Candy Companies Fear This Halloween

The ultimate marriage of dining and entertainment will soon become possible for homebodies everywhere. Evidently the classiest among us were already garnishing their mac and cheese with Cheetos dust, so the snack brand made the pairing official with a trio of Cheetos Mac ‘N Cheese flavors: Bold & Cheesy, Flamin’ Hot and Cheesy Jalapeño. [Find out when and where you can get them here.] The brand hasn't gone so far as to market mac and cheese or breakfast like Kraft did earlier this week, but don't let that stop you.

And what better content to consume with your Cheetos noodles than fresh episodes of the unhinged '90s series The Ren & Stimpy Show, which Comedy Central is reviving as part of ViacomCBS' ongoing adult animation renaissance. Following the success of series like Netflix's Bojack Horseman and Big Mouth, the category is surging across the board, thanks in part to its (somewhat mac-and-cheese-like) low production costs and repeat digestibility.

And if The Ren & Stimpy Show isn't enough nostalgia for you today, McDonald's revived 1990s ad footage and mixed it with an 'NSYNC classic. Watch it here.

Will trick-or-treating even be a thing this year? That's what Halloween-dependent candy companies are wondering as they prep for health-conscious parents to keep their kids away from situations that risk exposure. To offset the potential dip, companies are broadening their autumn advertising horizons, starting earlier and focusing on marketing everyday chocolate products instead of Halloween-specific ones—not to mention marketing the candy bowl throughout the season as a staple of every stressed-out person's living room.

Reframing the holiday: Experts are advising brands to steer messaging toward the festive joy of family time rather than trick-or-treating.

Today—August 6, 2020—marks the 75th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima. Following the bombing, the concrete walls of automaker Mazda's headquarters survived when most of the city's wooden structures were destroyed, presenting "an opportunity—a shelter, if you will—for the community" and positioning it to help with the rebuilding of the city both physically and economically.

The company's challenger spirit and its sense of community responsibility ("for humans, by humans") are therefore intimately connected with the event. And it has been this ethos that defined the brand's proactive approach at the onset of the pandemic, which included health-oriented messaging and initiatives like free services for healthcare workers.

Explore its rich history: The company started as a cork manufacturer, and in a way, only exists today thanks to a haircut the day the bomb was dropped.

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Los Angeles is finally getting a women's professional soccer team, Angel City, and there's a heavy-hitting team—including stars like Natalie Portman and Jessica Chastain, athletes like Serena Williams and Women's World Cup winners, and business leaders like Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian—working behind the scenes to make it happen. With a comprehensive branding and engagement strategy developed by Battery, R/GA and Plural, the franchise is rising as a fully fledged platform focused on storytelling and fan connection and fueled by optimism.

More than a sport: Discover how it came together thanks to a diverse set of minds from athletics, media and entertainment backgrounds.

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Blue Bunny is driving its 'Ice Screen Truck' across the country, stopping the truck, which features a movie screen on its side, in the driveways of contest winners to host movie nights featuring ice cream treats, T-shirts, social distancing blankets and masks for attendees.

Assembling the foremost brand marketers, the masters across industries, to share insights and discuss the future of marketing. September 14-17. Register now.

Edward Bourelly's passion for purpose and inclusivity has guided his entire career, including his move to vp of marketing for Planet Fitness in 2019. From the first time he saw people who looked like him in commercials to working for brands he could genuinely relate to like Levi's and Nike, Edward believes marketing should always start with what drives your consumer.

This includes looking for varying body types, races and genders.

Partnership promotes new Venus 'Skinclusive' summer line.

Stunt pays homage to London's famous Notting Hill Carnival.

Some of the platform's series, delayed by Covid-19, have tentative fall premieres.

Stunt pays homage to London's famous Notting Hill Carnival.