February Marketing Roundup: 6 Bite-Sized Stories to Know
Eagles vs. Chiefs, Kendrick vs. Drake, and brands battling it out for the best Super Bowl ad spot—February came in hot! From record-breaking ad spends to unexpected celebrity endorsements, this month was nothing short of a marketing rollercoaster.
Love was in the air… and so were brand campaigns. Meanwhile, corporate America continued its game of musical chairs—some companies hiring big, while others slashed jobs faster than you can say “restructuring.”
Plus, streaming wars escalated as platforms tried to squeeze every last cent from ad-supported tiers. A lot went down, and we’ve got it all wrapped up in our February marketing rundown.
YouTube to launch a cheaper ‘premium lite’ subscription—but there’s a catch
YouTube is shaking up its subscription game with a more affordable version of its Premium plan—introducing ‘Premium Lite.’ But before you get too excited, here’s the catch: it won’t include ad-free music.
Unlike the full YouTube Premium, which gives users ad-free access to all videos, background play, and YouTube Music, Premium Lite will strip it down to just ad-free video content. Music lovers? Ads will be there if you’re streaming music videos.
The new tier is set to debut first in the U.S., with rollouts planned for Australia, Germany, and Thailand later. While YouTube has yet to confirm the exact pricing, expectations are that it’ll come in at a lower cost than the current $13.99/month Premium plan.
With streaming giants experimenting with different pricing models, YouTube’s move signals a shift toward giving users more choices.
Nike teams up with Kim K’s SKIMS for a game-changing collaboration
Nike is making a power move into the women’s market, teaming up with Kim Kardashian’s SKIMS to launch a brand-new label: NikeSkims. Announced on 18th February, the collaboration is set to drop its first collection this spring, both online and in select Nike stores.
But that’s just the beginning. By next year, NikeSkims will go global, expanding into new markets, retail stores, and wholesale partnerships. The brand promises extended sizing and will cater to “every dimension of athleticism, from the elite to the everyday,” according to Nike’s official statement.
Blending Nike’s sports performance with SKIMS’ signature body-hugging style, NikeSkims will offer apparel, footwear, and accessories designed to “enhance the body’s natural form.”
With Kim K’s marketing magic and Nike’s sports legacy, this collab is set to dominate both the fitness and fashion game.
Ari Weiss, creative force behind DDB, passes away at 46
The advertising world has lost a giant. Ari Weiss, industry visionary and creative leader at DDB, passed away on February 14th at the age of 46.
Weiss was the mastermind behind some of the most groundbreaking campaigns in modern advertising. One of his most notable works, Skittles’ ‘Broadway the Rainbow’, turned Super Bowl advertising on its head by staging a one-night-only theatrical performance starring Michael C. Hall instead of airing a traditional ad.
Under his leadership, DDB reached historic heights, securing its first-ever Cannes Lions Network of the Year award in 2023—a landmark achievement in the agency’s 75-year history.
Weiss’ relentless creativity and fearless approach to storytelling left an undeniable mark on the industry. His legacy will continue to inspire creatives for years to come.
X’s AI Grok unleashes advertising prowess
X (formerly Twitter) is diving deeper into AI-driven advertising with Grok, the platform’s AI assistant. The company has already teased plans for AI-generated ads, and now Grok is taking center stage as the ultimate ad-creation tool.
Much like ChatGPT for text and DALL-E for images, Grok boasts text- and image-generating capabilities designed to streamline ad creation. X is actively pitching its AI prowess to brands, offering a simple yet powerful promise:
“Just enter your website URL, and Grok will generate ad copy, imagery, and a call-to-action (CTA) headline tailored to your brand.”
With AI at its core, X is betting big on automation to lure major advertisers and redefine how brands engage with audiences on the platform.
27% of CMOs reluctant to use GenAI, Gartner reports
A new Gartner report reveals that 27% of CMOs have either not adopted or barely use generative AI in their marketing teams. While some remain hesitant, those who have embraced AI are seeing big wins—47% report significant benefits, particularly in campaign evaluation and reporting.
The research also highlights a gap between high-performing and lagging brands. Among top-performing businesses (those exceeding annual profit growth and marketing goals):
- 84% use Gen AI for creative development
- 52% integrate AI into strategy development
Gartner warns that marketers ignoring AI may be putting their businesses at greater risk, as the tech increasingly becomes a competitive edge.
Liquid Death exits UK market despite “claimed growth”
Liquid Death, the bold, punk-styled canned water brand, is pulling out of the UK and European markets, despite its claimed international growth. The company has labeled the move as temporary, stating it will re-evaluate its global strategy in the future.
“We look forward to meeting the international demand in the future when our supply chain can support these efforts,” the company stated.
Since its 2019 U.S. launch, Liquid Death has gained cult-like popularity for its edgy marketing, entering the UK market in 2023 through Co-op, Tesco, Iceland, Ocado, and Nisa. However, despite its $1.4 billion valuation (as of March 2024), the brand is hitting pause on its overseas expansion—for now.
