Celebrating the One Year Anniversary of Digital Debrief 11.20.2024

Happy first anniversary of the Digital Debrief! Thank you for being part of this community. There has been tremendous growth over the past year, and I’m excited to continue hearing your feedback and bring you the updates that matter most to you. Let’s dive into the latest trends, standout campaigns, and platform updates.?

Marketing, Influencer & Advertising:?

DEEP DIVE: CHARLI XCX and H&M ELECTRIFY TIMES SQUARE

Sooooo this happened for 15 minutes on a Monday night after work, and I caught it all for you:?

H&M and Charli XCX have collaborated since August 2024, when she headlined their A/W 2024 campaign launch at London Fashion Week. The partnership has since evolved into a global activation tour, culminating in last night’s show-stopping Times Square performance.

Charli XCX has been a force in the industry this year, and coming off of SNL on November 16, she posted that she had a surprise for New York, hinting at something coming on Monday.?

H&M also posted this Instagram Story with Brat green text, and fans took to Reddit to discuss if the green font meant that Charli was performing in Times Square.?

Fans patiently waited for the email announcement at 6:00 PM and ran (quite literally) to find the star in Times Square. The pop-up concert drew a massive crowd to witness Charli perform hits from her Grammy-nominated album Brat while showcasing H&M’s Holiday Collection. The event also teased the reopening of H&M’s Times Square flagship on November 21.

Here’s why this stands out:

1. Surprise Drives Action A last-minute announcement created urgency, pulling thousands into the moment and sparking organic social buzz.
2. Loyalty, Elevated H&M turned its loyalty program into more than points and perks, giving VIP members exclusive access and proving the value of memorable experiences.
3. Blending Real and Digital The concert’s energy carried beyond Times Square with influencer-curated collections and dynamic visuals, extending its relevance online.
4. Cultural Alignment Collaborating with Charli XCX—an artist deeply tied to pop culture—kept H&M culturally connected and resonant.

H&M showed how to turn a 15-minute event into a multi-channel powerhouse. By fusing surprise, exclusivity, and bold creativity, they ensured the impact lasted long after the last note.

Read more in Billboard , H&M Newsroom .

• Food influencer Molly Baz has launched Ayoh , her mayonnaise line, featuring bold flavors like Dill Pickle Mayo and Hot Giardinayo. Available exclusively online, the brand taps into Baz’s sandwich-centric culinary identity and a market gap for flavored mayo. Promoted via a nationwide “Sandwich Tour,” Ayoh builds on Baz’s expanding empire, which includes cookbooks, a wine line, and viral marketing campaigns that fuse her brand with cultural relevance.

• Jaguar has unveiled a bold brand overhaul rooted in "exuberant modernism " as it transitions to luxury electric vehicles. The refresh includes a revamped logo, vibrant colors, and futuristic imagery to attract Gen Z and millennial audiences. By reasserting its "Copy Nothing" ethos, Jaguar seeks to challenge norms and reclaim its status as an innovative icon.

• Smirnoff has named Grammy-nominated pop star Troye Sivan as its new "Chief Vibes Officer " in a playful campaign encouraging people to “go off” and prioritize fun. The partnership starts with a global campaign spanning social and digital events and Sivan’s Australia/New Zealand tour, reinforcing Smirnoff’s "We Do We" platform and its support for the LGBTQA+ community. By leveraging Sivan’s cultural influence, Smirnoff positions itself as a vibrant, inclusive brand synonymous with celebration.

• Coors Banquet is tapping into its partnership with Yellowstone by launching special-edition packaging featuring the show's logo and collectible caps with character quotes. The campaign, timed with the show's final season, includes tools to encourage watch parties and reflects the beer’s integration into cultural conversations. This collaboration builds on Coors Banquet’s recent 15.5% sales growth, leveraging its strong association with the hit series to deepen consumer engagement.

• Pop-Tarts is bringing back its edible mascot for the Pop-Tarts Bowl on December 28, letting the MVP "devour" one of three flavors, including a mystery option. Last year’s mascot went viral, boosting engagement and brand visibility, and this year’s campaign promises even more “Crazy Good” antics. With limited-edition packs and interactive flavor guessing, Pop-Tarts continues to turn college football traditions into shareable, buzzworthy moments.

• Knorr’s “#EffortisEverything ” campaign celebrates holiday cooking and fails to connect with zillennials, a micro-generation that values effort over perfection in the kitchen. The campaign uses humor and relatability to build brand loyalty during the critical holiday season. Users submitted cooking blunders across social media, digital ads, and limited-edition packaging. By embracing imperfections, Knorr positions itself as the champion of real-life cooks, not just picture-perfect meals.

• Kroger’s holiday campaign centers on a 60-second spot, “The Case of the Disappearing Food ,” celebrating the power of food to spark connection and joy. A standout feature is the Shop the Scene integration on Hulu, where viewers can scan a QR code to shop recipes inspired by National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. By blending storytelling and interactive digital experiences, Kroger aims to deepen loyalty during a season focused on togetherness.

• McDonald ’s holiday campaign, GM Spread Joy, features limited-edition McCafé cups with Doodles-inspired artwork that unlock digital collectibles and animated content via the McDonald’s app. The collaboration blends McDonald’s cultural legacy with Doodles’ Web3 roots, offering a mix of “phygital” experiences, co-branded merchandise, and a new Pharrell-produced song. This campaign underscores McDonald’s push to merge cultural relevance with digital engagement, appealing to coffee lovers and digital-first consumers.

• Tide ’s #TideTackles campaign shifts to a social-first strategy, featuring unscripted content of ex-NFL players tackling messy tailgates across the US. With over 100 assets spanning TikTok, Instagram, and Amazon’s Thursday Night Football, Tide highlights local fandoms and spontaneous moments while showcasing its stain-fighting products in action. This approach modernizes Tide’s NFL marketing by blending hyper-local relevance with broad social media reach.

• OLIPOP PBC 's first-holiday ad features animated yetis Oli and Pop , embracing authenticity to highlight the brand’s reinvention of soda as a healthier choice. The campaign ties into Olipop’s rapid growth and expanded marketing, supporting $500M in sales and targeting Gen Z and Gen Alpha while leading the booming functional soda category.

• Foot Locker ’s Step Into Your Gift holiday campaign celebrates sneaker culture with NBA stars Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, and artist Coi Leray. The campaign spans paid media, showcasing exclusive styles, social channels, in-store displays, and activations in major cities. This effort reinforces Foot Locker’s commitment to basketball and street culture while expanding its focus on women’s sneakers, its fastest-growing segment.

• Pepsi’s new Undercover Cups campaign sees Pepsi agents covertly swapping out Coke drinks at McDonald’s, Burger King, and Wendy’s with Pepsi, sparking surprised reactions in guerilla-style videos. Running across YouTube and social platforms, the stunt builds on Pepsi’s playful Food Deserves Pepsi platform and aims to reignite buzz as the brand battles to regain market share after being overtaken by Dr Pepper.

• Sprite’s 2024 holiday campaign, 'Twas the Night Before Spritemas ,’ stars NBA player Anthony Edwards as “Anta Claus,” delivering Sprite Winter Spiced Cranberry in a festive, hip-hop-infused twist on the holiday classic. Featuring custom packaging by Black artist Eso Tolson and digital activations like Gopuff’s “Spice Swap,” the campaign blends cultural relevance and purpose-driven messaging to connect with Gen Z and Gen Alpha audiences.

• Target’s second-holiday campaign introduces “Kris from Target ,” a muscle-bound, modern take on Santa Claus, to spotlight deals and services during key shopping moments like Black Friday. With playful ads across social, TV, and streaming, Kris combines humor and relatability to ease holiday stress while driving engagement. This fresh approach complements Target’s broader holiday strategy of its largest-ever product assortment and traffic-boosting promotions.

• Whitney Museum of American Art Chief Communications & Content Officer Angela Montefinise posted about the successful collaboration between Recess Therapy–a web series produced by Doing Things Media–and the Whitney, where host and creator Julian Shapiro-Barnum engaged kids on “what it takes to be a brilliant artist,” generating 3M views on Instagram and attracting new audiences. This collaboration highlights the value of interactive, family-friendly content in driving engagement and expanding audience reach, showcasing how educational partnerships can effectively promote cultural institutions.?

Social Media:?

LinkedIn:?

• LinkedIn adds a new “Open to Volunteer ” feature, allowing users to highlight their interest in volunteering and helping nonprofits find suitable candidates while enabling professionals to develop skills and showcase their charitable commitments. Additionally, the feature opens opportunities for brands to align with socially conscious professionals, enhancing corporate social responsibility initiatives and fostering connections with purpose-driven audiences.?

Meta (Instagram, Facebook, Threads):

• Facebook is phasing out the ability for personal profiles to have public followers, requiring users to either remove followers or switch to Professional Mode, essentially converting their profile to a Page. The move aligns with Meta’s focus on promoting creators and enabling ad opportunities while streamlining the platform’s features for non-business accounts. The change is rolling out gradually, with complete implementation expected next year.
• Facebook is adopting "Views" as its primary content metric . Views will count as all on-screen appearances, including repeats, to streamline performance tracking. The update, aligning with Instagram, will roll out in Meta’s dashboards in the coming weeks.
• Instagram is testing a “Reset Suggested Content ” feature, allowing users to clear their recommendation history across Explore, Reels, and Feed to refresh their in-app experience. While ad targeting data remains unchanged, the reset helps refine content suggestions and offers an option to unfollow accounts that are no longer relevant.
• Instagram is moving Stories Highlights from above the profile grid to a dedicated tab in user profiles , aiming to streamline the profile layout. While this change may reduce visibility for highlights, it reflects Instagram’s effort to simplify the design and prioritize current content in the main profile view. The update rolls out this week.
• Instagram is removing the ability to follow hashtags , aiming to reduce spam and irrelevant posts in users’ feeds. While hashtags will still connect content in Explore and Search, their role in driving reach and engagement declines as Instagram’s algorithms prioritize content relevance over tag usage.

Pinterest:?

• Pinterest has introduced new holiday shopping tools , including custom wishlists, celebrity-curated Gift Guides, and AI-powered personalized recommendations. Users can easily save items from guides or browse to a wishlist for streamlined gift planning. These updates position Pinterest as a go-to holiday gift discovery and inspiration platform.

X vs. BlueSky:?

• Celebrities, journalists, and public figures are increasingly abandoning X for Bluesky due to concerns over hate speech, harassment, and Musk’s influence, leading to substantial user growth on Bluesky since the presidential election. This migration underscores a trend toward platforms with robust moderation, signaling an opportunity for brands to explore Bluesky as a potential channel for engaging audiences seeking a safer, more community-focused social space. Read more in Forbes , The Hollywood Reporter , Newsweek .

AI & Search:?

• Instagram is testing AI tools that let users generate profile pictures and stickers featuring imagined scenarios, like riding a UFO or competing in the Olympics. While showcasing Meta's generative AI capabilities, these tools aim to enhance creative expression, though their value in fostering authentic social connections remains debated.
• TikTok may soon let creators build AI-powered avatars of themselves , enabling 24/7 interactions with followers through live streams, comments, and DMs. This feature, already successful on Douyin, mirrors Meta’s push for virtual influencers but raises questions about whether Western audiences will embrace bots over real human connections. While potentially freeing creators to focus on growth, the shift risks diluting the authenticity central to social media engagement.
• Nordstrom’s refreshed app uses generative AI to deliver personalized holiday shopping features like trend reports, blending AI insights with stylist expertise. With tools like Style Swipes and an enhanced search, the app aims to replicate the in-store experience online. This AI-driven upgrade anchors Nordstrom’s holiday strategy, complemented by a festive flagship store installation debuting November 27.

• Coca-Cola’s AI-driven remake of its iconic Holidays Are Coming ad has sparked mixed reactions . The campaign uses generative AI tools to reimagine the Christmas Truck for a modern audience, delivering 110 localized versions and a “Create Real Magic” platform for personalized snow globe animations. While Coca-Cola touts AI’s ability to speed production and enhance creativity, critics on social media have slammed the ad for feeling “lifeless” and lacking festive spirit, raising broader concerns about AI’s impact on artistry and job displacement. The controversial audience response highlights the promise and challenges of integrating AI into beloved cultural traditions.

It’s been a fantastic year for the Digital Debrief. I hope everyone has a lovely Thanksgiving and a successful holiday season.

Stay tuned for the next Digital Debrief , and don’t forget to subscribe! - SF