Did you catch Ryan Reynolds’ mom in the Mint Mobile commercial? Thanks to production shutting down, she scored a cameo in her son’s zero-budget spot. Reynolds, the brand’s new owner as of November, calls on the “magic of slides” to replace what should have been an epic first commercial. (Well, at least one that didn’t require screenshare.)
 
It’s a pivot alright. And we’re seeing a whole lot of it in the marketing world these days. Take Jameson. Adapting to the prohibition of on-premise alcohol consumption, the spirits brand is holding virtual happy hours and cocktail classes, engaging consumers on social media with games and entertainment, and assisting its struggling bartender community with matched consumer donations. We chat with Kate Pomeroy, Pernod Ricard’s VP of Marketing, about the brand’s latest challenges and initiatives.
 
Consumer tech brands are adapting to the public’s needs—which for the moment may not include discretionary purchases—through strengthening online channels, brand-focused messaging and marketing products uniquely suited for this moment.
 
Media brands and TV networks are engaging Gen Z through fostering a sense community, addressing mental health and delivering messages directly from talent.
 
With the gaming industry thriving during the pandemic, we serve up insights from Activision Blizzard Media on how marketers can approach advertising without interrupting gameplay.
 
Lastly, as B2B marketers retool their engagement strategies to accommodate for all-virtual communications, consider using some of these new and overlooked social media features to reach out to customers.
 
Until next week,

Kaylee Hultgren
Group Content Manager
Chief Marketer