Your EDM’s 30 Under 30 - Martin Garrix

via Your EDM

Martijn Garritsen / Martin Garrix

Age: 18

It’s easy to get lost in the numbers behind Martin Garrix’s meteoric rise. At 18 years old, the Dutch superstar has already set precedents and scored landmarks at every corner of the music industry. Picked up by Spinnin’ Records and subsequently backed by Scooter Braun, Martin has become one of electronic dance music’s youngest superstars, amassing a chart-topping, high-streaming musical legacy along the way. Leaping 36 places to #4 of the DJ Mag Top 100 charts in 2014, garnering both the attention of Billboard’s prestigious ’21 under 21’ as well as Forbes’ “30 under 30” list and dropping his first BBC Essential Mix, Martin Garrix’s story is only just beginning.

Behind his humble attitude and encouraging smile is an artist wise beyond his years, setting a precedent for young and aspiring musicians across the globe. Martin has come a long way since DJing his parents’ parties, wandering music festivals as a fan and unofficially remixing Christina Aguilera. The young savant shows through hard work and talent, up and coming artists can realize their dream of topping global charts, scoring multi-platinum sales and headlining festival main stages across the globe.

By the time 2013 came knocking, the bar had been set notably high, but the whirlwind success of Martin’s breakout year was just around the corner. Hitting number one in the UK charts and reaching international platinum status, “Animals” has to-date garnered more than 100 million streams on Spotify and 400 million views on Youtube. Having subsequently linked up with such heavyweights as Afrojack, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Dillon Francis, Sander Van Doorn and DVBBS, this who’s who of collaborators set a spotlight on Martin’s avant-garde studio prowess. Playing soundtrack to such prestigious events as Ultra Music Festival, Tomorrowland, Amsterdam Music Festival and more, Martin Garrix’s sound become ubiquitous around the world.

Entering the New Year with more high-profile shows and festivals on the calendar than ever before and a brand new residency at Las Vegas super club Omnia, Martin’s ambitions are ramping up for 2015. New material alongside David Guetta, Tiesto, Hardwell, Headhunterz and a landmark first dance record featuring Ed Sheeran demonstrate that Martin has every intention of innovating his sound and looking to the future. You’ll find Martin Garrix at every festival worth attending this next year; just as cheerful and exuberant as you’d expect a 18 year old whiz kid looking forward to a blossoming career.

Calvin Harris is a big inspiration for me, I love his tunes. He would be a great mentor to me I think. His tracks are cross over to pop/mainstream, but he will always be a respected DJ/Producer in the dance industry. It ’s something I really aim for as an artist. It’s very impressive what he has done with Dance music and he opened a lot of doors with his music for upcoming EDM artists too!

You’ll pay a premium for Coke’s new metal packaging

via Miami Herald

At a discount store recently, Mr. Tidbit was stopped in his tracks by a display of tiny (8.5-ounce) metal “bottles” of various Coca-Cola products.

Yes, metal bottles. They’re made of aluminum, but they’re shaped like little bottles, not cans, with screw-off tops and, in the case of the ones bearing the Coca-Cola name (not Sprite), a version of the signature “wasp waist.”

Just the idea of the metal bottle would have been enough to slow Mr. Tidbit to a crawl, but what brought him to a full halt was the price: $1.59. Each. For just 8 1/2 ounces. That’s an astonishing 18.7 cents an ounce.

For comparison, here in decreasing order are the prices of the other ways to buy Coke at that store: 20-ounce plastic bottle from the cooler case, $1.69 (8.5 cents per ounce). Eight-pack of even-tinier 7.5-ounce cans, $3.49 (5.8 cents per ounce). Eight-pack of 12-ounce plastic bottles, $4.99 (5.2 cents per ounce). Twelve-pack of 12-ounce cans, $4.99 (3.5 cents per ounce). Two-liter (67.6-ounce) plastic bottle, an item whose price varies a lot and on this day was on the high side at $1.89 (2.8 cents per ounce). At the per-ounce price of the new little bottle, the 2-liter bottle would cost $12.65!

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/living/food-drink/article11135042.html#storylink=cpy

Mr. Tidbit has to say that he can’t imagine people buying the little metal bottles at $1.59 each, as they are sold more cheaply in 24-packs (not available at that store), for as little (!) as $24.99 (12.3 cents an ounce). Mr. Tidbit also has to say that he can’t imagine anyone buying those, either.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/living/food-drink/article11135042.html#storylink=cpy

Pepsi Max Launches Cherry Variant

via Talking Retail

Britvic Soft Drinks has unveiled a new marketing campaign to support Pepsi Max Cherry, kicking off from the middle of February.

The million pound plus investment includes out-of-home print advertising with 6-sheets and bus wraps focusing on the brand’s lead message; Maximum Cherry, No Sugar. Britvic and PepsiCo will also drive awareness of the brand through consumer sampling in high footfall areas with its single serve formats and in-store activation. Furthermore, the brand’s social media channels will be leveraged to engage with its target audience of young adults.

Pepsi Max Cherry was launched in single serve 330ml cans and 600ml PET bottle formats in June 2014, to drive excitement in the ‘immediate refreshment’ occasion as part of the company’s continued commitment to the impulse and convenience channel.

Pepsi Max Cherry 600ml and 330ml formats are available for retailers to sell with a MRRP of £1.25 and £0.60 respectively with PMP formats also available at the following price points: 2L packs £1.69, 600ml at 99p and 330ml at 49p. PMP’s within impulse and convenience give retailers and consumers confidence due to the visible value for money.

Source: Britvic Soft Drinks

Coke Launches Global Campaign To Mark Bottle's 100th

via Media Post

Coca-Cola is marking the 100th anniversary of its iconic green glass bottle with a new global campaign under its umbrella "Open Happiness" platform.
 

The ads, including four that have been posted on the videos area of the Coca-Cola Journey site and YouTube within the last three days, are also beginning to be promoted on Coke's social media sites. 

Coke will make the most of the anniversary, CEO Muhtar Kent said during a presentation at the Consumer Analyst Group of New York conference last week. He described the bottle as an "enduring symbol of refreshment and happiness," and a reminder of the "unique experience of Coca-Cola" and the "beautiful design, innovation and sensory esthetics -- elements that will continue to drive our business and brands forward."

The ads are "a great example of how we're thinking about the effectiveness of our marketing," Kent said, pointing out that they will be used in marketing campaigns in more than 100 markets around the world. They "have tested very well and demonstrate our commitment to improving the quality of our ads," he added.

One ad, "Together," by video director and fine art photographer David LaChapelle, shows just the hands and forearms of a wide variety of people, paired and connecting by touching palms, fist bumps and other friendly or loving gestures. 

Coca-Cola, which returned to this year's Academy Awards with ads for both regular and Diet Coke, also posted a slightly truncated version of its new "A Generous World" ad on Facebook to coincide with the awards broadcast. 

The ad shows a series of scenes in which handing someone a classic bottle of Coke makes them feel better after a series of calamities, including explosions; the teaser version ends before we get to view what is casting a large shadow on the earth. Social media users were encouraged to view the video and channel their "inner screenwriters" to comment on who they thought would get the next Coke, using #AndTheCokeGoesTo. 

The day following the awards, Coke posted the full video, with a surprise ending. As of mid-afternoon, the teaser version had been viewed nearly 650,000 times on Facebook so far, and was showing more than 8,400 likes and 1,000 shares. And within an hour of posting, the full version had pulled more than 8,600 views on the social site.

The agencies on the campaign include Wieden+Kennedy, Portland and Ogilvy, Paris, according to Advertising Age.

Six Tips on Talking to the Post Generation

via Ad Week

In my last Adweek column introducing the Post Generation—my nickname for the under-14 cohort, also variously referred to as Gen Z or Centennials or the Homeland Generation (among other appellations)—I discussed how they're coming of age on the heels of unprecedented cultural and technological shifts.

One of the most profound transformations they're witnessing and also spearheading is the migration to a digital media landscape. In this column, I'll uncover some key insights behind the Post Generation's attitude toward media and content.

All content competes with all content: In an age where a beverage brand underwrites a GoPro-wearing guy essentially parachuting from space and a chain department store finances an $8 million concert by popular act Imagine Dragons during commercial time on the Grammys, what qualifies as an "ad" anymore?

Young consumers don't hate advertising. They hate being bored. And with the ubiquity of their favorite content, they don't have to be. What should you do? Break the :30, disrupt the display unit and recognize you're going head-to-head with what's on everywhere else. What this means is you have the same chance of capturing an audience—and achieving subsequent virality—as does "programming" anywhere. You also have a greater chance of being ignored entirely, but nobody said advertising superstardom is supposed to be easy.

Video is the vanguard: As we've all seen by now, young consumers continue to consume more video than ever before. In an age of high-bandwidth handsets that feature relatively small keypads and character sizes, video will remain the medium of choice for consumers bent on consuming (and, increasingly, creating) content. You don't have to be Michael Bay to shoot a Vine or start a Skype. And you don't have to be a TV network or an ad agency or a professional actor or a director to captivate an audience. Start with video. Wrap the rest of your media around it.

Content feels abundant and persistent: FOMO (fear of missing out) is supposedly a bedrock sentiment among modern youth, except when it comes to content, the mass of which feels, well, massive, not to mention pleasantly persistent. Of course the antidote to being taken for granted and/or queued for later is creating urgency, as happens with a live broadcast of a music or entertainment event like an awards show or "special." For now, don't assume anyone under 30 is a by-appointment viewer, unless and until you create immediacy that far surpasses the average show.

Kids are playing passenger to parents: While speaking with real, live kids recently for a TV project, we asked them what shows they watched, when and on what channels.

Most seemed perplexed, sneaking glances to nearby parents. The same held true when we asked them about weeknight or weekend plans. Under 14, and under the tutelage of Gen X parents who themselves are massively adept at calendaring and multitasking, these Post Gen kids have given over the planning reins entirely, content to reside nose first in their devices until someone tells them otherwise. Want to capture kids on a specific night at a prescribed time? Try talking to parents first, selling them on the educational or social benefits you and your content might be able to provide for their progeny.

Go long on short form: With Vine videos briskly becoming the favorite media snack of primary- and middle-schoolers everywhere (alongside similar smallish product from Snapchat and Instagram), the time for experimentation in low-commitment, short-form video is now. And with Vessel poised to further the frontier of exclusive short-form video content, we're going to see umpteen opportunities for brands to play in this space. Whether this is through owned or paid channels remains an open question. As with most questions of this sort, the answer for the time being is likely, you guessed it, both.

Multicultural is the operating reality: Last but far from least, demographics define the Post Generation, whose operating reality and content diet are in lockstep—multicultural by design and preference. If your content doesn't look like Post Gen, they simply won't watch. Unlike in days of yore, they simply don't have to.

One glimpse at the patchwork races/ethnicities of today's YouTube, Vine, and music and sports starscape reveals that Post Gen simply won't settle for a whitewashing. Neither can you. Getting real means getting intrinsically inclusive and open.

And quick. Go!

YouTube to air Creators documentary to educate brands

via Marketing Magazine

Anomaly London has teamed up with an Oscar-nominated director to create a documentary exploring the rise of YouTube creators.

YouTube commissioned Anomaly and the documentarian Nanette Burnstein, who was nominated for an Oscar for her 1997 film On The Ropes, to explore the worlds of video-bloggers like Zoella and Tomska, who have amassed millions of fans through YouTube.

The documentary aims to help marketers understand how these vloggers appeal to their young fans and what role brands can play on the channel.

In addition to the full-length documentary, which will be released on YouTube on 13 March, Anomaly has created four short videos offering tips on successful online engagement.

Anomaly’s joint executive creative directors, Oli Beale and Alex Holder, came up with the idea for the documentary, wrote the treatment and produced it.

Holder said: "We wanted to make a film that explained to brands the largely untapped opportunity of the creator community. YouTube creators understand their millennial audience and use real time feedback in order to create engaging content that can captivate millions of fans.

"The film gives brands a chance to learn from these digital innovators and understand how to work with them in order to reach loyal audiences."

This is the first time Anomaly London has worked with YouTube on a project. In the US, the agency has worked with YouTube’s owner, Google, on projects like the Google Glass Explorer Programme.

Coca-Cola head of innovation: Only quick-witted, future gazing brands will succeed

via Marketing Magazine

 

Coca-Cola's vice president of innovation and entrepreneurship reveals the soft drink giant's approach to 'designing for growth' in new book 'Design to Grow: How Coca-Cola learned to combine scale and agility'. Get a taste of his insights in this exclusive extract for Marketing.

I used to love my BlackBerry. It was simple to use and made email so much easier than using my laptop.

Of course, I wasn’t alone. A few years ago, BlackBerry devices were so popular that many people referred to them as Crackberries; they were that addictive. 

From 2004 to 2010, BlackBerry owned the mobile phone market. Fast-forward to today: BlackBerry went from a 50 percent market share to near irrelevance. What happened? BlackBerry simply couldn’t adapt. When the market began to shift from cell phones to smartphones—from a focus on hardware to software innovation, handsets to apps—BlackBerry kept developing hardware solutions.

By designing for agility, companies can learn faster and become smarter

Why not? It had worked before. They saw what Apple was doing, but chose to stay the course. After all, Apple was a computer company. What did it know about mobile phones? Like most successful companies, BlackBerry focused on flawless execution— on what had worked in the past—designing beautiful handsets and marketing them around the world. They designed for scale, not for agility.

Designing for agility reduces risk

Unlike Apple, BlackBerry didn’t understand how to use design to learn and adapt to a rapidly changing marketplace. Frankly, Apple didn’t know exactly what would connect with consumers with its first release either. If you bought one of the earliest iPhones, you probably remember that it was very buggy and unreliable. However, this allowed the company to start learning what worked and what didn’t very quickly, which made them smarter.

By designing for agility, companies can learn faster and become smarter, which reduces the risk of being disrupted.

In hindsight, it’s easy to see how BlackBerry missed the whole industry shift. Far from being a toy, the iPhone was actually an incredibly smart design decision by Apple. It enabled them to leapfrog into a completely new industry, disrupt it, and take a leadership position— with the speed and destructive power of a startup.

"The world did not stop for BlackBerry, and we’re seeing the result of that today," said Bill Kreher, an analyst with Edward Jones. By the time BlackBerry released its Z10 app-based smart phone in 2013, it was far behind the curve—at least two years too late.

Using design to learn and adapt is becoming more and more critical

It’s not like the executives at BlackBerry were oblivious to the world changing outside its doors. I’m sure they had a solid business plan, long-term growth model, and, perhaps, even an inspiring video to boost senior management’s confidence. However, unlike much of business history, the window that a company has to recognize its mistakes and take corrective action has become stunningly small.

As the stakes get higher, and the world gets more complex, using design to learn and adapt is becoming more and more critical. The environment in which managers must make potentially life-and-death decisions for their companies has never been more difficult.

You don’t have to be a CEO or head of state to understand this on a personal level. We have all had to make big shifts—pivots—in our careers just to stay relevant.

This requires an ability to be quick-witted, combined with the intelligence to see what change is coming, and how your own skills can adapt to an environment that is in constant flux.

Coca-Cola Freestyle Partners With Lady Antebellum for Promotional Sweepstakes

via BevNet

Coca-Cola Freestyle and Lady Antebellum are joining forces to give fans the chance to own the night at one of the multi-PLATINUM selling trio’s upcoming 2015 concerts. When fans visit participating restaurants with Coca-Cola Freestyle now through March 31, they can choose from three Lady Antebellum mixes for a chance to mix it up backstage with the award-winning country group.

Each time fans pour an exclusive mix using Coca-Cola Freestyle, they can receive a code which will allow them to enter for a chance to win a grand prize trip for two to a Lady Antebellum concert of the winner’s choice during their WHEELS UP 2015 TOUR presented by Quicken Loans. Other prizes include Lady Antebellum 747 Deluxe CDs, autographed pictures and downloads of their latest single, “Freestyle.”

“Coca-Cola Freestyle encourages individuality and customization by offering unprecedented choices,” said Joel Bishop, vice president and general manager, Coca-Cola Freestyle, Coca-Cola North America. “In that spirit, we invited Hillary, Charles and Dave of Lady Antebellum to express their personal style and taste by creating their own beverage mixes for their fans to enjoy.”

Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood each created a personal mix available only with Coca-Cola Freestyle, the beverage dispenser that offers more than 100 drink choices. Charles’ Smooth Rollin’ Mix is a sweet blend of Vanilla Coke and Barq’s, while Dave’s Rock ‘n’ Bold Mix pulls together the refreshing flavors of Sprite Vanilla and Seagram’s Ginger Ale. Hillary’s Southern Cherry Mix plays on the artist’s Tennessee roots and combines two of her favorite beverages, Coke Zero Cherry and Coke Zero Raspberry.

Fans can enter for a chance to win in several ways. When they approach Coca-Cola Freestyle dispensers at one of the 600 plus participating restaurants, they should simply look for the special Lady Antebellum promo button on the home screen to choose from the three mixes. After fans pour their beverage of choice, they just need to text the code that appears onscreen to enter the sweepstakes.

Even if they aren’t near a select Coca-Cola Freestyle dispenser, Lady Antebellum fans all over the U.S. can still join in the fun beginning March 23 through April 30 when they download the free Coca-Cola Freestyle app. App holders with push notifications enabled will receive an offer in the “my offers” section of the app to add all three Lady Antebellum mixes to their favorites. When they visit any Coca-Cola Freestyle, they can use the QR code within the app to pour any of the exclusive mixes. Fans will then receive push notifications within the app with instructions to enter.

For full contest details and rules, as well as the list of participating retailers, please visitwww.coca-colafreestyle.com/ladya-customerandhttps://cocacola.promo.eprize.com/ladya/. To learn more about Coca-Cola Freestyle or to find the nearest Coca-Cola Freestyle, visitwww.Coca-Colafreestyle.com or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cocacolafreestyle. You can also find us on Twitter at@ccfreestyle.

Coca-Cola Freestyle

In 2009, The Coca-Cola Company transformed how people enjoy fountain beverages with Coca-Cola Freestyle^® – a game-changing innovation that now offers more than 100 drink choices and last year dispensed approximately 1.8 billion 8 fl.-oz servings. Coca-Cola Freestyle dispenses unique beverages by blending specific recipes of concentrated ingredients with water and sweetener at the point where the beverage is dispensed – delivering great quality and beverage variety through proprietary micro-dose mixing technology. Each unit can dispense more than 100 different combinations such as sparkling beverages, flavored waters, sports drinks, lemonades and teas – including 70+ diet and low-calorie and 90+ caffeine-free beverages. Since 2011, people have been using the Coca-Cola Freestyle mobile app to find their nearest dispenser, get special offers, save favorite drinks, create and share mixes, check in and earn badges, complete challenges and more. To learn more about Coca-Cola Freestyle or find the nearest Coca-Cola Freestyle location visit www.Coca-Colafreestyle.com, like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cocacolafreestyle or follow us on Twitter @ccfreestyle.

Lady Antebellum

Seven-time GRAMMY winning group Lady Antebellum recently released their fifth studio album, 747. The 11-song disc has already spawned the PLATINUM certified multi-week chart-topping smash hit “Bartender,” and its new single “Freestyle” is quickly climbing the charts. The new album follows over 11 million albums sold worldwide, nine trips to No. one on the country radio charts, six Platinum singles and “Vocal Group of the Year” honors from both the CMA and ACMs three years in a row. The group delighted both fans and critics on the road with the Dallas Morning News declaring “Lady Antebellum shows off its warranted leap to superstardom,” and they’re gearing up for their headlining WHEELS UP 2015 TOUR kicking off Feb. 28 with a European trek and beginning the North American leg on May 1 in Lubbock, TX. For more information and a full list of appearances visit: www.ladyantebellum.com.

Creative technology will drive the next era of marketing

via MarketingMagazine

Brands aren't yet reaping the benefits creative technology has to offer

Brands are still a long way off from delivering the connected, personalised marketing that people crave, says Omaid Hiwaizi chief strategy officer, UK, Geometry Global and director of industry innovation at the Marketing Agencies Association.

We’ve been discussing a vision for a connected world for some years now. A world where consumers enjoy brand experiences that are personalized in real time and contextual, and brands collect and apply data creating more value and efficiency. While "The Internet of Things" has already become "The Internet of Everything", why is it that this vision so far away from being normalized and just how we build brands?

Innovation for awards

Don’t get me wrong - innovative solutions do appear from time to time – smart products, quirky communications and interesting executions which are both products and communications. But how many of these are core business drivers and how many are created for the awards shows as the conspicuously different idea, which everyone wished they’d produced?

In corporate organisations operating with strong processes there’s an overarching need to proof everything until the very last detail, due to the risk and cost of innovation in industrial production

Why, then, is it that companies and agencies have been so slow on the uptake of creative technology innovation in how brands are built?

The barrier is corporate business’ typical (and necessary) approach around risk, creating success through optimisation rather than innovation. This mismatch was highlighted by Alper Eroglu, Unilever Global Media Director, at the launch of the MAA’s Creative Technology Initiative. He reminded us that in corporate organisations operating with strong processes there’s an overarching need to proof everything until the very last detail, due to the risk and cost of innovation in industrial production. This conflicts completely with the live beta and iterative prototyping approach required to deliver relevant and powerful creative technology innovation.

New wave of brands

Clearly this is not an issue with the new wave of technology based service brands who started life as prototypes and therefore have this culture at the core of how they do business.

Coke’s solution has been to embrace a 70-20-10 culture: with 70% of their effort focused on delivering quality BAU communications, 20% on pushing the boundaries of normal and 10% on ideas and approaches which are unproven but could transform the marketplace

What should companies who have this culture clash do? Coke’s solution has been to embrace a 70-20-10 culture: with 70% of their effort focused on delivering quality BAU communications, 20% on pushing the boundaries of normal and 10% on ideas and approaches which are unproven but could transform the marketplace. This has resulted in ideas like "Small World Machines", a vending machine bringing India & Pakistan together through a shared experience and Coke Dance vending machine in Korea, where consumers who do a choreographed dance are rewarded with a Coke. These solutions are produced with creative or digital agencies and in partnership with technology partners.

Unilever’s approach sits under the The Foundry banner and operates a hybrid model of being both a technology incubator and a crowdsourcing platform. They issue briefs to a community of tech start-ups, hackers, students and agencies, vet responses and pick the solution with the most potential to develop into a prototype. The creative agency is added to the team to guarantee that the developed idea fits elegantly in to the brand landscape and advances the brand narrative appropriately. Thus far Unilever has received over 1000 applicants to those briefs issued through The Unilever Foundry https://twitter.com/UnileverFoundry. It has now launched, or committed to launching, over 65 pilots with 50 different start-ups. Central to their approach is their alignment with start-up networks that allow them to pull on talent from over 40,000 start-ups.

It’s a robust and scalable approach, and because it’s under that specific banner, enables them to ‘fail fast’ when necessary, take learnings, and move onto the next possible solution. A great example is their Knorr activation for Africa and Asia where most mobile interaction is through feature phones using SMS. They partnered artificial intelligence based tech start-up Digital Genius to answer the question "What’s for dinner tonight?". The natural language algorithm answered people’s questions and quizzed them about preferences and ingredients and then suggested recipes, using Knorr of course!

These initiatives are transforming how we build brands in the era of the Internet of Everything, and creating an advantage for those brands and companies that embrace them. This will transform the whole of marketing.

Innovation ghetto

Why, then are these projects and initiatives still locked up in an innovation ghetto? Why are they the exception rather than the rule when marketers make their plans? What needs to happen for Creative Technology innovation to cease from being a side project or ‘nice to have’ and become the core of how we do business?

The MAA’s Creative Technology Initiative was founded to address this. Our goal will be achieved through the sharing of best practice around three key pillars. Firstly funding models, to navigate how projects like this should be financed. Are they opex or capex? Over what time frame should they pay back? Secondly how to measure the effect, and establish which KPIs should be put in place. It requires building frameworks precedents as the measures are likely to be a mixture of those conventionally used for marcomms and product engagement. Finally building operational structure and process, how to work in multi-discipline, multi-partner teams and efficiently test and iterate solutions. Only then will organisations understand how they have to be organised to be able to deliver the next era of marketing.

Mountain Dew Signs Russell Westbrook to be the Face of Mtn Dew Kickstart

via BevNet

Today, Mountain Dew took a vertical leap and announced a multi-year partnership with basketball all-star and cultural icon, Russell Westbrook.  The partnership with Westbrook, who is known for his creative personality on and off the basketball court, marks the original flavor’s first national partnership with a pro basketball player and will tip off an entirely new extension of the Mtn Dew^® Kickstart^™ “It All Starts with a Kick” campaign.

As the newest member of DEW Nation, Westbrook will be the face of Mtn Dew Kickstart, including the two new bold flavors – Pineapple Orange Mango and Strawberry Kiwi – that fuse an energizing blast of DEW with real fruit juice, coconut water and just the right amount of kick which hit shelves in January 2015. The partnership officially kicks off in New York City as we lead into the hottest weekend in professional basketball and fans will get a first look on February 14 when a new TV commercial airs, starring Westbrook and his buddies.

“Becoming part of DEW Nation just felt really organic and authentic for me,” said Westbrook. “The brand is an instigator – it’s about creativity and looking at life through your own lens and living it the way you want to live it.  Those are all attributes that are core to who I am.”

“Partnering with an athlete is so much more than just finding an MVP – it’s about identifying someone that truly lives the brand ethos every day,” said Greg Lyons, Vice President of Marketing, Mountain Dew. “Russell is charged with personality and style, and isn’t afraid to push boundaries – making him the ideal partner for Mtn Dew Kickstart and a great addition to DEW’s team of all-star athletes.”

Mtn Dew Kickstart was initially launched two years ago and has been dubbed one of PepsiCo’s most successful beverage product launches in the past 10 years. It grew more than 50 percent in its second year on the market with annual retail sales of nearly$300 million. The two new flavors join previously released Mtn Dew Kickstart Orange Citrus and Mtn Dew Kickstart Fruit Punch, introduced to offer consumers an entirely new alternative to traditional morning beverages, along with Mtn Dew Kickstart Black Cherry and Mtn Dew Kickstart Limeade, geared to get DEW Nation ready for the night.

Visit MountainDew.com/Kickstart or Facebook.com/MountainDew for more information and join the conversation at @mountaindew by using hashtag #Kickstart.

What Coke, J.C. Penney and Other Advertisers Have Planned for the Oscars

via AdAge

Pepsi's reign as the exclusive soft-drink advertiser of the Academy Awards is over after just one year. Coca-Cola will replace its competitor this year and plans to run ads for Coke and Diet Coke during the broadcast on ABC, which is fetching as much as $2 million for 30-second ads.

Coca-Cola sat out last year's broadcast after serving as the exclusive non-alcoholic beverage advertiser since 2006. But the cola giant lucked into free PR after its brand name was prominently featured on pizza boxes shown during the broadcast. The pizzas appeared as part of a bit by host Ellen DeGeneres and came from a Los Angeles pizzeria that is a Coke partner.

A PepsiCo spokeswoman told Ad Age on Tuesday that the free Coke plug did not play a role in Pepsi's decision to stay out of this year's broadcast on Feb. 22. As for last year, she said ABC "rectified the issue," including giving the brand an unspecified number of make-good ads. "They addressed the situation and we have a really great situation with them at the network," she added.

Pepsi, she said, is focusing more on music than movies this year. The brand ran several ads during last weekend's Grammy Awards show as it launched a new music platform called "Out of the Blue" that includes music-related prizes.

ABC sold out of the Oscars in the fall. Last year's telecast drew more than 43 million viewers, an 8% increase from the year prior.

J.C. Penney will return for its 14th consecutive year, while General Motors, which took over as the exclusive auto advertiser from Hyundai in 2014, will continue to sponsor the telecast.

Samsung will also once again advertise in the awards show following its success last year. Samsung was one of the biggest winners of the 2014 Oscars following Ms. DeGeneres' infamous selfie, which prominently featured the white Samsung Galaxy Note 3. The selfie has been retweeted more than 3 million times. This year's show will be hosted by Neil Patrick Harris.

Netflix, AT&T and Discover will also run commercials.Anheuser-Busch InBev is also back and is expected to break a new ad for Stella Artois.

While Coca-Cola will advertise Coke during the broadcast, Diet Coke is expected to get most of the emphasis. "This broadcast is the pinnacle of award show season and one where we know our fans are tuning in," Andrew McMillin, Coca-Cola North America's VP for Coca-Cola brands, said in a statement. "Diet Coke will join the conversation about Hollywood's biggest night, encouraging fans to get a taste of Hollywood through unique social content and airing spots during the broadcast."

The brand did not provide further details on the creative by press time. In the fall, Diet Coke launched a new campaign called "Get a Taste" that has included some ads starring Taylor Swift.

The 2014 Oscars not only drew strong ratings but generated plenty of online buzz. "Last year's Oscars was a breakout year. The award show had gotten old and stuffy, but Ellen brought some social media hype to the show," said Courtney Maron, senior VP-group partner, integrated investment, UM.

But last year's success doesn't guarantee another home run this time around.

"Just because last year was a hit you can't hang your hat on it," Ms. Maron said, noting that this year's movie nominees are not as mainstream and that other awards shows have witnessed a slight decline in ratings year-over-year.

The Grammy Awards, which aired on Sunday, posted a 13% decline in total viewers, with 24.8 million people tuning in, the lowest turnout since 2009. The Golden Globes also saw a 7% drop in viewership from last year.

And while this year's host, Neil Patrick Harris, is well known and liked, Ms. Maron said he may not have the same appeal as Ms. DeGeneres.

Still, advertisers are attracted to the reliably large audiences that premium live programming offers. For the Oscars, that includes at least one lesser-known brand -- King's Hawaiian -- which is paying big bucks for an ad as it seeks to make a name for itself nationally.

The family-owned business makes what it says is the No. 1 branded dinner roll in the U.S. But the marketer only began formulating a national advertising strategy in 2013. The brand this year is billing itself as the "official snack of the awards season," and has already advertised during the People's Choice Awards and Golden Globes.

For the Oscars, the brand paid $800,000 for a 15-second ad, VP-Marketing Erick Dickens said in an interview. Mr. Dickens, whose resume includes stints at Kraft Foods and Henkel (where he worked on Right Guard), launched the national ad strategy after joining King's Hawaiian in May of 2013. He originally hired Energy BBDO, Chicago, as lead agency but has since switched to a boutique shop run by former McCann L.A. chief creative officer Steve Levit, he said.

King's Hawaiian was founded in Hilo, Hawaii, more than 60 years ago and is now headquartered in California, where it is well-known. But it has much lower awareness nationally, including on the East Coast, Mr. Dickens said.

He credited national advertising with boosting the brand's unaided awareness from 4% to 7% in the past 12 months. "The brand does well with moms that have kids in the house and awards shows are a prime place to reach those audiences," he said.