Welcome to The Week in Generative AI, a weekly roundup for marketers from Quad Insights that sums up the latest news surrounding this rapidly evolving technology.

At its annual Dreamforce conference this week, Salesforce announced a new $500 million investment dedicated to AI companies through its venture capital arm Salesforce Ventures, bringing its AI investment to $1 billion total, TechCrunch’s Julie Bort reports. The move extends a growing AI emphasis for the company, which in May deployed Matthew McConaughey to bring the “AI Wild West” to life in its continuing “Ask More of AI” campaign. 

See also: “Salesforce CEO describes new AI product’s real-life use case in healthcare” (CNBC) 

More AI financial news: 

• “Intel shares jump on chip deal with Amazon” (CNN Business) 
• “BlackRock and Microsoft plan $30bn fund to invest in AI infrastructure” (Financial Times) 

In a piece titled “Is That AI? Or Does It Just Suck?” New York Magazine “Intelligencer” tech columnist John Herrman explores the growing disconnect between the tech community’s (and the investment world’s) view of AI and that of the average layperson. Of course, generative AI’s potential is extraordinary, and as such, tech industry evangelists have focused on “forward-looking narratives and hype” — i.e., the possibilities rather than the current realities. Meanwhile, Herrman argues that many of us commonfolk are now inundated with content from the current generation of gen AI tools whose outputs are seen as “a little bit unbelievable, a little bit generic, or more generally off or bad.” Elsewhere in the piece, he sums it up this way: “Exciting, fast-changing tools with enormous theoretical potential are being used, in the real world, right now, to produce near-infinite quantities of bad-to-not-very-good stuff.” Read the full column here. 

Previously:

• “Brands should avoid the AI product label, study says,” from the Aug. 23 edition of this column. 
• “eMarketer forecast: U.S. AI users to top 100 million this year” from the Aug. 2 edition of this column. 

More AI trends: 

• ICYMI: “Multimodal Intelligence the Future of GenAI, Per Gartner” (Consumer Goods Technology) 

The share of multinational brand owners who say they have concerns about how creative and media agencies use generative AI on their behalf, according to research from the World Federation of Advertisers, per MediaPost. 

Lionsgate just announced a partnership with AI startup Runway to create and train a new AI model that’s customized to Lionsgate’s film and TV content, The Hollywood Reporter’s Alex Weprin reports. With the move, Lionsgate becomes the first to move past the wait-and-see approach that major studios have generally adopted in regard to leveraging AI at scale in TV and film, Weprin notes. Per the announcement, the model is meant to help Lionsgate talent “augment their work” and will generate “cinematic video that can be further iterated using Runway’s suite of controllable tools.” 

See also: “California governor signs laws to protect actors against unauthorized use of AI” (The Associated Press) 

Previously:

• “Google DeepMind unveils video-to-audio AI tech,” from the June 21 edition of this column.
• “OpenAI teases new text-to-video AI model called Sora,” from the Feb. 16 edition of this column. 

More AI launches & strategy: 

• ICYMI: “Walmart Is Most AI-Ready FMCG Retailer — By Far: IHL” (Consumer Goods Technology

More AI tools & advancements: 

• “Amazon Releases AI Video Generator For Ads” (MediaPost) 
• “Snap Launches New Augmented Reality Glasses” (The Information) 
• “Mistral launches a free tier for developers to test its AI models” (TechCrunch) 

More AI safety & regulation: 

• “OpenAI is launching an ‘independent’ safety board that can stop its model releases” (The Verge) 
• “California governor signs laws to crack down on election deepfakes created by AI” (The Associated Press) 

Google Search just announced plans to launch an updated “about this image” feature in the coming months that will tell users if an image was created or edited with AI tools, The Verge’s Tom Warren reports. The byproduct of its support for the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA), Google’s system will meet C2PA technical standards, Warren notes, calling its integration into search results “a first big test for the initiative.” 

Previously: “LinkedIn now labeling AI-generated content,” from the May 24 edition of this column. 

Welcome to The Week in Commerce Marketing — Retail, E-commerce and DTC, a weekly roundup for marketers from Quad Insights.

Retailers are getting a head start on the holiday shopping season — in, yes, September (and October). Among them: 

• Anthropologie just announced the opening of its Holiday House on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Available exclusively to AnthroPerks members — by appointment only through Sept. 22 — the interactive experience allows guests to explore and purchase Anthropologie and Terrain products, including home furniture and décor, while consulting with stylists and design experts.  

• In addition to hosting Target Circle Week for loyalty members Oct. 6-12, Target announced a slew of early holiday deals starting on Monday, including the relaunch of its Deal of the Day program, 50 gifts under $5 in the Bullseye’s Playground section, half of all toys priced at $20 or less and 80% of Target’s Wondershop holiday items priced at $10 or less. 

• Big Lots just announced plans to bring back its “Black Friday Fridays,” with one-day deals offered every Friday from Oct. 13 through Dec. 6, including up to 50% off décor, gifts and more.  

• Best Buy just announced its plans to host a series of holiday sales events — beginning Sept. 27-29 with its Member Exclusive Sale. The retailer will also host an Apple Trade-Up Event Sept. 30-Oct. 13, during which customers can earn savings toward new Apple tech; a 48-Hour Flash Sale Oct. 8-9; a 3-Day Gaming Event starting Oct. 25; and more.  

• Amazon will host its Prime Big Deal Days Oct. 8-9, offering Prime members access to holiday deals such as up to 40% off winter apparel, as well as savings on electronics and everyday essentials from Amazon Basics, with new deals dropping every five minutes. 

• On Thursday, Walmart announced plans to launch its first Holiday Deals event in October, as well as to resume its inflation-free holiday meal offering. Kicking off for Walmart+ members at midnight on Oct. 8 — and for all other online customers at noon that day — the savings event will include deals on electronics, fashion, toys and more at Walmart.com and on the app. The event will expand to physical stores Oct. 9-13. 

Footwear brand Merrell just announced an upcoming immersive pop-up art installation at Studio 525 in New York City that will allow guests to experience “the wonders of nature without leaving the city,” per a brand announcement. Open to the public Sept. 27-29, the “Wander Wheel” installation is “a large, interactive sculpture slowly spinning on a static base, transporting visitors to diverse natural environments from around the world in each of the four hemispheres.” Guests can slip on a pair of Merrell’s Moab Speed 2 and walk the Wander Wheel — the interior of which mimics a hiking trail — where they’ll experience the sights, sounds and smells of nature, from the hills of California to the plains of the Australian Outback. 

That’s the year-over-year increase in online grocery sales in the U.S. in August, for a total of $9.9 billion — marking the third straight month of single-digit sales growth for the online grocery sector — according to the most recent Brick Meets Click/Mercatus Grocery Shopper Survey, per Supermarket News. (See more stats in the most recent edition of The Weekly 10.)  

More consumer insights:

• “Shoppers want personalization online, in-store and on customer service calls” (Retail Dive)
• “Survey: Return policies have strong impact on purchase decisions” (Chain Store Age)
• “Holiday Fever: Most Consumers Plan To Shop Online This Year” (MediaPost)
• “Online Search Functionality Gets a Low Grade from 42% of Shoppers” (Retail TouchPoints)
• “Retailers and Consumers Split on Views of AI, Study Says” (Women’s Wear Daily)
• “Gartner: 32% of holiday shoppers will start before November” (Retail Dive)
• ICYMI: “Placer.ai: Health clinics boost traffic at Kroger banners, H-E-B” (Chain Store Age) 

On Wednesday, Roku unveiled Roku Ads Manager, a self-service tool for CTV advertising. Highlights of the solution include the ability for Shopify merchants to launch self-service shoppable ads with on-screen customer checkout using their Roku remote, interactive video overlays and more.  

Previously: “Paramount’s new Ads Manager bring AI-powered TV advertising creative to small businesses,” from the July 19 edition of The Week in Generative AI. 

More e-commerce innovations:

• “Meta Unveils New Ad Tools to Help Brands Drive Holiday Sales” (Retail TouchPoints)
• “Walmart will now let you ‘Shop with Friends’ from home” (Fast Company) 

DTC meal kit brand Home Chef just announced a new collaboration with country music icon Dolly Parton and her sister, Rachel Parton George, spotlighting family recipes from the sisters’ just-released cookbook, “Good Lookin’ Cookin’.” The four-week Home Chef x Good Lookin’ Cookin’ collaboration will include a rotating selection of recipes — from Fried Chicken and Gravy to Sirloin Steak with Blue Cheese Butter — in a variety of formats (the classic Meal Kit, Express Plus and Culinary Collection). Orders are being accepted now through Oct. 18, with meals arriving in a Good Lookin’ Cookin’ co-branded box. Between now and Oct. 18, Home Chef is giving fans the chance to win one of five signed copies of the “Good Lookin’ Cookin’” cookbook and a $150 Home Chef gift card when they comment on the brand’s giveaway post on Instagram, tagging someone they love to cook with. 

Previously:

• “Home Chef partners with ‘PAW Patrol’ on family menu collection,” from the August 16 edition of this column.
• “Conagra Brands to launch expanded line of retail food items with Dolly Parton,” from the January 26 edition of The Week in Consumer Packaged Goods. 

More DTC and retail partnerships:

• “The North Face, Comme des Garçons Launch Second Capsule” (Women’s Wear Daily)
• “Chubbies lands NFL licensing deal, names ‘creative director of football’” (Fashion Dive)
• “West Elm Teams With Christina Ricci On New Collection” (Store Brands)
• “Auntie Anne’s, Cinnabon partner with Spirit Halloween for exclusive costumes” (Bake Magazine)
• “E.l.f. Skin teams up with comedian Megan Stalter on satirical skin care-focused campaign” (Drug Store News)
• “Millie Bobby Brown’s Florence by Mills Fashion launches at Nordstrom” (Retail Dive)
• “Topco’s Crav’n Flavor To Sponsor NASCAR Car In Upcoming Races” (Store Brands)
• “Kenneth Cole Relaunches Women’s Sportswear Collection in Partnership With Kasper” (Women’s Wear Daily)
• “Christian Siriano to collaborate on bridal collection” (Fashion Dive) 

Welcome to The Week in Consumer Packaged Goods, a weekly roundup for marketers from Quad Insights that covers the latest must-know news surrounding the CPG space.

In the sweetest jewelry collaboration imaginable, Unilever and streetwear jewelry brand King Ice just released a collection featuring some of the CPG company’s most popular frozen treats. The limited-edition drop consists of three “intricately designed iced-out” pieces: a Klondike Bar necklace, a Good Humor Strawberry Shortcake necklace and a Popsicle Firecracker necklace. Available for $80 each at kingice.com and at select retailers, the Ice Cream Collection x King Ice merges “fashion and nostalgia, offering fans a unique way to showcase their love for these iconic frozen treats,” per a brand announcement. 

More brand collabs and partnerships:

• “Curology Celebrates 10-Year Anniversary with Funfetti Partnership” (Happi)
• “Jack Daniel’s adds Cherry Coke RTD” (The Spirits Business)
• “Coca-Cola and Bacardi partner on ready-to-drink cocktail” (Food Dive)
• “Jimmy Dean and Joe Ando Are Releasing a Limited-Edition Tote Bag With a Sandwich-Saving Feature” (Food & Wine)
• “Cazadores Partners with Café Bustelo to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month” (DesignRush)
• “Coca-Cola and Bacardi testing canned rum and cokes” (CNBC)
• “C4 partners with Hershey to bring its sweets to energy drinks, protein powders” (Food Dive)
• “Cereal Celebrity: Angel Reese Lands On Reese’s Puffs” (MediaPost)
• “Ocean Spray x Mean Girls juice collab announced to celebrate film’s 20th anniversary” (Dexerto) 

Hormel Foods’ turkey product brand Jennie-O just released the results of its 2024 Thanksgiving survey, which focuses on both the joy and stress brought on by the holiday. Conducted by Talker Research for Jennie-O, the survey polled 5,000 U.S. consumers on their “preparation methods, turkey preferences, preferred sides and much more,” per a brand statement. Results show that most people take up to two weeks to plan their Thanksgiving meal, with food prep taking an additional three days and cooking on the day itself taking five hours. In conjunction with the release of the survey results, Jennie-O also announced it will have specialists on hand to provide support and advice — from tips on how to prepare a turkey to side dish recipes — from Nov. 1-28 through Jennie-O’s 1-800-TURKEYS hotline, live chat at Jennieo.com or via SMS (by texting “turkey” to 73876). Additional resources will be available on Jennie-O’s website, including full menus and leftover ideas. 

More brand activations:

• “Play-Doh creates curriculum to spark imaginations” (Brand Innovators)

That’s the share of U.S. CPG spending captured by Walmart across all regions, according to Numerator’s Regional Retail Dashboard, which tracks omnichannel purchase trends across the U.S., per Chain Store Age. Trailing Walmart are Costco Wholesale Corp. (7.8%), Kroger (7%), Amazon (5.6%) and Albertsons (4.2%).  

More CPG insights:

• “IWSR: spirits and RTDs take share from wine” (The Spirits Business) 

YouTube personality MrBeast, in partnership with creators Logan Paul and KSI (aka Olajide William Olatunji), just announced the launch of a new venture: Lunchly, a “prepackaged lunch brand geared toward kids” meant to offer a healthier alternative to Kraft Heinz’s Lunchables, Ad Age’s Erika Wheless reports. In addition to nachos or mini pizzas or crackers, turkey and cheese, each Lunchly package includes a bottle of Prime — an electrolyte beverage brand launched by Paul and KSI — and a chocolate bar from the MrBeast-owned Feastables. Lunchly is rolling out to grocers nationwide, including Dillons, Food 4 Less, Kroger and more. 

Previously: “Safeway, MrBeast partner on ‘Survive in a Grocery Store’ video challenge to address food insecurity,” from an earlier edition of The Week in Retail. 

More CPG releases:

• “J.M. Smucker launches new Uncrustables flavor” (Bakingbusiness.com)
• “PepsiCo’s Gatorade debuts electrolyte powder aimed at everyday hydration” (Food Dive)
• “Nestlé’s Stouffer’s launches first shelf-stable offering with macaroni and cheese” (Food Dive)
• “Philadelphia Is Dropping Cream Cheese Frosting For The First Time Ever” (Delish)
• “New Candy Alert: M&M’s Is Finally Making a Peanut Butter & Jelly Flavor a Reality” (Food & Wine)
• “Chobani launches Zero Sugar Creamer” (Dairy Foods Magazine)
• “Kit Kat Vanilla stakes a claim for the flavor that has people falling for its deliciousness” (Food Sided)
• “Monster adds Rio Carnival-inspired NPD to energy drink rang” (FoodBev Media)
• “Zevia Salted Caramel Soda is a Limited-Edition, Online Exclusive Flavor” (Trend Hunters)

From the growth in spending on private-label brands to the breathtaking rise in wireless data usage, these are the data points we’re paying attention to right now.

The share of Americans who feel ignored by advertisers, according to the second annual “New American Consumer Study” from iHeartMedia and Malcolm Gladwell’s Pushkin Industries, per Ad Age. The study also found that 72% of consumers don’t want to buy from brands that make them feel ignored.

The share of the total grocery market that private-label spending accounts for — a figure that’s expected to rise to 24% by 2030 — according to a report from Alvarez & Marsal, per Supermarket News.

The approximate total amount of megabytes of wireless data used by Americans in 2023, marking a 36% increase from 2022 — the largest-ever single-year increase in wireless data consumption — according to wireless industry association CTIA, per Reuters.

The spot Hy-Vee took in USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards ranking in the grocery store category, per Store Brands.

Projected combined retail sales for Amazon and Walmart in the U.S. by 2029, accounting for one-fourth of all U.S. retail sales, according to Forrester’s “U.S. Online Retail Forecast, 2024 to 2029.”

The share of consumers who plan to visit one or more retailers on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, according to a Coveo survey, per Chain Store Age.

The share of video content posted by brands on TikTok that fails to generate “strong positive emotions, capture attention or enhance brand recall,” according to a study conducted by global tech platform DAIVID, per Search Engine Journal.

The number of Emmys captured by FX drama series “Shogun,” setting a record for most wins by a show in a single season, per Variety.

The cumulative amount that AI is expected to contribute to the global economy through 2030, according to a just-released study from global market intelligence firm IDC.

Welcome to The Week in Commerce Marketing — Retail, E-commerce and DTC, a weekly roundup for marketers from Quad Insights.

Amazon just announced new ways Prime members can save, including the addition of a new private-label value brand. The move expands Prime savings in-store and online at Amazon Fresh, including savings on more than 3,000 grocery items. Specifically, Prime members can now enjoy up to 50% off on up to 15 weekly rotating grocery favorites, 25% off over 1,200 rotating Prime-exclusive groceries and household items, and 10% off Amazon private-label brands, including the e-commerce giant’s new Amazon Saver offering. Amazon Saver is focused on what Amazon calls “affordable grocery essentials,” from crackers to condiments, with most items costing $5 and under. Amazon began rolling out products from its Saver brand this week and plans to release more than 100 additional items over time.

See also:

• “Amazon Streamlines Sales of Brick-and-Mortar Inventory with New Integration” (Retail TouchPoints)
• “Amazon Is Quietly Bringing Ads to Rufus, Its Gen AI Search Engine” (Adweek) 

More private-label launches:

• “Target Debuts Its 1st Exclusive Collection for Pets and Pet Lovers” (Progressive Grocer)
• “Trader Joe’s Unleashes Pumpkin Treats” (Store Brands)
• “Macy’s Launches New Men’s Private Brand, Mode of One” (Women’s Wear Daily) 

“It’s really about brand love. Everything we’ve been doing at Old Navy is a subtle evolution, with every step that we’ve taken. It’s not something that is like turning on the lights in the store, and all of a sudden it’s a completely different brand. There’s such rich heritage and iconography, and we’ve just been modernizing that.” — Behnaz Ghahramani, Chief Marketing Officer at Old Navy, speaking with MediaPost’s Sarah Mahoney.

The retailer is celebrating 30 years in business with the release of a new brand identity, a campaign and a capsule collection featuring revivals of some of its ’90s-era apparel. 

See also:

• “Under Zac Posen, Old Navy releases the ’94 Reissue collection playing to the nostalgia trend” (Glossy)
• “Why nostalgia is the hottest trend for clothing marketing this fall” (Ad Age) 

Brand research consultancy Brand Keys just released the 2024 edition of its annual Loyalty Leaders List, which is based on an analysis of nearly 1,500 brands identified in its 2024 Customer Loyalty Engagement Index across 142 industry categories. Here are the brands in the top 10 for loyalty — including Mattel and Levi Strauss, which respectively jumped 32 and 29 spots since last year.  

1. Apple 
2. Amazon 
3. TikTok 
4. Domino’s 
5. Netflix 
6. YouTube  
7. Samsung 
8. Levi Strauss 
9. Dunkin’ 
10. Mattel 

That’s the price of the new Adidas x Swarovski Adizero Impact+ baseball cleat, which is adorned with Swarovski crystals, per Footwear News’ Peter Verry. The limited-edition collab will be worn by Adidas athlete and MLB All-Star Julio Rodríguez at the Seattle Mariners’ upcoming home games against the New York Yankees on Sept. 17 and 18. On the 17th, Adidas will release 44 pairs of the cleats “in honor of the iconic No. 44 worn by Rodríguez and all-time baseball legends,” Verry notes. 

More notable partnerships and collabs:

• “JCPenney and Jamey Perry Launch Fashionable Adaptive Apparel Line” (Retail TouchPoints)
• “Martha Stewart Is Going Indoors and Out With Her New Chilewich Partnership” (Gifts & Decorative Accessories)
• “Scotch & Soda taps Joe Jonas as first global ambassador” (Fashion Network)
• “Sabrina Carpenter named Redken celebrity ambassador” (Drug Store News)
• “Rowing Blazers launches Arthur Ashe collection through Afterpay” (Fashion Dive)
• “SHEIN X SmileyWorld Reveal Collaboration” (Licensing Global)
• “Jeremiah Brent Partners with Crate & Kids on New Furniture Collection” (Town & Country Magazine)
• “HEYDUDE x SpongeBob Collection Drops” (RetailWire)
• ICYMI: “Reebok and Barbie Team Up For Family-Friendly Collection and Initiative Focused on Empowering Girls” (Footwear News) 

Southern California supermarket chain Stater Bros. Markets just announced the launch of a new digital Sponsored Product Sampling program in partnership with Mercatus, a digital engagement and e-commerce solutions provider for regional grocers. The program is designed to simplify traditional product sampling, with technology from Swish Brand Experiences integrated into Stater Bros.’ digital shopping platform, powered by Mercatus, enabling “retailers and brands to execute targeted, on-demand and measurable product sampling campaigns,” per an announcement. Shoppers are targeted based on their purchase history and offered samples in similar categories, increasing “the likelihood of converting these samples into new sales.” Dairy-free ice cream brand Klimon is the first brand to partner with the grocery chain on its Sponsored Product Sampling program. 

Other retail and e-commerce news:

• “Simon Rebrands and Expands Online Marketplace Following ‘Phenomenal Growth’” (Retail TouchPoints)
• “The big switch: Why Shoe Carnival is flipping some of its stores into Shoe Stations” (Retail Dive)
• “Steve Madden launches recycling program with Trashie” (Fashion Network)
• “L’Occitane en Provence Opens First-of-its-Kind Boutique in NYC” (Beauty Packaging)
• “Roblox Unlocks In-Game Commerce with Shopify Integration” (Retail TouchPoints)
• “Walmart kicks off multicity fashion tour” (Retail Dive)
• “Fast Fashion? Zara to Bring Pre-Owned Clothing Service to US” (PYMNTS) 

Welcome to The Week in Consumer Packaged Goods, a weekly roundup for marketers from Quad Insights that covers the latest must-know news surrounding the CPG space.

PepsiCo just announced the launch of a new crafted beverage offering called DRIPS by Pepsi — an effort to tap into the trend of “consumers creating unexpected twists on their favorite beverages” — per a brand statement. Using PepsiCo products including Pepsi, Mtn Dew, Rockstar Energy, Starry and Lipton Iced Tea, professional mixologists will create unique recipes enhanced with a selection of fruits and berries, fruit syrups, creams and popping boba. Fans will have the chance to test their flavor concoctions throughout September as a DRIPS by Pepsi truck makes several stops at New York City parks, a tour that kicked off in Central Park yesterday (Sept. 12). Beverage combinations will range from trendy to classic, with flavors such as Pepsi Forever S’mores, Dew Chill Dill, Lipton Mango Horchata and Rockstar Pineapple Upside Down Cake. 

See also:

• “Pepsi delivery cars chase pizza drivers in new digital campaign, DoorDash promo” (Brand Innovators)
• “7UP sparks the mixologist in Gen Zs in new campaign” (Marketing Interactive)

More CPG brand activations:

• “Flavor Flav is Smartfood’s magical hype man in new ad” (Campaign US)
• “Hillshire Snacking Elevating Parents’ Everyday Moments with a House of Bliss” (Grocery Insight Magazine)
• “BRACH’S Unveils First-Ever Candy Corn Suite for Fall Fanatics” (RetailWire)
• “Captain Morgan’s Epic Scavenger Hunt ‘Follow the Captain’ Returns for Year Two, with Even More Legendary Adventures on Land and Sea” (BevNET) 

Inspired by the Korean condiment gochujang, Hormel Foods just introduced SPAM Gochujang, offering consumers a flavor that “combines spicy, sweet, smoky and umami,” per a company statement. A fermented spicy red chili paste, gochujang “packs an approachable heat,” and SPAM Gochujang is meant to be used in traditional Korean recipes such as kimbap or to add a twist to everyday meals. The new limited-time offering is available exclusively at Costco Wholesale Warehouses.

Previously: “Hormel and Cinnamon Toast Crunch partner for limited-time co-branded bacon,” from last week’s edition of this column. 

More CPG product launches:

• “McCormick introduces limited-edition finishing sugars for seasonal baking and beverages” (FoodBev Media)
• “Krusteaz Batters are Refrigerated and Need No Measuring or Mixing” (Trend Hunter)
• “Jones Soda debuts S’mores Special Release” (Beverage Industry)
• “Jose Cuervo Summons Dark Forces for Its ‘Devil’s Reserve’ Spicy Tequila Launch” (Bottle Raiders)
• “Cointreau creates bottled cocktails” (The Spirits Business)
• “Ferrero Rocher launches Dark Hazelnut and Crunchy Salted Caramel chocolate bar” (FoodBev Media)
• “Protein Candy Debuted the World’s First ‘Super Candy’” (Trend Hunter)
• “Heinz Made Some Limited-Edition ‘Ketchup Sprinkles’ — but It’s Not What It Seems” (Food & Wine)
• ICYMI: “Heinz Made a Canned Carbonara — and Some Chefs Aren’t Pleased” (Food & Wine) 

Campbell’s Chunky Soup just launched a campaign starring former Philadelphia Eagles player Jason Kelce, who introduces consumers to the brand’s new spicy offering, People’s Sabrina Weiss reports. In a 15-second spot, “the NFL star is lying seductively on a furry carpet… wearing just an Eagles-decorated robe and his signature flip-flops, in front of a roaring fire,” Weiss writes. “Chunky is spicy. And it’s good to be spicy,” Kelce says while indulging in a bowl of Campbell’s Chunky Spicy Nashville-Style Hot Chicken Soup. The campaign also includes a separate 15-second spot starring New York Giants’ defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence and a toll-free hotline, 1-855-HOT-SOUP, that customers can call to learn more from Kelce about Chunky’s new spicy line. 

See also: “Campbell Soup dropping ‘soup’ in name to become ‘The Campbell’s Company’” (Reuters) 

More CPG campaigns:

• “New Chewy Campaign Asks: What’s In A Name?” (MediaPost)
• “Brisk throws back to the past with Doja Cat claymation ads” (Brand Innovators)
• “Watch Life cereal’s ‘Mikey Likes It’ return” (Ad Age) 

That’s the projected value of the meat snacks market by 2032, representing an $8 million increase over 2023, according to data from Polaris Market Research, per Manufacturing Dive. 

More CPG trends and insights:

• “Celebrity-backed Tequilas up 16% in 2023” (The Spirits Business)
• “SPATE: Google, TikTok uncover emerging snack trends and sensory innovations” (FoodNavigator USA) 

Tapping into ’90s nostalgia, JELL-O just launched an inflatable home décor collection inspired by its own “jiggly treats,” per a Kraft Heinz Company statement. The Jelly Collection by JELL-O features chairs in four colors: yellow, green, red and orange, representing JELL-O’s best-selling flavors (lemon, lime, strawberry and orange). Each chair features a built-in JELL-O cup holder, which holds a single ready-to-eat JELL-O gelatin cup. Informed by the resurgence of inflatable furniture and “jelly-inspired” home décor among Gen Z and millennials, the Jelly Collection by JELL-O offers fans the “perfect blend of Y2K nostalgia and modern design,” per the announcement. For a limited time, fans can purchase the collection on Amazon for $30 per chair. 

Welcome to The Week in Generative AI, a weekly roundup for marketers from Quad Insights that sums up the latest news surrounding this rapidly evolving technology.

At its “It’s Glowtime” event on Monday, Apple unveiled the new iPhone 16 built for Apple Intelligence. But as CNN Business’ Allison Morrow notes, Apple’s presenters were careful to avoid using the words “artificial intelligence” — with CEO Tim Cook, for instance, referring to the AI-related enhancements as simply “intelligent” features. Morrow’s take is that Apple “understands something that often gets lost in the bot-pilled bubble of Silicon Valley: Regular people don’t trust AI.” 

For the record, AI-powered features will not be ready for the public launch of iOS 18 on Sep. 16, nor will they be ready when the new models — the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Max — go on sale on Sep. 20, The Verge’s Umar Shakir reports. Features such as text summaries and an enhanced Siri should start rolling out in October, with some of Apple Intelligence’s more headline-grabbing capabilities — including Genmoji and Visual Intelligence — rolling out at a later date TBD, Shakir notes. 

Previously:

• “Apple expected to debut AI-powered iPhone at September event,” from the Aug. 30 edition of this column.
• “Brands should avoid the AI product label, study says,” from the Aug. 23 edition of this column. 

More AI launches and strategy: 

• “Family Dollar implements AI tech for category management, merchandising” (Grocery Dive) 
• “Paramount Debuts New AI-Enabled Shoppable TV Experience at MTV VMAs” (Retail Touch Points) 
• ICYMI: “Colgate-Palmolive Seeing Success With AI-Fueled Promotion Schedules” (Consumer Goods Technology) 
• ICYMI: “‘The year of implementation’: How marketers are leveraging AI on mobile” (Marketing Dive) 

Audible, Amazon’s audiobook subsidiary, just announced that it will train AI on the voices of a select group of U.S.-based audiobook narrators, TechCrunch’s Kyle Wiggers reports. As part of the process, “narrators will have the chance to approve their synthetic voice for specific works as well as edit the pronunciation and pacing,” he notes, adding that participating narrators will be compensated for audiobooks created with their AI voices on a “title-by-title, royalty-sharing basis.”  

See also:

• “Amazon targeting October launch for AI-powered, subscription-based Alexa,” from the Aug. 30 edition of this column. 
• “Scarlett Johansson threatens legal action against OpenAI for allegedly copying her voice,” from the May 24 edition of this column. 

More AI tools & advancements: 

• “Adobe to launch generative AI video creation tool later this year” (Reuters) 
• “Amazon starts testing ads in its Rufus chatbot” (TechCrunch) 
• “eGrowcery Applies AI to Transaction Data and Dietary Profiles” (Progressive Grocer) 

The share of overall digital health venture capital (VC) dollars that went to AI-based startups in the first half of this year, according to digital health strategy group and venture fund Rock Health, per Healthcare Brew. 

More AI financial news: 

• “OpenAI Fundraising Set to Vault Startup’s Valuation to $150 Billion” (Bloomberg)

Roblox just announced it’s building an AI model that will allow users to more easily generate 3D objects and scenes, Axios’ Ina Fried reports. The tool is designed to render 3D objects that look realistic from any angle, and creators will have an opt-in option to allow Roblox to train the model on their content, Fried notes. 

Previously: In May, Roblox launched virtual billboards, giving advertisers access to its 72 million active daily users — half of whom are Gen Zers — as we noted in a recent edition of The Weekly 10. 

Skincare brand RéVive has partnered with beauty AI tech company Perfect Corp. to create an AI model that generates “before” and “after” visuals, Happi’s Lianna Albrizio reports. Leveraging data from RéVive’s skincare clinical trials, the visuals are meant to simulate how RéVive products can address concerns such as wrinkles, fine lines and more, Albrizio notes, adding that the partnership launches this month on reviveskincare.com.  

From the percentage of consumers who say they plan to spend less this holiday season to the record-breaking TV audience average for the NFL’s season opener, these are the data points we’re paying attention to right now.

The share of U.S. consumers who say that deciding “what’s for dinner” is one of their biggest food-related pain points, according to Deloitte’s sixth annual assessment of the state of fresh food, titled “A Fresh (Food) Take on Grocery Convenience,” per Progressive Grocer. Additionally, 44% of respondents said they’d opt to buy from a grocer that assists them with meal planning. 

The share of Gen Zers who report exceeding the amounts they budget for in-person events such as concerts and games, according to a new report from Merge, per Ad Age.  

The rate at which searches for “underconsumption core” — “a lifestyle that involves using just a small rotation of things for years rather than chasing the latest trend” — increased over the last year, according to Google Trends data, per CNN Business.  

Opening weekend domestic ticket sales for Tim Burton’s “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” the sequel to 1988’s “Beetlejuice,” per The Hollywood Reporter. The figure represents the second-best September debut ever. 

The percentage of B2B marketers who say they plan to use AI to assist them with personalization, according to a just-released survey from technology company ON24, per MediaPost.  

The percentage increase in celebrity–founded brands entering the tequila market in 2023, compared to a 3% increase for the tequila category as a whole, according to IWSR data, per The Spirits Business.

The audience average for last Thursday’s NFL Kickoff Game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens on NBC, making it the most-watched NFL season opener since the Kickoff Game was formally introduced in 2002, per ESPN.

The percentage by which Birkenstock membership program customers outspend non-members, CEO Oliver Reichert said on the company’s Q3 2024 earnings call last week, per CX Dive. The footwear brand’s membership program has grown 36% in the last year to 6.9 million customers.

The year-over-year growth in TikTok views of salty licorice–related content, which was accompanied by a 177.6% jump in Google searches for the snack, according to market research firm SPATE, per FoodNavigator USA. 

Welcome to The Week in Consumer Packaged Goods, a weekly roundup for marketers from Quad Insights that covers the latest must-know news surrounding the CPG space.

Just in time for football season, Hefty Cups, “The Official Cup of Tailgating,” launched its new Hefty Kickoff Cups Kits this week to help football fans make the most of tailgate season, per a brand statement. Designed to bridge “the gap between seasoned fans and celebrity spotters,” each kit includes 32 cups in four bright colors emblazoned with one of eight conversation starters in small print. Prompts range from the basic (“What’s an iconic football moment you’ll never forget?”) to the random (“Sorry, I don’t speak football, but I do speak ___.”). The kits are about “breaking the ice and sparking engaging interactions at tailgates and watch parties,” says Courtney Bednar, Director of Marketing and Innovation at Hefty Tableware.

More brand promotions:

• “The StoryGraph Elevates the Experience of Indulging in Ferrero Rocher Chocolate” (Little Black Book)

CLR Brands just announced a new campaign that emphasizes the “unexpected connection between cleaning and romance,” per a brand statement. Inspired by a March 2024 survey in which 65% of people said they find their partners more attractive when they’re doing chores, the campaign demonstrates how using CLR products “can transform an ordinary task into opportunities for fun, shared experiences for couples.” The campaign aligns with the launch of CLR’s new Calcium, Lime & Rust 22-ounce trigger bottle and is targeted at a younger demographic. Created in partnership with Quad’s creative agency Betty and media agency Rise, the campaign from the Jelmar-owned brand includes humorous TV spots (in 30-second and 15-second versions) as well as display and social advertising.

More CPG campaigns:

• “Aliens and paleontologists get burst of energy in new Olipop ads” (Ad Age)
• “Gatorade scores a touchdown with inclusive football campaign” (Marketing Dive)
• “BrewDog ushers in ‘new era’ with direct outdoor ads for its light lager” (The Drum)
• “Watch: KitKat tells workers to ‘break free’ in new Queen-inspired ad” (Marketing Beat)

That’s the number of Capri Sun drink pouches — a pallet’s worth, to be exact — that the brand is offering customers for the bargain price of $250 at select Walmart stores as part of a promotion meant to quash online rumors that it’s doing away with its foil-pouch packaging, per Brand Innovators. In 2025, Capri Sun will launch a single-serve bottle version of its beverages targeted at adults, but the foil-pouch version that kids love will still be available.

Maybelline New York just announced the launch of a new campaign that includes an updated take on its “Maybe It’s Maybelline” jingle. Featuring the brand’s global brand ambassadors Gigi Hadid, Storm Reid, Peggy Gou and Shay Mitchell, the campaign includes the refreshed brand melody, “capturing the essence of New York City while playing into the city’s dynamic energy and distinctive sounds,” per a Maybelline New York statement. The new “Maybe It’s Maybelline” jingle will be featured throughout the campaign, which kicks off this month, as well as future creative. (The first iteration of the jingle appeared in a 1991 commercial for the brand’s Finish Matte.)

More influencer- and celebrity-driven campaigns:

• “Pepsi Revives ‘We Will Rock You’ Campaign For ‘Gladiator II’: New Spot With Megan Thee Stallion, Travis Kelce & More To Kick Off NFL Season” (Deadline)
• “Cetaphil taps Katie Fang for its first influencer-fronted campaign” (Glossy)
• “Tropicana, Ciara Miller team with launch of Tropicana Refreshers” (Beverage Industry)
• “Will Levis shares ‘Mayotivations’ in latest Hellmann’s spot” (Brand Innovators)

Welcome to The Week in Generative AI, a weekly roundup for marketers from Quad Insights that sums up the latest news surrounding this rapidly evolving technology.