Influencer Marketing
Coca-Cola recently announced that its "Fan Work Is Thirsty Work" platform will return for the fall college football season. The campaign adopts a social-first strategy, encompassing TV ads, creator content, personalized packaging, and a first-time partnership with Yahoo Sports College Fantasy Football, aiming to reach fans who follow their teams throughout the season.
Under Armour announced last week that it would end its partnership with Dwayne Johnson's (The Rock) Project Rock brand, concluding nearly a decade of ambassadorship. This follows the departure of Stephen Curry last November, marking another iconic ambassador's exit. The company stated that the partnership had reached a 'natural end' and will continue selling Project Rock products until October. Under Armour is pivoting to new ambassadors and adjusting its marketing strategy to improve spending efficiency.
Gap Inc. announced on Wednesday that it is opening its creator program to corporate, distribution center, and store employees to promote the Old Navy, Gap, Athleta, and Banana Republic brands. Since the program launched last October, it has reached nearly 154 million consumers and generated nearly 30,000 posts. Participating employees will receive commissions and products and must adhere to transparency and brand standards.
Purely Elizabeth, a privately held challenger brand that claims to be the number one cereal brand in the U.S., is responding to the protein craze with humor, launching a new line of Protein Ancient Grains Cereal and kicking off its largest media push ever. The campaign, titled 'Protein Fantasy,' satirizes the overemphasis on protein in dietary culture, instead highlighting natural ingredients and great flavor. The brand achieved $200 million in total sales in 2025 and aims to reach $300 million by 2026.
At the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, Expedia Group revealed that it connects with Gen Z through creator collaborations (such as a global travel livestream with IShowSpeed) and brand partnerships (like the Ken ad with Mattel), while expanding marketing channels beyond traditional media. Company executive Natalie Wills emphasized the value of creators as independent channels and the brand's pursuit of authenticity in the AI era.
Lowe's is merging its Creator Network with the Into the Blue program, allowing creators to submit product ideas or existing products for commercialization through its supply chain and retail channels. This move marks the retailer's transition from content collaboration to product co-creation.
The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) has launched a consumer-facing commercial brand, Plyrs Untd, to manage NBA players' name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights. The organization will collectively leverage player influence to collaborate with brands on fan experiences, licensing opportunities, merchandise, content, investments, and player-brand co-branded projects, and plans to open a Plyrs Untd high-performance center in Los Angeles this summer. Plyrs Untd effectively replaces the NBPA's previous B2B division, Think450.
American Eagle Outfitters' namesake brand is adjusting its marketing strategy to be more performance-oriented after comparable sales fell 2% year-over-year in the quarter. Sister brand Aerie grew 25% during the same period. The company plans to increase investment in digital media, performance marketing, and influencers in the second half of the year, and has launched a new creator community program.
Unilever has announced the launch of its largest sports partnership activation to date for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Led by its personal care category, more than 35 brands under its umbrella will collaborate with influencers and content creators in key markets, amplifying tournament highlights through the real-time social content hub "Locker Room" on platforms such as YouTube and TikTok. Additionally, the company will set up offline experience spaces called "House of Fresh" in host cities across North America, including Mexico City, New York, and Miami, designed to encourage social sharing. This move continues Unilever's commitment to shifting half of its digital marketing budget toward a social-first strategy and is seen as a key stage for testing the effectiveness of this approach.
CeraVe has collaborated with NBA Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony to launch the 'Head Coach' social-first campaign promoting its dandruff product line. The campaign revolves around Anthony's famous 'Hoodie Melo' era, generating buzz through teaser tactics such as street interviews and player outfit showcases, culminating in a main video announcing Anthony as the brand's 'head coach.' Led by WPP Onefluence and spearheaded by Ogilvy PR, the campaign aims to drive scalp health discussions through diverse cultural touchpoints.