{"id":26654,"date":"2022-12-30T11:48:44","date_gmt":"2022-12-30T11:48:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailinvest.blog\/index.php\/2022\/12\/30\/the-22-most-popular-adweek-stories-of-2022\/"},"modified":"2022-12-30T11:48:44","modified_gmt":"2022-12-30T11:48:44","slug":"the-22-most-popular-adweek-stories-of-2022","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mailinvest.blog\/index.php\/2022\/12\/30\/the-22-most-popular-adweek-stories-of-2022\/","title":{"rendered":"The 22 Most Popular Adweek Stories of 2022"},"content":{"rendered":"

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If you\u2019re feeling slightly out of breath and confused that the year is almost over, you\u2019re not alone\u2014it felt like we packed 18 months into 2022.<\/p>\n

One reason is because the world looks so different from where we started in January. Crypto companies ruled the Super Bowl, but by November the entire industry was quaking from the downfall of FTX<\/a>. We were just getting the hang of what purpose-driven marketing really means<\/a> when rising inflation sent everyone back to savings-oriented tactics. And NFTs haven\u2019t exactly<\/a> turned out to be the revolutionary marketing vehicles they\u2019d been hyped as.<\/p>\n

Along the way, Adweek was there covering every trend. To look back, we\u2019ve rounded up the top 22 most popular stories of 2022, from rebrands and cottagecore fashion to racy brand tweets and soul-searching about the future of publishing.<\/p>\n

22. Unilever Doesn\u2019t Have a CMO Any More\u2014Here\u2019s Why<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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As of April, one of the world\u2019s biggest advertisers no longer has a chief marketing officer<\/a>. Instead, Conny Braams serves as Unilever\u2019s chief digital and commercial officer, reflecting the increasingly blurred lines between digital marketing and commerce.<\/p>\n

21. These Special Burger King Whoppers Cater to the Weirdest Pregnancy Cravings<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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In a survey, 76% of expectant moms told Burger King that the strange foods they crave are \u201cimpossible\u201d to resist. So, on Mother\u2019s Day, the fast-food chain served up some truly off-menu combos just for them<\/a>.<\/p>\n

20. Why Sustainable Travel Is No Walk in the Park<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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A tourism bureau\u2019s job is to inspire travel. But when that works too well and a location gets more visitors than it can handle, marketing can still be the answer<\/a>.<\/p>\n

19. It\u2019s Official: Skinny Jeans Are Out, Wide-Leg Denim Is In<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Cancel culture has come for a decade-old fashion trend, but we feel confident saying this is one change<\/a> every generation can support.<\/p>\n

18. You Can Relax, Twitter: Guitar Center Adds a \u2018G\u2019 to Logo<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Let\u2019s be real, Twitter will never have any chill. But when your customers are confused\u2014or your logo is generating more conversation than your products\u2014it\u2019s time for a pivot<\/a>.<\/p>\n

17. Liquid Death Recruits Porn Stars for a Sustainability-Themed Campaign<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Yeah, we wanted to know more<\/a>, too. It\u2019s the kind of offbeat marketing we\u2019ve come to expect from the water brand packaged like an energy drink\u2014a horror movie starring zombie cans<\/a>, anyone?<\/p>\n

16. Why It Might Be Time for Budweiser to Give That Horse and Dog a Rest<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Budweiser has been coasting on the popularity of its signature Clydesdales and their canine companion for decades. But the 2022 Super Bowl edition of these two iconic companions flopped with audiences<\/a>, so we looked at why the formula is no longer working.<\/p>\n

15. Birkenstock Embraces Its Reputation for Unstylish Footwear<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Displaying its signature product in an unflattering light worked for Burger King with the Moldy Whopper<\/a>, so Birkenstock thought why not lean into<\/a> what our customers are already saying? As a bonus, the utilitarian sandals actually came full circle to be cool with the arrival of cottagecore.<\/p>\n

14. Christopher Meloni Bares All in Maximum Effort\u2019s Latest Peloton Ad<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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The internet\u2019s thirst for Christopher Meloni is bottomless, just like him<\/a> in an uncommonly racy ad from an advertiser that\u2019s revamping its brand to survive<\/a>.<\/p>\n

13. Major Brands Are Shifting to TikTok, and You Should Be Too<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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TikTok has been minting new musical artists, influencers and wardrobe trends, and unlike other platforms, it\u2019s a platform where advertisers that aren\u2019t too precious about their brand can break into the Gen Z demographic everyone wants. The question is, are you brave enough?<\/a><\/p>\n

12. Jon Hamm Is Mad, Man, as Apple TV+ Casts Everyone But Him<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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To emphasize how many A-listers the streamer had signed, it hired another A-lister<\/a> who\u2019d been left out to promote it. (Also, Adweek will never sleep on a Mad Men pun.)<\/p>\n

11. Nike Drops Free Sneakers by Drone to Promote the Air Max<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Get it? A literal sneaker drop<\/a>!<\/p>\n

10. Publishers Can Chart the Future of the Industry Together<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Quartz CRO Natalie Diamond issued a rallying cry<\/a> for a publisher coalition to tackle the challenge of meeting consumers\u2019 rising expectations.<\/p>\n

9. AT&T\u2019s Lily Shoots for a Temporary Celebrity Replacement in March Madness Campaign<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Replace<\/a> AT&T\u2019s Lily?! Don\u2019t even dare.<\/p>\n

8. Pabst Blue Ribbon Deletes Tweets About \u2018Eating Ass,\u2019 Saying They Were \u2018in Poor Judgment\u2019<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Riling up the social media mob is a tried-and-true marketing tactic, but even college students\u2019 beer of choice managed to cross a line<\/a> with these tweets.<\/p>\n

7. Demi Moore Turns Designer for DTC Swim Brand Andie<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Actor, producer, best-selling author, songwriter, women\u2019s rights advocate and mother of three Demi Moore added another title to her resume<\/a>\u2014and it\u2019s affordable and sustainably made, too.<\/p>\n

6. How Agencies Are Helping Brands Quit Cookies<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Early in 2022, when brands were still hoping that the cookie\u2019s sentence would be commuted, 55% of advertisers were unprepared for a world without them. So agencies stepped into the breach<\/a> for them.<\/p>\n

5. Affiliate Marketing Is a Safe Haven for Publishers in a Cookieless Future<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Rakuten Advertising\u2019s Anthony Capano makes the case<\/a> for affiliate marketing as the way for publishers to receive fair compensation for their content and retain the all-important first-party data that\u2019s fueling a boom in retail media.\u00a0<\/p>\n

4. Why Martin Agency\u2019s CEO Is Calling Out Coinbase Over Its QR Code Super Bowl Ad<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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At first, Coinbase\u2019s bouncing QR code stood out as an uncommonly stark Super Bowl play that worked. But controversy quickly arose about who was actually responsible for the idea behind the ad<\/a> after a Twitter thread by the crypto exchange\u2019s CEO. Since then, 2022 went on to become the year of giving credit where it\u2019s due, especially when it comes to creative directors<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

3. Adidas Tweeted 25 Pairs of Bare Breasts to Launch a Campaign for Inclusive Sports Bras<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Many brands talk the talk of embracing all bodies, but Adidas walked the walk<\/a> with its new sports bra line in a campaign created by an all-female team.<\/p>\n

2. Pepsi Will No Longer Sponsor the Super Bowl Halftime Show<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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The beverage giant had a 10-year run<\/a> as the title sponsor of the most star-studded commercial break in television, but now it\u2019s looking elsewhere to connect with younger consumers.\u00a0<\/p>\n

1. The 10 Best Super Bowl Ads of 2022<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Advertising\u2019s biggest stage remains the NFL\u2019s season-ending showdown, but this year\u2019s winner<\/a> brought a big twist: beloved among marketing executives, it ranked dead last in USA Today\u2019s viewer poll. Ponder that when planning your next campaign.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n