The Marketer’s Storybook: Marketing’s Big Game, Beauty Moves, and a Dead Owl
It’s been freezing cold in London, but somehow, I still managed to play tennis outside (yes, I am obsessed!). It never ceases to amaze me that people in London play tennis year-round outside. Apparently, I’ve become one of them! I also had friends visiting from Boston over the weekend, which meant a lot of steps and some beautiful views of London (like the photo below).
On the marketing front, this week’s stories are packed with everything from Super Bowl marketing shifts to Amazon’s latest experiment in beauty retail to the strangest brand rebrand of the year (so far). Plus, we dive into influencer drama, social proof in e-commerce, and the evolution of YouTube as a content powerhouse. Let’s get into it!
Read more: The Marketer’s Storybook: Marketing’s Big Game, Beauty Moves, and a Dead OwlThis Week’s Marketing Stories
A curated mix of breaking news, insights, and trends, each with actionable takeaways to inspire your brand storytelling.
1. Amazon Expands Brick-and-Mortar with Beauty & Health Store in Milan
Amazon is taking another stab at physical retail with Amazon Parafarmacia & Beauty, a Milan-based store that sells beauty, skincare, and nonprescription medications. The store features major skincare brands like La Roche-Posay and Vichy, plus “Derma-bars” where customers can get digital skin analyses and personalized product recommendations. The move represents Amazon’s strategic push to capture more of the high-margin beauty market while testing hybrid shopping experiences.
Key Takeaway: Amazon’s continued push into brick-and-mortar reveals that even digital giants recognize the value of physical retail experiences. For beauty brands, this signals the importance of creating seamless omnichannel journeys that blend digital convenience with personalized in-store interactions. Consider how your own customer journey can incorporate both digital efficiency and meaningful in-person touchpoints to drive engagement and loyalty. Read more
2. CeraVe’s ‘Medutainment’ Strategy Taps SNL for Dandruff Awareness
Following last year’s viral Michael CeraVe campaign, CeraVe is back with a new Super Bowl-adjacent stunt: a heavy metal band-themed dandruff commercial featuring Saturday Night Live stars. The brand continues its “medutainment” approach – educating consumers while making them laugh. By partnering with SNL talent, CeraVe elevates what could be a clinical topic into culturally relevant entertainment that resonates with younger audiences.
Key Takeaway: Brands tackling “taboo” health topics can win big by blending humor with education. CeraVe’s creative approach makes scalp care feel cool rather than clinical, demonstrating that even mundane products can create culturally relevant moments when storytelling is prioritized over product features. Consider how your brand can use entertainment value to make educational content more engaging and shareable. Read more
3. Duolingo Kills Off Its Mascot in a Viral Rebrand
Duolingo’s beloved green owl is dead. In a bizarre (but very on-brand) marketing move, Duolingo announced its mascot’s “death” via social media, complete with a new cowboy hat-themed logo. The campaign, packed with humor and satire, drew millions of views and engaged users across platforms. This audacious stunt perfectly aligns with Duolingo’s established irreverent persona, while creating massive buzz and user participation.
Key Takeaway: Bold, playful branding can capture massive attention – if it authentically aligns with your brand’s established voice. Duolingo’s irreverent humor keeps it top-of-mind for its audience while reinforcing its distinct personality. For marketers, this demonstrates the power of taking calculated risks that stay true to your brand identity. The most successful “shocking” campaigns work because they feel consistent with the brand’s existing personality. Read more
4. Fabletics Uses ‘Social Proof’ to Win Over Skeptics
Fabletics is leveraging user-generated content, influencer testimonials, and real-time sales data to drive conversions. The brand’s website now features pop-ups showing trending products, influencer video reviews, and purchase notifications to create FOMO and reinforce trust. This multi-layered social proof strategy targets different psychological triggers that influence purchase decisions.
Key Takeaway: Social proof can be a powerful conversion tool when implemented strategically across the customer journey. When potential customers see real people engaging with your product, they’re more likely to buy. Fabletics shows that combining different forms of social validation, from expert endorsements to peer recommendations to real-time popularity metrics, it creates a compelling narrative that overcomes purchase hesitation. Consider auditing your own customer journey to identify where social proof elements could help convert browsers into buyers. Read more
5. Kim Kardashian Plays a ‘Fairy Butt Mother’ for Her Skims Shapewear Brand
Kim Kardashian dons wings and a wand in a hilarious new Skims campaign, positioning herself as the Fairy Butt Mother who grants instant curves. The self-aware ad, written by comedian Michelle Wolf, is a playful twist on shapewear marketing, blending humor with product promotion. By poking fun at herself and the category stereotypes, Kardashian makes the brand feel more approachable and authentic.
Key Takeaway: Humor and self-awareness can make even the most functional product marketing feel fresh and engaging. Skims continues to master culturally relevant, buzzworthy branding by balancing aspirational aesthetics with relatable humor. For marketers, this demonstrates how bringing in creative talent from outside traditional advertising (like comedian Michelle Wolf) can help brands find a fresh voice that resonates beyond category conventions. Read more
6. Poppi’s Influencer Vending Machine Backlash
Poppi, the healthy soda brand, is facing backlash after sending vending machines filled with its drinks to influencers for Super Bowl weekend. Critics called it an out-of-touch stunt, questioning why the machines weren’t placed in hospitals, schools, or other community spaces. Meanwhile, rival brand Olipop capitalized on the moment by throwing shade in the comments section – only to get caught exaggerating the vending machine’s cost.
Key Takeaway: Influencer marketing must balance aspirational content with accessibility and authenticity. When brands flaunt exclusivity without considering wider appeal, they risk alienating potential customers who see the effort as wasteful or elitist. This incident also highlights how competitors can exploit missteps – but they need to ensure their own criticisms are factual and measured. For marketers, it’s a reminder that PR stunts should consider how they’ll be perceived by all audiences, not just the direct recipients. Read more
7. Snap Sees Growth Opportunity in SMBs
Snapchat is ramping up efforts to attract small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) by enhancing ad products, automation tools, and AI-powered campaign optimizations. The company is focused on making its platform more accessible for cost-conscious advertisers through simplified campaign management, improved targeting capabilities, and lower minimum spends. This strategy aims to diversify Snap’s advertiser base beyond major brands.
Key Takeaway: Snap is finally catching up to larger ad platforms in offering scalable, data-driven ad solutions that work for businesses with limited marketing resources. SMBs should consider the platform’s lower ad costs, engaged Gen Z audience, and improving self-service tools as potential advantages in an increasingly competitive digital advertising landscape. For marketers with modest budgets, this evolution opens up new opportunities to reach younger audiences without the premium costs of more established platforms. Read more
8. Super Bowl Marketing Moves Beyond TV Ads
With the cost of a 30-second Super Bowl ad exceeding $8 million, some brands are skipping the traditional route in favor of creative digital activations. Avocados From Mexico and Twix leaned into second-screen culture, engaging viewers via QR codes and social media challenges. Meanwhile, brands like Toyota and PepsiCo focused on experiential activations in New Orleans rather than in-game commercials. This shift reflects a more holistic approach to major event marketing.
Key Takeaway: Super Bowl marketing isn’t just about big-budget TV ads anymore. Brands should think holistically about how to engage audiences across screens, social media, and real-world experiences. The most successful campaigns leverage multiple touchpoints to create an integrated experience that extends beyond the game itself. For marketers with limited budgets, this trend creates opportunities to participate in cultural moments without the massive investment of traditional broadcast advertising. Just make sure that you thoroughly read the guidelines on the do’s and don’ts of Super Bowl marketing and messaging before you find your company faced with a lawsuit. Read more
9. YouTube’s 2025 Priorities: Podcasts, AI, and Connected TV
YouTube CEO Neal Mohan outlined four key focus areas for the year:
- Expanding podcasts on YouTube (it’s now the most-used platform for podcasts in the U.S.).
- Enhancing AI-powered tools for creators.
- Leaning into shopping and brand partnerships for monetization.
- Optimizing content for connected TV, which has surpassed mobile for watch time in the U.S.
These priorities signal YouTube’s evolution from a video platform to a comprehensive media ecosystem competing for attention across multiple content formats and devices.
Key Takeaway: YouTube is evolving beyond a video platform into a full-fledged media ecosystem that spans audio, video, social, and commerce. Marketers should consider how to leverage its expanding toolkit for podcasts, AI-enhanced content creation, commerce integrations, and connected TV experiences. The platform’s growing dominance in living rooms presents new opportunities for brands to reach audiences with longer-form, higher-production content that benefits from the big screen experience. Read more
Super Useful Links
Super Bowl LIX: Analyzing the game’s advertising and engagement data
The big game’s ads, broken down by key stats reflecting cost, reach, performance and more. This comprehensive analysis provides marketers with essential metrics on this year’s Super Bowl advertising landscape, including CPM comparisons, social media performance, and audience engagement patterns. Read more
My Stories
Super Bowl LIX: What This Year’s Top Ads Teach Us About Brand Storytelling
As the confetti settles on Super Bowl LIX, one thing is clear – the brands behind this year’s Super Bowl ads pulled out all the stops to capture our attention. From heartfelt moments to nostalgia-packed remakes, and laugh-out-loud surprises, this year’s Super Bowl commercials reminded us why storytelling is the secret ingredient in marketing. Here’s a look at the standout ads that didn’t just sell – they made us feel something. Plus, I’m sharing my takeaways so you can bring these lessons into your own brand storytelling strategy – even if you don’t have Super Bowl sized budgets. Make sure you read all the way to the end for my summary of key takeaways from this year’s ads! Read more
Unlock More of My Stories
🌍 Website: JessicaGioglio.com Your one-stop shop for all my books, speaking engagements, and blog posts on marketing and storytelling.
📚 Books:
- The Power of Visual Storytelling: Learn how to shape a visual story around your brand using images, videos, GIFs, infographics, and more. Get your copy here.
- The Laws of Brand Storytelling: The definitive guide to using storytelling to win over customers’ hearts, minds, and loyalty. Grab it here.
📱 Social Media:
Let’s connect and keep the conversation going!
Until Next Time
Thank you for being part of this journey. Whether you’re here for marketing trends, storytelling inspiration, or both, I’m so grateful to have you along for the ride.
Keep telling the stories that matter, Jessica