May Marketing Rundown — 7 Bite-Sized Stories to Know
Amid inflation concerns in Britain and surrounding regions, America’s geopolitical interventions, and tech giants flexing their AI capabilities, May marketing landscape proved to be anything but uneventful.
It wasn’t a watered-down month, nor was it entirely turbulent, but marketing agencies were met with uncertainty, especially amid looming tariff regulations. Former President Donald Trump made headlines once again, cautioning (or some might say, urging) Tim Cook against establishing more Apple factories outside the U.S., particularly in India, in an effort to avoid imposing additional tariffs on Apple products.
There’s a lot to unpack, so let’s dive into the key highlights that shaped May marketing.
Heineken Teams Up with Joe Jonas and Creators to Encourage a Digital Detox
Heineken is encouraging everyone to log off and live a little with its new global campaign, “Social off Socials.”
Teaming up with singer Joe Jonas and viral creators like Dude with Sign, Lil Cherry, and Paul Olima, the beer brand is calling on consumers to take a break from endless scrolling and reconnect IRL.
The campaign’s hero spot imagines a world where social media is eerily quiet — because people are too busy having actual conversations, clinking bottles, and making real-life memories. With a blend of humor and lifestyle inspo, Heineken’s latest move taps into growing screen fatigue and reminds us that sometimes, the best moments don’t need a filter.
Warner Bros. Discovery Rebrands Max Back to HBO Max
In a plot twist fit for TV, Warner Bros. Discovery is hitting rewind and renaming its streaming platform Max back to HBO Max. After a brief branding detour, the company announced it will revive the HBO Max name this summer, leaning back into the powerhouse reputation of the HBO brand.
WBD says the move is about embracing what viewers already trust; the prestige, quality, and decades of content credibility.
“We see this as an opportunity to collectively rethink, reimagine and reinvent our industry,” said Ryan Gould, co-president of U.S. advertising sales.
The rebrand signals a return to familiarity in an ever-crowded streaming landscape — where name recognition still packs a punch.
E.l.f. Acquires Hailey Bieber’s Rhode in $1 Billion Power Move
E.l.f. is making waves again — this time with a $1 billion acquisition of Hailey Bieber’s viral skincare brand, Rhode. Announced Wednesday, the blockbuster deal brings one of Gen Z’s most talked-about beauty labels under the wing of one of the industry’s boldest disruptors.
Launched in 2022, Rhode has quickly carved out cult status with its minimalist aesthetic and social-first approach. Earlier this month, the brand revealed plans to expand into Sephora stores across the U.S. and Canada this fall, with a UK launch by year’s end.
With this acquisition, E.l.f. tightens its grip on the Gen Z market, and Rhode’s glowy, glazed skin empire just got a major upgrade.
Publicis Buys Captiv8 to Supercharge Influencer Marketing Strategy
Publicis Groupe is doubling down on influencer marketing with the acquisition of Captiv8, one of the industry’s leading creator platforms. The move, announced via press release, pairs Captiv8 with another platform Publicis snapped up last year, to create a powerhouse duo fueled by its data arm, Epsilon.
The Captiv8 brand will remain intact, and both CEOs, Krishna Subramanian (Captiv8) and Ryan Detert (Influential) will stay in their roles. The deal brings with it a network of over 15 million creators and key capabilities in measurement, AI, and social commerce.
As clients shift budgets toward the booming creator economy, Publicis is clearly positioning itself as a serious force in the future of social-led marketing.
Meta AI Hits 1 Billion Users, Eyes Monetization Next
Meta’s AI assistant has officially crossed the one billion monthly active user mark; CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced at the company’s annual shareholder meeting.
The milestone spans across Meta’s family of apps and comes just weeks after the release of a standalone Meta AI app in April.
Zuckerberg hinted at what’s next: monetization. As the assistant continues to evolve, Meta is exploring ways to introduce paid recommendations or even subscription tiers for users seeking higher compute access.
With this massive reach and growing functionality, Meta AI isn’t just a chatbot — it’s becoming a central piece of Meta’s long-term strategy to blend utility, scale, and revenue.
Google’s Veo 3 AI Video Tool Expands to 71 Countries Except India
At Google I/O developer conference 2025, Google’s powerful Veo 3 AI video model is now officially rolling out across 71 countries, but India isn’t one of them.
Despite the global buzz, Indian users will have to wait a little longer, though Google has confirmed that availability in India is on the roadmap.
Veo 3 promises next-gen text-to-video generation, including native audio capabilities and stunning 4K output. It’s now accessible via the Gemini app and web, marking a major step in AI-powered creativity.
With demand for video tools skyrocketing, Veo 3’s global launch puts Google in direct competition with top AI video players — and India’s turn may just be around the corner.
WPP Launches AI-Driven WPP Media, Flaunts B2B Power Play
WPP is stepping boldly into the intelligent era with the launch of WPP Media, its newly rebranded global media arm — replacing the legacy name GroupM. Unveiled as part of a slick B2B campaign, the move signals WPP’s sharpened focus on AI, creative personalization, and connected media strategy.
Built on the WPP Open platform, WPP Media unites media, data, and production under one AI-powered roof, promising creative personalization at scale for advertisers. The company currently oversees over $60 billion in media investments and partners with 75% of the world’s top advertisers across 80+ markets.
With this transformation, WPP is making it clear: marketing in the AI era needs to be faster, smarter, and fully integrated, and it’s ready to lead the charge.
