How Uber Leveraged 3000 Rides Per Taylor Swift Show, e.l.f.’s Roblox Beauty Squad and Learning to ‘Hustle Like You’re Broke’ – The Biggest Takeaways From Variety’s Executive Studio at Advertising Week

As a seasoned marketing professional with years of experience under my belt, I find myself deeply inspired by the stories of Terry Crews and his team at Super Serious. Their transformative approach to advertising is not just refreshing; it’s revolutionary. In an industry often criticized for being stale and impersonal, they are pushing boundaries and redefining what it means to engage audiences effectively.


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Below is a highlight of some of the biggest takeaways from the studio

Blending Hollywood Magic and Tech Innovation: Tubi CEO Discusses Creative Risks, Diverse Storytelling, and Exciting New Ventures for 2025

As a movie enthusiast, I recently had an engaging conversation with Cynthia Littleton, the co-editor-in-chief of EbMaster’s, where I, Anjali Sud (Tubi CEO), delved into our latest financial plans regarding marketing, production, and enhancing our streaming service’s overall functionality.

Instead of creating content centered around high-budget productions, the platform primarily focuses on stories that are popular among internet users. In other words, we don’t strive to find the next critically acclaimed show with a massive budget. Rather, our approach is to pay attention to our audience and stay current with cultural and societal trends. This strategy encompasses upcoming projects like transforming the viral Wattpad novel “Sidelined: The QB and Me” (also known as “The QB Bad Boy and Me”) into an original film featuring James Van Der Beek from “Dawson’s Creek” and TikTok sensation Noah Beck.

Sud observes that although this is Beck’s initial feature, our insights about audience preferences are steadily improving. For us, original productions serve as a means to create content and storytelling that may not be available in Hollywood yet.

Tubi’s objective to stand out from the crowd by offering free, advertising-supported television represents its most significant hurdle yet. In essence, they must be daring and innovative in order to make a mark in the current landscape of streaming services which is saturated with similar offerings.

e.l.f. Beauty’s Laurie Lam Reveals How AI Helped Them Integrate Their Beauty Squad Into the Gaming Platform Roblox

Laurie Lam, the chief brand officer at e.l.f. Beauty, noted that the core essence and rebellious spirit of the e.l.f. beauty brand have remained consistent over the last two decades. This defiant mindset has been instrumental in securing the sensational Jennifer Coolidge Super Bowl commercial (directed by Mike White from “White Lotus”) and gaining access to the gaming platform Roblox for their “Beauty Squad.

In simpler terms, Lam shared that her team is consistently seeking out new customers for their items and emphasized the need to adapt to various methods based on consumer preferences. She mentioned a breakthrough they achieved within three weeks, which revolves around their power grip primer, a product she refers to as their “holy grail.

“It was a very sticky product,” Lam said. “It actually had gone viral on TikTok; people were using it to stick objects to their face, to see how sticky it was. There was like a litmus test, they would stick paper, toothpaste, this vase, they would also play with it in terms of its sticky tactileness. So you can argue there was a benefit that was sticky, but also there was an entertainment factor that was sticky.” The sticky sensation paired perfectly with Coolidge’s off-the-cuff remark after her Golden Globes win that she wanted to be a dolphin. E.l.f. heard this request loud and clear and set out on a mission to make her dreams come true. “We created a dolphin skin with her, we put her in a commercial, we took the stickiest product, the stickiest star, arguably coming off of ‘White Lotus.’ We took Mike White (who helped write this with us) and we produced an actual commercial.”

For the past two decades, as per Lam’s perspective, everything that e.l.f. has accomplished reflects an ongoing transformation of their identity as a company encompassing both entertainment and beauty sectors. Interestingly, they have recently employed AI technology to convert their beauty team into the Roblox gaming platform, which is known as the e.l.f. Up World. This digital world has already been played 16.5 million times.

Canva and Uber On Connecting Advertisers to Micro-Communities with Targeted Audiences

In this discussion, Fenot Tekle, Canva’s global communications director, and Ashan Khan, head of partner collaborations at Uber Advertising, visited our studio to share insights on how advertisers can identify their audience effectively amidst the bustling and continuously growing marketplace.

Tekle frequently observes that in marketing, there’s a tendency to throw out a wide fishing net aiming to catch as many customers as possible. However, Tekle argues that such an approach is counterproductive because it means you’re not actually catching anyone effectively. Instead, he emphasizes the importance of focusing on specific, smaller groups or communities to attract traffic more efficiently.

Tekle mentioned that we’re focusing on specific programming areas and pinpointing specialized groups or tight-knit communities to tailor our communications and gauge what appeals most. He also emphasized that culture thrives in TikTok and social media, and organic sharing is crucial for us to connect with these communities. This approach allows us to experiment with new messages, discover fresh possibilities, and eventually, these insights can be used across various media outlets as part of the broader narratives we’re constructing.

Khan finds immense value in Uber’s real-time ride and food delivery services, as they offer insights into “popular destinations” and “food preferences,” which are gold mines for advertisers. For instance, Uber reported an average of 3000 trips to a Taylor Swift concert each time, totaling 3000 rides just for one event. Such data undeniably presents a chance to attract advertisers interested in partnering with Uber for that particular audience.

Khan stated that in our line of work, particularly within the advertising sector, we’re introducing a novel approach: leveraging our own data set. This allows us to provide insights and guide advertisers on what content could effectively reach their target consumers.

Michael Strahan and Constance Schwarz Marini On Their Company Motto, HLYB, ‘Hustle Like You’re Broke’

Michael Strahan and Constance Morini recently had a chat about establishing their multifaceted entertainment company, SMAC Entertainment – an acronym representing Sports, Music, and Culture.

Michael Strahan, a renowned journalist, host, and Hall of Famer, teamed up with Schwartz-Morini to establish a network aimed at mentoring athletes and entertainers in diversifying their careers. This venture seeks to empower individuals to pursue their dreams by presenting them with fresh opportunities. For instance, they’re collaborating with Wiz Khalifa on a project involving him and his son, and they’ve also partnered with Erin Andrews on her successful NFL on Fox role and her clothing line. Schwartz-Morini explained their latest ventures, stating, “We come up with ideas that ignite, then we determine how to elevate them further.

Strahan also discussed their company’s motto and the importance of channeling enthusiasm into areas where one has a genuine interest. He explained, “You need a direction to foster passion since we have a business model based on HLYB – ‘work hard as if you’re poor.’ You won’t work tirelessly for something you don’t care about.

Embracing New Horizons in Entertainment: My Perspective on How Innovators Such as Terry Crews and His Crew Revolutionize Advertisements into Captivating Interactions

In a studio setting, Terry Crews, an actor and co-founder, along with Matt O’Rourke, another co-founder, and Paul Sutton, the managing partner and COO, gathered together to discuss and analyze the achievements of their recently established creative agency, Super Serious.

In 2023, I established Super Serious out of my deep passion for entertainment in all its forms. My goal was, and still is, to demonstrate that advertisements can be just as captivating as movies or TV shows. It was during my Old Spice campaign collaboration with O’Rourke that we both discovered the profound influence commercials can exert on societal trends – an effect I am committed to replicating through Super Serious.

Individuals were viewing consecutive YouTube commercials for approximately thirty minutes. It left us astonished, as it significantly transformed the landscape of entertainment in numerous aspects. We came to understand that regardless if it’s a two-hour film, a half-an-hour TV show, or even a 32-second advertisement, entertainment must be engaging,” Crews stated.

O’Rourke pointed out that the term “advertising” can be quite restrictive, often confining the realm of marketing to a narrow, worn-out interpretation. His ambition with Super Serious is to redefine our perception of advertisements, aiming to make them seamless components of the viewing experience rather than disruptive interruptions.

According to O’Rouke, winning over people through amusement is a special thing. We can discuss movies and series that we have enjoyed since many years ago, even ones we haven’t watched for decades, but still remember lines from due to our affection for them. This is the essence of what we aim for in entertainment.

Mastercard’s Nicola Grant on Generation Z’s Spending Behaviors

Nicola Grant, a high-ranking executive at Mastercard overseeing global brand strategy and innovation, stated that the firm fosters an innovative environment. She pointed out that this has led to more experimentation and education within various teams.

Grant pointed out that in today’s rapidly advancing technological world, it becomes increasingly difficult to remain current and significant. This challenge lies not only in keeping pace with technology but also in ensuring accessibility.

She outlined the decision to eliminate “Mastercard” from the company’s logo and adopt a symbol-only identity as a crucial strategic step. According to Grant, this change aims to increase visibility for the logo and enhance its color scheme, making it more vibrant and rich. Additionally, Grant highlighted that creating a sonic system represented another significant action, while introducing Haptic branding has now brought Mastercard into the realm of tactile experiences.

One of the intriguing dilemmas lies in fostering, expanding, and nurturing trust while simultaneously driving innovation and excitement. Balancing these two aspects presents a fascinating conundrum.

To truly grasp Generation Z, it’s essential to understand their unique perspectives. They wield immense influence and their methods of living life, particularly when it comes to content consumption, are remarkably distinct. This generation is spearheading a profound transformation in how businesses approach marketing, the platforms we utilize for communication, and the alliances we form. I find myself constantly inspired by their innovative spirit.

In simpler terms, Grant is stating that their focus lies in what people are truly excited about, their passions. They categorize based on these shared passions. For example, this could be sports, cooking, or music. By having various sponsorship opportunities, they can connect with individuals through the things they love and are passionate about.

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2024-10-09 03:48