• Good Luck With That, Mr. Easterbrook
    It won't be an easy fix for Steve Easterbrook when he officially becomes McDonald's CEO next month. While he gets a shot at turning around the largest restaurant brand in the world, observers agree that the Oak Brook, Ill.-based fast feeder has some internal issues and external challenges from hell. Weak performance makes it more challenging for management to get franchisee buy-in for marketing and investment plans, and the sheer size - 36,000 units worldwide - will present its own challenges.
  • Seattle's Sherman Hits Super Bowl By Bus, Gets 'Disruptive'
    In an alliance that was initiated via Twitter, Seattle Seahawks' Richard Sherman has signed a deal to represent T-Mobile in a campaign that is intended to "shake up the status quo" and "disrupt the game" - not the Super Bowl, but the telecommunications category. The campaign includes include print, digital and social media and was activated in Phoenix with the arrival of three buses. Each was wrapped with images of Sherman touting a "Data Stash Dash" promotion offering tickets to the Big Game.
  • Mountain Dew's Kickstart Makes Guys Dance
    Guys, and lots of tchotchkes break into very weird dances in PepsiCo's 90-second spot for Mountain Dew, via BBDO New York. The ad, debuting two new flavors of Mtn Dew Kickstart: Mtn Dew Pineapple Orange Mango and Mtn Dew Strawberry Kiwi, will air during Super Bowl pre-game and during and post-game - on Twitter, YouTube, Snapchat and Vine. Watch it at the jump, and jump.
  • Avocados From Mexico To Air First-Ever Super Bowl Spot
    Avocados From Mexico will run its first Super Bowl spot at the end of the first quarter. The marketing organization is running a teaser for the ad that imagines the "First Draft Pick Ever." In the ad, via Austin, Texas-based GSD&M, NFL legends Jerry Rice and Doug Flutie sit behind a desk preparing to anchor the first draft. Before the cameras roll the two discuss the price of babysitters. Then we see the third seat is occupied by a rhino. What happens is secret until it actually airs.
  • Millennials Are Reshaping Auto Industry
    A new study suggests Millennials are gaining the purchasing power to reshape the auto industry into their own image. Americans born between 1980 and the late 1990s are expected to account for about 25% of the new vehicle market this year. That means they will generate sales of 4.24 million vehicles, according to data tracking service TrueCar - the equivalent of $135 billion in purchasing power.
  • Newcastle To Shed Phony Coloring
    Newcastle is dumping caramel coloring. Under pressure from activists and consumers concerned about the possible health effects of caramel coloring, the U.K. brewer, owned by Heineken, confirmed it will nix the color in Newcastle Brown Ale and has already returned to coloring it with the same roasted malt it formerly used.
  • Brr! Online Shopping Rises In Cold Weather
    In survey conducted in eight world markets this month by One Hour Translation and Google Consumer Surveys, 34% of the respondents said they do more online buying in winter than at other times. In the United States (and the Netherlands,) 36% of consumers said they purchased more online in winter. But an average of 80% of consumers polled said they realize that the Christmas shopping season - which peaks in November and December - is not necessarily the optimal time to shop online. Instead, these consumers wait for New Year's sales.
  • Couric, Gumbel Rock BMW Ad
    BMW's new commercial for its electric i3 hatchback stars former "Today Show" hosts Katie Couric and Bryant Gumbel. It will also be BMW's first Super Bowl ad in four years. The 60-second ad starts with a 1994 clip of Couric and Gumbel attempting to understand the Internet and email. Cut to Couric and Gumbel equally stymied by the plug-in electric i3. They try to figure out what's under the hood, and how windmills and solar panels fit into the schema. See it for yourself at the jump.
  • #Effyourbeautystandards Model Gets Major Agency
    Here's real beauty. Modeling agency MiLK Model Management has signed 29-year-old plus-size model Tess Munster, AKA Tess Holliday. The model is reportedly the first model of her size and height (5'5") to be signed to a major agency. But besides all that, Holliday is a vocal proponent of body diversity. Her effyourbeautystandards Instagram has over 74,000 followers, and 41,000 likes on Facebook.
  • Restaurants Scoring With Deflated Footballs
    Restaurant brands have benefitting New England Patriots' #DeflateGate controversy in the lead-up to Sunday's Super Bowl game, as brands like Krispy Kreme, regional JJ's Red Hots and local The Nugget Spot picked up on the #DeflateGate controversy with tweets and special offers. Since last Wednesday Krispy Kreme has garnered more than 3,500 retweets of its simple "Fully filled #DeflateGate" picture.
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