seeking younger drinkers, and stumbling through America’s polarized landscape in the process. There have been calls for a Bud Light boycott. And the stock of Bud Light owner Anheuser-Busch (BUD) has fallen only about 3% in the last month, suggesting Wall Street isn’t too worried. Bud Light, he thinks, could be missing out on that type of support.

☆ Tupperware has been struggling for some time. These charts show how
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Alex Leeds Matthews | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Tupperware may be on the verge of collapse, but the 77-year-old business’ potential demise isn’t necessarily a harbinger of worsening economic conditions. Some business experts say that’s because Tupperware has failed to adapt to changing consumer behaviors. The Tupperware brand name is so iconic that it’s become shorthand for all food leftover storage. That might be part of the problem, as other brands have emerged to compete against Tupperware, sometimes at lower price points. Tupperware has historically only sold to consumers through “direct sales,” most commonly at “Tupperware parties.” These parties were gatherings where people who enjoyed the product would demo and sell the Tupperware brand to their friends and acquaintances.

☆ Bud Light's inclusive ad campaigns are good for business
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

For Bud Light in particular, reaching a new audience is crucial, Alissa Heinerscheid, vice president of marketing at Bud Light, said in a recent Make Yourself at Home podcast interview. Bud Light had “been in decline for a really long time,” she said. From dylanmulvaney/InstagramCurrently, we’re about two weeks into the Bud Light backlash. The performer and TikTok personality, who had partnered with Bud Light previously, has been open about transitioning on Instagram and TikTok. And Texas congressman Dan Crenshaw also weighed in, saying he’s in favor of a Bud Light boycott but doesn’t stock the beer.

☆ Pepsi has a new logo
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —If someone were to ask you to draw the Pepsi logo from memory, what would you draw? Pepsi has changed its logo over the years. The “Pepsi” in the logo “is decoupled from the globe,” noted Todd Kaplan, Pepsi’s chief marketing officer. Pepsi says that the changes its making are distinctive enough to do the trick, and highlight modern elements like Pepsi’s zero-sugar line. To highlight the zero line, the new logo uses black font and a black border, a nod to Pepsi Zero’s black can and label.

☆ M&Ms Super Bowl commercial: How ads have become weeks-long campaigns
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-12 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The Super Bowl commercial, billed as the conclusion to weeks-long drama surrounding the status of the “spokescandies,” left some viewers scratching their heads. But if you weren’t paying attention, the final commercial might be a head scratcher -— one risk a brand takes when it uses a weeks-long campaign ahead of its Super Bowl commercial. In a change for the decades-old Super Bowl ad wars, it’s actually become a commonplace strategy to use social media to tease, preview and create buzz ahead of their Super Bowl commercials. Companies spend millions just for a Super Bowl ad slot — reportedly over $7 million for some 30-second spots — before investing into the commercials themselves. Dance contests and bettingDespite the high cost of a Super Bowl commercial, companies are eager to nab a spot.

☆ How Budweiser Tackled a Beer-Free World Cup
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Katie Deighton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +9 min

In the end, the brewer found a way to navigate the World Cup beer-free and roll with the media attention that the alcohol ban generated. Soccer’s 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar ran from Nov. 20 to Dec. 18. World Cup sponsors Kia and Adidas similarly maintained their reputational scores, according to the Morning Consult data. Budweiser doesn’t pay a reported $75 million for the official beer sponsorship of the World Cup just to serve beer at stadiums. But the ban on alcoholic Budweiser undermined the impetus for being at the World Cup, Mr. Marcondes said.

☆ How M&M’s is making the most of its spokescandies controversy
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Given the outsize attention, some think M&M’s announcement is a PR stunt to hype its upcoming Super Bowl commercial. M&M’s relatively subtle changes aimed at inclusivity didn’t seem like they were designed to spark much controversy, if any. At the Washington Post, for example, an opinion piece declared “the M&M’S changes aren’t progressive. “In the last year, we’ve made some changes to our beloved spokescandies,” M&M’s said. “The original colorful cast of M&M’s spokescandies are, at present, pursuing other personal passions,” Wesley said.

But the new era at Twitter could also be an opportunity for the company to redefine its brand for the better. But it remains unclear what Twitter under Mr. Musk will actually be, Mr. Calkins said. Twitter before Mr. Musk weathered a number of controversies that rattled some advertisers and users. But this is a potential inflection point for Twitter, Mr. Miller said. “I think the brand is irrevocably damaged, actually, unless and until Musk finds somebody else to run Twitter,” Mr. Kwittken said.

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