?? Vol 247: Humble Brag
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This week, I’m channeling our inner Timothée Chalamet…
We are "really in pursuit of greatness” too. And honestly? It’s starting to feel like a weekly thing. The artists we match with brands are racking up award nominations, taking home wins, and getting well-earned media buzz for the campaigns we bring to life. And that’s not by accident.
Our team works their asses off—from our artist tools that drive growth and fan engagement, to our artist-matching tech that helps brands identify addressable audiences through music, to our artist team’s uncanny ability to know who’s about to have their moment, to our creative team that keeps pushing storytelling to the next level, and our brand partnerships team that’s redefining what artist collaborations can do for marketers.
So yeah… this week’s MAXtape is a humble brag. But it’s a well-earned one. ??
Here's what you'll find in this week's MAXtape:
Read all the words please.
Craig Rector, Marketing Director / MAXtape Editor
Pedro Capó Had to Move... And Honestly, We Get It. ??
Ever had a neighbor who takes copycat to a whole new level? Pedro Capó sure has. ?? In our latest campaign with Opendoor, Pedro proves that when your personal space starts feeling a little too shared, moving can be as easy as a few clicks. Check out how this partnership mixes humor and cultural connection to make home-selling feel effortless! ???
Heads up—MAXtape is coming early next week!
Next Friday, March 7th, MAX will be observing the Global Day of Unplugging—a perfect tie-in to our HARDY x UScellular campaign. If you remember, that campaign is all about stepping away from the noise and being present. We hope you’ll join us in doing the same!
Look, I don’t need to tell you how chaotic things feel right now. Consider this your official excuse to unplug—breathe, reset, and reconnect with yourself before diving back into the madness. You deserve it.
?? Remember our recent survey of 5,000+ TikTok users? YT Shorts was the top backup plan, with IG Reels in second...well third...but let's be honest, RedNote isn't a real backup plan. Now, Meta wants to change that—by making Reels its own app.
As part of Project Ray, Instagram is testing this move to improve content recommendations and expand three-minute Reels. If TikTok’s future stays shaky, Meta could be positioning Reels as the next big thing.
For artists and marketers, this could mean new ad opportunities and a more engaged, and focused, audience—but also platform fragmentation and yet another algorithm to crack. Will it be a game-changer, or just another failed TikTok clone (RIP Lasso) that ultimately works better as a built-in Instagram feature? ??
...let's see...what else...
OMG, not again. I'm just innocently working on what's in the news this week to put in MAXtape...then BAM...I accidentally drop all these links to earned media for the Pedro Capó x Opendoor campaign...I'm such a clumsy goose sometimes!
Hold on, let me clean this up... okay, here’s Ad Age talking about creative campaigns you need to know about. And oh, there’s The Drum, with not one, but two shoutouts—one covering the campaign and one for the best ads of the week. And...whoops, almost tripped over Adweek’s coverage.
Sorry about that. It’s just so hard trying to juggle this much earned media at once. ?? You get it, right? ...Err, maybe not. I mean, you might not work with MAX, where music partnerships meet marketing performance. Wow, uh… that was kinda insensitive of me. My bad. Hope I didn’t just make things awkward. ???
We’re hyped to celebrate our artist partners nominated for the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards! ???? Unlike other awards, iHeart honors the artists fans love most—from chart-toppers to viral moments. And this year, 15 MAX artist partners are up for 31 awards! ??
Tune in Monday, March 17, 2025, to find out who’s taking home a trophy! We’ll be watching. ????
Lainey Wilson x Ford:
The reigning queen of Country Music, has teamed up with Ford for what's shaping up to be the biggest Truck Month yet...watch her Ford story and you'll get why!
Alex Fernández x Ford
Legacy runs deep—on stage and on the road. Alex Fernández is teaming up with Ford for Truck Month, bringing tradition, toughness, and horsepower together like never before.
Isabel Marie Sanchez x USAA
Celebrating Isabel Marie Sanchez's collaboration with USAA, honoring service members through music and community.