Ad Age

The new Cola Wars are breaking out in Bikini Bottom. OLIPOP PBC—the prebiotic soda brand that recently teamed up with “SpongeBob SquarePants” to promote its Pineapple Paradise flavor—is getting unexpected visitors this week: Sheldon J. Plankton and the Flying Dutchman. The tiny villain and the malicious ghost of the animated undersea world will launch a fake rival drink called “ChumPop,” a nod to Olipop’s real-life competitor, poppi. CALLEN was the agency behind the campaign. Read more about the strategy from Jon Springer: https://lnkd.in/eNeKapEf

TV is evolving—now delivering scale, measurement and cultural impact. At Forward™ 2025, brands like Calm, Dave and Saatva shared how they’re rewriting the rules. Read the playbook. #ad Read more from our Publishing Partner, Tatari. https://lnkd.in/g2uKqyge

Building the connective infrastructure that allows real-time insights and decision-making is essential to realizing the full potential of AI, which is revolutionizing marketing. #ad Read more from our Publishing Partner, Basis Technologies. https://lnkd.in/d_Mb_bR8

Breaking: Yum Brands is making key agency changes across its portfolio. VML is picking up creative duties with Pizza Hut, while Deutsch’s role with Taco Bell is being reduced. Brian Bonilla, Erika Wheless and Ewan Larkin break down the moves here: https://lnkd.in/e_KYk-rE

Meet the 40 under 40 class of 2025 ✨ This year’s list, narrowed down from several hundred entries, serves as inspiration for current and future leaders in marketing and advertising. WPP’s Daniel Barak is innovating with AI—while ensuring it still has a human touch. andre gray of Havas Lynx New York is championing inclusivity despite widespread corporate declines. Those reaching the next generations include Kimberley Ho, with Gen Alpha skincare brand Evereden, and Mars’ Burcu Sahin , who is selling gum to Gen Zers after finding it helps them focus. Others are passionate about both their work and side projects—dentsu Digital’s Kei Ishizuka is busy building an accident-free bicycle. This group of 40 honorees is rising to today’s challenges and thinking about tomorrow. Explore the full list—and read about how they got here and what's next—here: https://lnkd.in/erapQCSk

Meet Morris Katz, the political media strategist behind NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani's ad campaign, which has been anything but traditional. Reality TV-themed spots around "Survivor" and “The Golden Bachelor” stand out in a sea of political advertising that usually features talking heads hammering home issues or voice-overs slamming opponents. Katz and his Fight Agency takes a more out-of-the-box approach to reach voters where they are. Katz is the son of Hollywood writer and producer David Bar Katz. Because he grew up on production sets, he told Ad Age that it's important for him to bring an entertainment style to political advertising. "Politics does not have to be something that makes people feel worse. It can brighten people’s days," he said. Read more:

A fundamental shift in how we understand and measure the app lifecycle could help marketers achieve their goals. #ad Read more from our Publishing Partner, T-Mobile Advertising Solutions. https://lnkd.in/dJC5e7ac

Advertising stories you need to know. 💡 📝 Why procurement is crashing marketing events 🤖 Media buyers call 2026 the year AI transforms everything 📱 TikTok pushes ad dollars despite ownership uncertainty Swipe for more stories and the context you need. ⬇️

Streaming is where your audience is. Disney Campaign Manager makes it simple to reach them with automated campaigns, smart targeting, and clear results—built for every advertiser. #ad Read more from our Publishing Partner, Disney Advertising. https://lnkd.in/g77d39uE

Join Ad Age and Piper Stull-Lane to learn how Guaranteed Outcomes makes TV measurable, transparent and ROI-driven—outperforming search and social. #ad Register today! Made possible by tvScientific. https://lnkd.in/gHgVmrs3