It’s StreetEasy’s 20th anniversary, so they launched a campaign where you can book reservations at NYC institutions for 20 years from now (in 2046). The campaign is called “Reserve Your Future,” and partners include Russ & Daughters, Roberta's, Playwrights Horizons, and the Guggenheim. A dedicated microsite styled like an old-school booking platform handles the reservations. MICROSITE.

It looks like it’s a great build on their “be a forever New Yorker” messaging that has been rolling out over the last few months.

The Real Story: A real estate company is trying to get New Yorkers to commit to a dinner reservation two decades from now. In a city where most leases are 12 months (and your relationship lasts for 12 days), it feels a bit hard to plan that far ahead. I get it, it’s a beautiful act of faith and committing long-term to a city you love. Either way, it's the only housing ad in recent memory that never mentions square footage (which I can definitely get behind).

Melanoma Focus “The Life Saving Haircut”

UK charity Melanoma Focus launched "The Life Saving Haircut," a campaign that trains barbers to spot early signs of skin cancer on clients' scalps, necks, and hairlines. The campaign includes a handbook that gives barbers enough information to start a conversation when something looks unusual, without asking them to give medical advice. Scalp melanomas are notoriously difficult to detect early, particularly among men who don't regularly check their own skin.

The Real Story: Barbers have been staring at the backs of people's heads for centuries. Giving them a pamphlet of what might look unusual is such a simple and smart idea.

Ferrari Luce

Ferrari just revealed their new fully electric “Luce.” It’s $640k and very fancy. Ferrari shares fell after the reveal, with analysts calling it "the furthest deviation from the brand's ethos we've ever seen." Mark Ritson wrote in Adweek that Ferrari made the same mistake as Jaguar's 2024 rebrand: dropping every recognizable design code at the exact moment they needed them most. More.

The Real Story: Ferrari spent five years building a car that looks like it was designed by someone who had only seen a Ferrari in a cartoon movie. The Luce is Italian for "light," which is also what Ferrari's impact felt like this week.

If you’re new here, I write a monthly serialized novel called Everything is Advertising, about a burned-out Creative Director and his cynical team that accidentally create QAnon through a viral marketing campaign. If you like that kind of thing, you can start at Part One and catch up from there.

'Everything is Advertising' | Part 1

Every Wednesday, Open Woods tracks the cultural moments worth paying attention to. Curated weekly for brands that want to move first.

Open Woods.

Every Friday, The Business of Advertising shares lessons from over a decade working on the front lines of advertising.

The Business of Advertising.

Every Sunday, Above the Fold breaks down what’s running in advertising, what’s landing, and what’s a total disaster.

Above the Fold.

Harry’s launched two new spots, it looks like the goal is to connect with the everyman, while imagining these elaborate fantasy situations. In “Filthy Rich” a man imagines striking oil, building an empire, and losing it all before snapping back to his bathroom mirror. More.

In “Master Craftsman” another man spends years as a woodworking apprentice to finally get it right (all for one nod of approval). I think the disclaimer in the post copy is fun and feels tongue-in-cheek.

Both spots were created by Golden LA and directed by Saman Kesh.

The Real Story: The campaign is funny because the fantasies are too specific and too long. These are not daydreams about being attractive. They are full narrative arcs with character development, happening in the four minutes before someone puts on pants and leaves for work. I think it works, it feels distinct, and paired with the right blue-collar influencer group, this will feel cohesive and connect with the right audience.

Golden Child “Maple-Bacon Scented OOH”

Golden Child is a new dog food brand that’s already testing out-of-home in Silver Lake, Soho, and Coconut Grove. The billboards are meant to feel like beautiful food photography that you might see for humans.

The twist is, they also made the billboards smell like maple-bacon. That means they would attract dogs (and dog owners).

The Real Story: I think this is really clever, and a great way to bring the customer right to their wild postings. This brand is meant to feel elevated, it’s just a coincidence that their customers are also sniffing and eating trash off the street.

Coros “Fearless”

Watch brand Coros launched their campaign “Fearless” starring Olympic runner Jakob Ingebrigtsen, and directed by Battery.

The spot has Ingebrigtsen running alone through a dark forest while he’s chased by a zombie version of himself. The watch appears organically within the video, which (according to Battery) is meant to capture the internal pressure that only serious runners understand.

The Real Story: Most running watch ads are selling the idea that data makes you faster. This one sells the idea that running at the highest level is psychologically horrifying. It's the fear of regression made literal and put into a forest. The watch barely shows up, which I think is smart. The storytelling here is unique, which I can appreciate.

Bud Light “Grill for America”

Bud Light’s new spot “Grill For America” stars Peyton Manning and Emmitt Smith. The gag is that Manning has only focused on his grill set-up, so the rest of his house is still under construction. The larger campaign is tied to America’s 250th anniversary and includes patriotic packaging, a grilling sweepstakes, and a partnership with Folds of Honor.

The Real Story: Manning has become one of advertising's most reliable performers by playing the same character in every single spot. It works, it’s on brand, it’s not the most innovative campaign to hit this summer.

If you’re new here, I write a monthly serialized novel called Everything is Advertising, about a burned-out Creative Director and his cynical team that accidentally create QAnon through a viral marketing campaign. If you like that kind of thing, you can start at Part One and catch up from there.

'Everything is Advertising' | Part 1

Every Wednesday, Open Woods tracks the cultural moments worth paying attention to. Curated weekly for brands that want to move first.

Open Woods.

Every Friday, The Business of Advertising shares lessons from over a decade working on the front lines of advertising.

The Business of Advertising.

Every Sunday, Above the Fold breaks down what’s running in advertising, what’s landing, and what’s a total disaster.

Above the Fold.

The Real Story: Hint made an ad for water that is trying to be campy. The spot itself is a bit boring, but the rollout on social was quite clever. Teasing the new flavor with bottles that look like blurred nudes, showing a convo about charges on the company card on OnlyFans. It’s fun, and it does all fit together.

I do (however) think the first water brand to actually get their flowers on r/hydrohomies is gonna be the real winner here.

Sesame Street x Fox Sports x FIFA

FIFA, Fox Sports, and Sesame Workshop are all partnering on a project for the 2026 World Cup. The Sesame Street characters will appear on Fox’s soccer coverage in May, June, and July. The Count will count teams, games, and fans. Oscar will host a segment called “Trash Talk.” Grover is hosting something called “Broadcast Bootcamp.” All of the creative is coming through the Jim Henson Company’s creative studio. More.

The Real Story: Had a genuine chuckle at the idea that Oscar the Grouch will be doing sports commentary. He lives in a trash can and hates everything. At least Fox Sports knows how we see their pundits. They didn’t have to cast a new character, they found him in the trash already doing the commentary job for free.

Andrex “Push Like You’re Pooing”

Andrex launched their campaign “Push Like You’re Pooing,” the third installment of its “Get Comfortable” brand platform. This time around, the focus is on tackling the fear of pooping during labor. Research showed 75% of women are afraid they will poop during childbirth, even though it’s a sign the right muscles are working. The spot features real pregnant ladies, and was created by FCB London (it’s their last campaign with the brand before the account moves to McCann). More.

The Real Story: A toilet paper brand made one of the most useful pieces of maternal health communication this year. I think that’s worth a slow clap that builds to a taseful round of applause.

OpenTable x Mother’s Day

Open Table and their agency 2045 installed a giant receipt in Melbourne called “The BillBoard.” It tallies the unpaid labor of motherhood with line items like: being carried for nine months, checking under the bed for monsters, and being loved infinitely. At the end: You’ll never settle the bill, but you can pick up the next one this Mother’s Day. More.

The Real Story: A restaurant reservation app was making everybody cry in a mall last Sunday. I guess making people feel a bit guilty will get them to act (but maybe only if it’s about their mom?)

If you’re new here, I write a monthly serialized novel called Everything is Advertising, about a burned-out Creative Director and his cynical team that accidentally create QAnon through a viral marketing campaign. If you like that kind of thing, you can start at Part One and catch up from there.

'Everything is Advertising' | Part 1

Every Wednesday, Open Woods tracks the cultural moments worth paying attention to. Curated weekly for brands that want to move first.

Open Woods.

Every Friday, The Business of Advertising shares lessons from over a decade working on the front lines of advertising.

The Business of Advertising.

Every Sunday, Above the Fold breaks down what’s running in advertising, what’s landing, and what’s a total disaster.

Above the Fold.

Adidas’ new “Backyard Legends” short was directed by Mark Malloy, created by Lola USA and produced by Smuggler. It’s the center of their campaign for the 2026 World Cup. Timothee Chalamet plays a neighborhood organizer assembling a pickup team to take on the local reigning champions (who haven’t lost in 30 years). Chalamet’s team includes Messi, Jude Bellingham, Lamine Yamal, Trinity Rodman, and Bad Bunny. Beckham, Zidane, and Alessandro Del Piero also appear as de-aged younger versions of themselves via CGI. More.

The real story: This ad probably cost mid-eight figures, but that might have been worth it. Not because ads with big names are good, but because everyone in this spot is part of the storytelling, and nobody’s time is wasted. The short film format works really well here, and the fast clip of the storytelling keeps you watching. I will be referencing this spot to anyone that doubts the power of strong story and visuals being worth the spend.

Jelly Belly “Bean Appetit”

Jelly Belly launched its new campaign “Bean Appetit” with the goal of repositioning the brand as gourmet. The project includes curated collections like Endless Summer, Farmstand Fruit, and Signature 10, along with new packaging, a redesigned website, and a series of digital shorts comparing flavors to the things they’re meant to be in real life. More.

The real story: I get this is supposed to be tongue-in-cheek, but in no universe do I believe my Jelly Belly jellybean will taste like fresh strawberry jam (and that’s okay). The “contains no real fruit” disclaimer isn’t doing much to help their case either. I love the look of this campaign. I think the “collections” concept makes sense. I would have preferred they went nostalgic. I want to watch someone enjoy the ‘90s and eat Jelly Beans (or maybe that’s just projection). I also don’t love “Bean Appetit.” After that viral meme, I can’t see “bon appetit” as anything other than “bone apple teeth.”

ChatGPT Self-Serve Ads Are Here

OpenAi opened its self-serve ChatGPT ads manager to all US advertisers on May 5 (no longer requiring the $50k minimum spend). Dentsu, Omnicom, Publicis, and WPP teams have all been onboarded. Expansion into the UK, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, and Mexico are coming soon. More.

The real story: Three months ago, ChatGPT ads didn't exist, now they are (supposedly) pulling in $109 million a month. The format so far is a bit underwhelming, it’s a favicon placement that leaves a lot to be desired.

If you’re new here, I write a monthly serialized novel called Everything is Advertising, about a burned-out Creative Director and his cynical team that accidentally create QAnon through a viral marketing campaign. If you like that kind of thing, you can start at Part One and catch up from there.

'Everything is Advertising' | Part 1

Every Wednesday, Open Woods tracks the cultural moments worth paying attention to. Curated weekly for brands that want to move first.

Open Woods.

Every Friday, The Business of Advertising shares lessons from over a decade working on the front lines of advertising.

The Business of Advertising.

Every Sunday, Above the Fold breaks down what’s running in advertising, what’s landing, and what’s a total disaster.

Above the Fold.

Vue x Taika Waititi

Vue Cinemas released “Feel It Forever,” its first brand campaign since 2020, directed by Taika Waititi (and agency Hijinks). The short film follows people heading to the movies with lines of fictional characters. Shot in New Zealand and London, it’s now rolling out across the UK, Ireland, and Europe. More

The real story: They didn’t need Taika Waititi for this, but I will be re-watching Jojo Rabbit this afternoon.

Budweiser: FIFA World Cup 2026

Budweiser has officially gotten in on the FIFA action with its “Let It Pour” campaign created by Grey Global. The hero film features Erling Haaland and Jurgen Klopp and will run across more than 40 countries. When the team learned that Haaland’s father, Alfie-Inge, played in the 1994 World Cup, they wrote him into the spot, turning it into a father-son moment inside a beer ad. More

The real story: “Let it Pour” as the tagline is quite clever, and the “Wanna meet my Dad” line is quite cute. This is working for me, and Budweiser doesn’t feel like it’s forcing it.

Chivas Regal x Charles Leclerc

Chivas Regal and Formula 1 driver Charles Leclerc have launched SE!ZE, a strategic board game co-designed with British game designer James Wallis. The game has 16 pieces to match Chivas Regal 16, and accompanies a co-created whisky blend. The campaign was created by agency Baby Teeth, positioning the whisky as something you’d actually sit down and spend time with rather than photograph once and post. More

The Real Story: Most celebrity liquor partnerships stop at putting a face on a bottle. Leclerc designed a board game with 16 pieces because the number matched his car and the whisky. That’s an obsessive detail (or a very good brief). The look of the game is also quite cool. You’ll definitely see this out on the table (unplayed) at some very insufferable F1 fans’ upscale apartments.

If you’re new here, I write a monthly serialized novel called Everything is Advertising, about a burned-out Creative Director and his cynical team that accidentally create QAnon through a viral marketing campaign. If you like that kind of thing, you can start at Part One and catch up from there.

'Everything is Advertising' | Part 1

Every Wednesday, Open Woods tracks the cultural moments worth paying attention to. Curated weekly for brands that want to move first.

Open Woods.

Every Friday, The Business of Advertising shares lessons from over a decade working on the front lines of advertising.

The Business of Advertising.

Every Sunday, Above the Fold breaks down what’s running in advertising, what’s landing, and what’s a total disaster.

Above the Fold.

UPDATE May 2: Rachel Sennott did make it to the Met Gala. Some parts of the internet seem to think this ad got her there. I wish I still existed with that level of whimsy and excitement. Marc Jacobs knew Rachel was going to the Met…but it did spark a big blue dot trend:

@holdensmith962Mhm mhm let me not forget my pale blue dot #PopCulture #popculturenews #foryou #metgala #rachelsennott

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Marc Jacobs partnered with Rachel Sennott to write and star in “The Scene,” a social series for its pre-Fall 2026 campaign. The episodes follow Rachel around Manhattan, with the same vibe as her series “I Love LA’s” finale. It’s part of the brand’s broader move toward what it calls “social entertainment.” More

The real story: Marc Jacobs hired an actress-screenwriter to make a vertical video series (they’re so hot right now) about getting to the MET, which is already more plot than most brand content manages (so good on ‘em). Their social team now has to be “editorial, multi-hyphenate people,” which is a polite way of saying everyone’s job just tripled.

Casper

Casper returned to advertising for the first time in 4 years with “Daymares.” Three darkly comic films showing uncomfortable and relatable daytime stress: a birthday party with a creepy mascot, a packed elevator, and a frozen video call. Each resolves with the quiet nighttime relief of a Casper mattress, with the tagline “Goodnight, Day.” The campaign marks Casper’s first major brand push since the company was sold to Carpenter Co. in 2024. More

The real story: Four years of silence, a sale to a mattress conglomerate, and Casper resurfaces with spots about how terrible your day is. “Goodnight, Day” works as a tagline and as a reasonable summary of the brand’s last half-decade.

Powerade

Powerade launched “Power Your Fate,” its global World Cup 2026 campaign. The film features Lamine Yamal and Rodrygo Goes. The campaign is “social-first” and will run across social, digital, outdoor, TV, and OLV, plus stadium branding and fan events. Powerade also partnered with street portrait artist Devon Rodriguez to create custom art on Powerade Squeeze Bottles. More

The real story: Powerade’s World Cup campaign is “social-first,” which somehow ended up meaning they made a TV spot and also cropped it for vertical. The Devon Rodriguez bottle art is a nice, thoughtful touch, but I can’t find the artwork posted anywhere. Everything else is the standard pre-tournament playbook.

If you’re new here, I write a monthly serialized novel called Everything is Advertising, about a burned-out Creative Director and his cynical team that accidentally create QAnon through a viral marketing campaign. If you like that kind of thing, you can start at Part One and catch up from there.

'Everything is Advertising' | Part 1

Every Wednesday, Open Woods tracks the cultural moments worth paying attention to. Curated weekly for brands that want to move first.

Open Woods.

Every Friday, The Business of Advertising shares lessons from over a decade working on the front lines of advertising.

The Business of Advertising.

Every Sunday, Above the Fold breaks down what’s running in advertising, what’s landing, and what’s a total disaster.

Above the Fold.

Kotex launched “Art’s Missing Period,” a campaign from Ogilvy Singapore that confronts the absence of menstrual blood across centuries of art history. The work collects pieces that were rejected, censored, or kept from public view and presents them together, making the pattern of exclusion super, SUPER obvious. Physical installations were placed outside major museums, with a virtual gallery, documentary, and QR codes with a wee bit more context. More

The Real Story: Museums have rooms full of battle wounds, martyrdom, and severed heads, but menstrual blood was apparently crossing the line. One of my absolute favorites from the year so far. The companion documentary flew under the radar, and it’s definitely worth a watch (it’s linked below).

On x Zendaya

Zendaya and On dropped their first co-created collection on April 16, backed by a short film from Spike Jonze called “Shape of Dreams.” The film is set inside “The Dream Lab.” The collection, developed with stylist Law Roach and On’s product team, has sneakers, parachute pants, and bermuda shorts. On signed Zendaya in 2024 and has been steadily using her to push their brand deeper into lifestyle territory. More

The Real Story: Hiring Spike Jonze to shoot your athleisure drop is one way to tell people you’re not a running shoe company anymore. The film does more work than the clothes need it to, which is probably the point.

Nespresso

Nespresso debuted “Vertuo World” on April 14, a global campaign introducing Dua Lipa as the brand’s newest ambassador. She joins George Clooney, who has fronted Nespresso for 20 years and will still appear in future brand activities, though the spotlight is clearly shifting. The move targets Gen Z, nearly half of whom prefer sweet, iced coffee. Nespresso CMO Leonardo Aizpuru called it a “new creative era” for the brand. More

Twenty years of George Clooney, and now they need someone who actually drinks iced coffee. The “new creative era” language is doing a lot of heavy lifting for what is functionally a demographic pivot.

If you’re new here, I write a monthly serialized novel called Everything is Advertising, about a burned-out Creative Director and his cynical team that accidentally create QAnon through a viral marketing campaign. If you like that kind of thing, you can start at Part One and catch up from there.

'Everything is Advertising' | Part 1

Every Wednesday, Open Woods tracks the cultural moments worth paying attention to. Curated weekly for brands that want to move first.

Open Woods.

Every Friday, The Business of Advertising shares lessons from over a decade working on the front lines of advertising.

The Business of Advertising.

Every Sunday, Above the Fold breaks down what’s running in advertising, what’s landing, and what’s a total disaster.

Above the Fold.

OpenAI’s ad pilot hit $100 million in annual revenue in two months. The platform opened to advertisers this month. 600 brands have already bought in with a $50 CPM floor. Ads show up at the bottom of ChatGPT answers on the free and Go tiers. The ads are labeled, separated, and theoretically not influencing responses. More.

The real story: The company that promised to save humanity from AI risk is now running a mid-funnel ad business. The “ads don’t influence answers” disclaimer is doing a lot of heavy lifting. I give it a year before ads become the main profit driver on their P&L.

Google Has an Ultimatum for Advertisers.

AI Max for Search campaigns is now available to everyone. It’s basically where Google’s AI generates your ad copy, your landing page, and your keyword list. Google says it performs 14% better on average conversion lift. But, if you’re still running exact and phase match only, your ads will not show up in AI mode or AI Overview placements (at all). More.

The real story: Google isn’t offering a new AI feature, this is an ultimatum. Opt into AI search or become invisible.

Dyson’s Best Product Launch Was a Joke.

Dyson’s April Fools’ campaign, the “Beauty Pet Range,” featuring an Airwrap for cats, an Airstrait for horse manes, and a Supersonic built for poodle volume, got a lot of attention in early April. The joke landed because Dyson’s real product line is already specific enough that pet grooming tools felt like an actual next step. More

The real story: The best April Fools’ campaigns aren’t pranks anymore. They’re market research content. Dyson now knows exactly how much demand exists for premium pet grooming, and they didn’t spend a dime on a focus group.

If you’re new here, I write a monthly serialized novel called Everything is Advertising, about a burned-out Creative Director and his cynical team that accidentally create QAnon through a viral marketing campaign. If you like that kind of thing, you can start at Part One and catch up from there.

'Everything is Advertising' | Part 1

Every Wednesday, Open Woods tracks the cultural moments worth paying attention to. Curated weekly for brands that want to move first.

Open Woods.

Every Friday, The Business of Advertising shares lessons from over a decade working on the front lines of advertising.

The Business of Advertising.

Every Sunday, Above the Fold breaks down what’s running in advertising, what’s landing, and what’s a total disaster.

Above the Fold.

Absolute Vodka and Tabasco have teamed up on a chili-pepper-infused vodka. The launch campaign was created by W+K London (it was their first project after winning the Absolute global account), and was shot in the volcanic fields of Reykjavík. The volcanoes erupt Bloody Marys instead of lava, and it’s set to Lou Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side.” More

When the creative is good, the product almost doesn’t matter. Almost. The cheesy millennial in me loves this campaign.

Six Flags x Travis Kelce

Six Flags has named Travid Kelce as its newest brand ambassador for 2026. He’ll show up across digital content, broadcast posts, and in-park marketing. He also invested as part of the deal, joining Jana Partners and acquiring a roughly 9% stake in the company. More

The celebrity endorsement-to-equity pipeline is actually one of the most honest things happening in brand partnerships right now. If you won’t buy the stock, why should I buy the ad?

Walmart x Vizio

Walmart and Vizio Smart TVs are now partnering. You log in to your Walmart account on your TV, linking what you watch to what you buy. L’Oréal is a launch partner with a QR code-to-purchase flow. More

Retail media has been creeping towards this slowly. I guess it’s convenient. It’s also very creepy.

If you’re new here, I write a monthly serialized novel called Everything is Advertising, about a burned-out Creative Director and his cynical team that accidentally create QAnon through a viral marketing campaign. If you like that kind of thing, you can start at Part One and catch up from there.

'Everything is Advertising' | Part 1

Every Wednesday, Open Woods tracks the cultural moments worth paying attention to. Curated weekly for brands that want to move first.

Open Woods.

Every Friday, The Business of Advertising shares lessons from over a decade working on the front lines of advertising.

The Business of Advertising.

Every Sunday, Above the Fold breaks down what’s running in advertising, what’s landing, and what’s a total disaster.

Above the Fold.