The American Music Awards 50th Anniversary Special attracted a record-breaking 12.9 million viewers, a 54% increase since the last event in 2022. The show returned on Oct. 6 after a brief hiatus, focusing on live performances and tributes to legends like James Brown and Whitney Houston. Additional performances included Mariah Carey, Stray Kids, Green Day and Brad Paisley. Viral moments, such as Raye’s powerful rendition of “It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World” and Stray Kids' homage to *NSYNC, further boosted the event’s success on social media.
Record-breaking moments like this underscore the power of nostalgia and live performances in engaging audiences. The event demonstrated how blending generational talent drives cross-generational appeal. For brands, this success showcases the value of aligning with cultural moments that celebrate legacy while capturing the attention of today’s social media-driven audiences.
Kendrick Lamar dominated the 2024 BET Hip Hop Awards on Oct. 15, winning in eight categories, including Hip Hop Artist of the Year and Lyricist of the Year. His hit "Not Like Us," born from his high-profile rap battle with Drake, swept major categories such as Song of the Year, Best Hip Hop Video and Impact Track. Lamar also took home awards for Best Collaboration, Sweet 16: Best Featured Verse for his appearance on Future and Metro Boomin's "Like That" and Video Director of the Year alongside Dave Free - solidifying his status as one of the top artists in hip-hop.
50 Cent is set to kick off his first-ever Las Vegas residency, titled In Da Club, with a six-show run at PH Live at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. The residency will run from Dec. 27 to Jan. 4, featuring high-energy performances, surprises and a big New Year’s Eve party. Tickets go on sale Oct. 19 via Ticketmaster.
Gap has partnered with LA-based fashion brand Cult Gaia for a 35-piece collection of women’s and kids clothing, available to shop online and at GAP stores. The collaboration aims to bridge the gap between the two brands, merging Cult Gaia’s signature artful designs with Gap’s classic, laid-back American aesthetic. Items range from $35 to $500 and include pieces like high-rise jeans with chain details, faux fur coats for the winter and trench coats with cargo pockets.
The collision of two brands with differing aesthetics can create buzz and intrigue, leaving consumers wanting more – GAP has previously seen success blending affordable wear with high fashion, as seen in its collaboration with Yeezy in 2020. To stand out, brands should consider partnerships beyond the traditional food and fashion collaborations (think Velveeta x George the Jeweler or Scrub Daddy x Dunkin’) - this fresh approach has the ability to not only captivate consumers but also attract significant media attention.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art has announced the 2025 theme for the Met Gala as "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style." The gala’s theme will coincide with the exhibit launch on May 5, celebrating Black dandyism —the evolution of Black men’s style from slavery to being self-fashioning individuals — and its impact on luxury fashion today. Co-chairs of the 2025 Met Gala will be actor Colman Domingo, British racing driver Lewis Hamilton, rapper A$AP Rocky and producer Pharrell Williams, along with honorary co-chair, basketball legend LeBron James.
The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show returned on Tuesday night after a six-year hiatus, streaming on social media, Amazon Prime Video and YouTube. The show celebrated its legacy by featuring iconic celebrities like Tyra Banks, Kate Moss, the Hadid sisters and Adriana Lima. For the first time, the show featured live performances by an all-female lineup: K-pop star Lisa, South African singer Tyla and pop legend Cher. While the show was envisioned to be a more inclusive and diverse experience, sentiments were that the show has become irrelevant, unempowering, and portrayed tokenism with the range of models, with headlines such as “The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show Returns. It Shouldn’t.” from The New York Times and “Victoria’s Secret Needs to Read the Room,” from Allure.
Ralph Lauren released its Fall/Winter 2024 collaboration with the New York Yankees, creating a special collection that merges classic sportswear with luxury fashion. The collection features designs and accessories such as knitted varsity jackets, patchwork sweaters and co-branded polo shirts. The emphasis on the Yankees logo in the designs gives statement appeal to otherwise ordinary pieces, creating a contrast between classic seasonal items and sportswear flair.
Following a vote of approval by team owners at the NFL’s Fall League Meeting on Tuesday, the league announced that Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium will host Super Bowl LXII in 2028, which will mark the city’s fourth time hosting the championship game. Atlanta will also host NFL Honors, the Super Bowl Experience and Super Bowl Opening Night ahead of the big game. As a reminder, Super Bowl LIX will take place at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans (2025), Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California (2026), and Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California (2027).
Super Bowl LX in California marks a midpoint to the 2028 LA Olympics, where flag football will debut; brands could create a flag football activation called “Are We There Yet?” to build excitement for the upcoming Games. Brands can also consider a long-term rollout over the next four years that integrates flag football amplifications with location-relevant activations as a way to complement the league's strategic efforts leading up to the big game.
Seven-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Tom Brady is now a part owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, with his stake unanimously approved by NFL owners during the fall meetings after initial delays over franchise valuation. He and Knighthead Capital co-founder Tom Wagner agreed to buy about 10 percent of the team in May 2023. His ownership complicates his current play-by-play announcer role with Fox, as he cannot attend production meetings or practices in preparation for his broadcasts.
Due to criticism of the previous playoff system that allowed higher seeds to advance without playing a road game, the WNBA will implement significant changes starting in 2025 which will expand the Finals from a best-of-five to a best-of-seven series and shift the first round from its current three-game format to a new structure, all made possible by new charter flight arrangements. Commissioner Cathy Engelbert also mentioned potential expansion with the 16th franchise possibly joining by 2027 and no later than 2028 with Philadelphia among the cities being evaluated. These updates aim to create a more balanced playoff experience for a rapidly growing league that will see two new teams on the court in 2026, as well as longer seasons due to the playoff format changes.
Brands like Crown Royal looking to expand their efforts in the WNBA can leverage this announcement to enhance current marketing strategies, complementing the longer seasons and one of the league’s largest expansions in history.
The NWSL unveiled its 15th franchise BOS Nation Football Club on Tuesday, but the team’s name and marketing campaign have sparked backlash from fans and media. The club issued a public apology on Wednesday to address the criticism, which argues that the name lacks regional identity, and the primary ad focused too heavily on men’s athletes. The marketing campaign, titled "Too Many Balls," highlighted the dominance of men’s sports in Boston, but notably excluded the Boston-based PWHL women’s hockey team, Boston Fleet. In its apology Wednesday, BOS Nation FC said "we missed the mark" and apologized to "the LGBTQ+ community and to the trans community in particular for the hurt we caused."
With play starting in 2026, BOS Nation Football Club has the opportunity to rethink its approach and potentially undergo a total rebrand to address the male-focused and bland nature of its unveiling. Brands should take note of the backlash this announcement has received and the importance of consumer feedback in guiding future campaign efforts, especially in the women’s sports space, where increased interest has significantly raised expectations for stakeholders.
Burger King has partnered with Hidden Valley Ranch to release an oversized 8-ounce "Big Dip" cup of ranch, available for a limited time starting Oct. 16. The Big Dip, large enough for dunking sandwiches like the Whopper, is free at select Burger King locations in major cities with the purchase of any sandwich. For fans outside these areas, the Big Dip will be available online for $1 from Oct. 16–18, with daily restocks.
Taco Bell has introduced a "name your price tool" in its mobile app, allowing customers to input a budget between $5 and $25 to see a combination of menu items they can afford. Customers can use the feature to “shuffle” the list until they are given a lineup of items they are content with ordering within their specified dollar amount. While the feature helps users stay within their budget, it excludes drinks, combos, boxes, and certain other items.
Taco Bell’s introduction of the "name your price tool" in its mobile app is another strong example of the brand’s commitment to innovation, which recently earned it the number 8 spot on the list of the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies of 2024. This tool not only caters to consumers looking to manage their budgets but also adds an element of personalization and convenience that is increasingly important in today’s fast-paced world. By continually thinking outside the box, Taco Bell offers its customers a unique, interactive way to curate their orders—showing how the brand consistently leads in providing new, engaging options that go beyond the standard fast-food experience.
Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre drew inspiration from their 2001 hit “Still D.R.E” to launch new gin brand Still G.I.N.,which launched nationwide at select retailers on Oct 15. This release comes ahead of their first music project together since 1993, titled “Missionary,” set to release in November. The gin features a refined botanical blend with tangerine, jasmine and coriander, and the duo was heavily involved in every aspect of its creation, from flavor to packaging. Still G.I.N. is available in a honeycomb-shaped 750mL bottle for $59.99.
Hitting theaters this Friday, Oct. 18, “Piece by Piece” is a $16 million musical documentary made entirely of Legos, exploring musician Pharrell Williams’s life and his experience of synesthesia—seeing colors when hearing sounds—using translucent Lego pieces. According to the Legos brand, the film is a starting point for other kinds of personal stories they hope to develop with Universal Pictures. In addition to the film, Pharrell and Legos have co-collaborated on a 966-piece black and gold space shuttle set, designed to reference his own childhood living near an Air Force base.
Lifetime unveiled their 2024 Christmas movie schedule, “It’s a Wonderful Lifetime,” kicking off Nov. 16. The lineup features 12 new original Christmas movies starring Jennifer Love Hewitt, Tia Mowry, Teri Hatcher and more. Each movie will premiere at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Lifetime’s channel. Lifetime movies have become a staple during the holiday season for the feelings of nostalgia they evoke along with themes surrounding family and romance, creating a comforting backdrop to holiday traditions and elevating the spirit of the season.
As brands like Smirnoff explore pairing holiday LTOs with seasonal films, monitoring upcoming releases and popular titles can inform activation plans and strategically align our holiday offerings. Knowing these releases are a staple of the season, there is an opportunity for us to position Smirnoff cocktail serves as companions for holiday occasions (get-togethers, movie nights, etc.) and Taylor will continue to do so with appropriate media via always-on efforts as well.
Nielsen data indicates Amazon's streaming viewership increased 12% in August and 11% in September, primarily driven by the NFL season launch, “Thursday Night Football” and the debut of Season 2 of “The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power.” The NFL also boosted Peacock views when it exclusively aired the Green Bay Packers vs. Philadelphia Eagles game on Sept. 6, making it the network’s 11th most streamed program of the month.
In the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton affecting Florida, North Carolina and Georgia, researchers are looking into the potential impacts of these natural disasters on the fast-approaching 2024 presidential election. According to past research by political scientists, voters typically gauge the government’s disaster response as insight to support or hurt the incumbent party. In recent polls, 51% of registered voters approved of the Biden administration's response to the hurricanes, while 49% disapproved.
Former President Donald Trump sought to reach women voters with Wednesday morning’s Fox News town hall, taking questions from an all-women audience. On the topic of reproductive rights, Trump conceded that some states have passed abortion laws that are “too tough” in the wake of the overturning of Roe v. Wade. When addressing costs of childcare, Trump discussed growing the Child Tax Credit to “readjust things so that it’s fair to everybody.” He also defended his comments from a previous interview with American conservative journalist Maria Bartiromo, where he called some Democrats “the enemy from within” and said he’d use the military against them.