To ring in the return of the NFL season on Sept. 10, ESPN and agency Arts & Letters Creative Co. created a celebratory ad set to the tune of Celine Dion’s sweeping, inspiring and contextually silly song “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now.” Athletes, coaches, TV characters and stars mourn the long sports reprieve we’ve all been enduring before launching into a cathartic and joyful montage.

Experience the joy here.

And speaking of sports, Adweek enjoyed a special celebration of our own this past weekend with our annual game, Kentucky Derby Horse or Ad Agency. Instead of taking to the streets of NYC this year, Adweek’s Jameson Fleming challenged marketing and advertising professionals to play the game via Zoom. Authentic won the Run for the Roses on Saturday, but could our participants correctly identify it as a horse?

Test your knowledge: Guess whether each of these is a Derby horse or an ad agency.

The role of brands has shifted, with the public expecting them to focus on “solving real, human problems and offering joy-filled solutions.” That’s what General Mills’ chief brand officer, North America, Brad Hiranaga had to say when we caught up with him ahead of Brandweek. The word “authenticity” may seem overused these days, but being human, authentic and addressing challenges that consumers face enables them to build lasting connections during a stressful time when everyone needs support.

Learn what questions brands should be asking to develop a more authentic and personal marketing strategy that lends a hand.

Learn from Ryan Reynolds, Andrea Brimmer, Sadira Furlow, Dwyane Wade, Marc Pritchard, Brad Hiranaga, Julian Duncan, Katie Puris, Janey Whiteside and more during Brandweek, a fully imagined virtual experience on Sept. 14-18. Take 20% off with code FTFEDIT.

It’s no surprise that the tourism industry has been on hold for the majority of this summer, which is why 70 companies that are part of the U.S. Travel Association have united to create a campaign called “Let’s Go There” that asks people to plan and book a vacation, even if it’s not immediately. The message is meant to support the industry and those who work in it following massive layoffs and the increasing risk to nearly 12.1 million jobs.

Go there: Watch the ad and learn who all is involved in the effort.

• Exclusive: Mary Alderete, a veteran of Gap Inc., has taken on the CMO role Alegra O’Hare departed earlier this year. She’s also rolling out her first campaign with the brand, “Stand United,” which focuses on voter participation.
• Formerly a marketing exec at Freshly and Spotify, Mayur Gupta has been appointed as Gannett’s first chief marketing and strategy officer. Gupta explained to Adweek what his role will entail, including leading marketing and growth as well as building communities.
• After almost five years with eBay, first as chief marketing officer for North America and then as vp and global CMO, Suzy Deering is leaving the ecommerce platform.
• Target has appointed Maurice Cooper, who is formerly the executive vice president and chief growth and experience officer of Wingstop, as its newest senior vice president of marketing.
• TV measurement company VideoAmp has hired Jonathan Steuer, former chief research officer of Omnicom Media Group, to help bring audience-based buying to television.

More of Today’s Top News & Highlights

• Ad Tech’s Data Leakage Problem Begins with Contract Talks
• Agencies Are Strengthening Their Ecommerce Chops, Including VMLY&R and Horizon Media
• Oatly’s Global CCO Talks Trust, Transparency and Fearless Creative
• How Phenomenal Became a Leading Social Impact Apparel Brand
• Disney+ Tests Out a Bold Pandemic Experiment With Mulan

Every time someone streams the song “If You Want Me to Stay” sung by Ari Lennox and Hamilton’s Anthony Ramos, Crown Royal will donate $1 (up to $500,000) to bars and clubs threatened by the pandemic. Creative agency Anomaly New York took the lead, and Main Street Alliance, which helps small businesses, will distribute the funds. Learn more about the song and the campaign.

Google, a founding partner of the Executive Mentor Program, has partnered with Adweek to add a day to the Brandweek agenda focused on providing career development guidance and tips for successfully navigating challenging times in careers.

Talent Day, September 18, features sessions led by some of the world's top marketers, including Antonio Lucio, Musa Tariq, Taj Alavi, and more, developed to help you hone your skills and prepare for what's next in your career.

Unemployed and furloughed marketers can apply to attend Brandweek for free, courtesy of Google, and the Talent Day is accessible to all Brandweek attendees.

SSPs and DSPs hammer out deal terms that ultimately lead to privacy issues.

Meena Harris, niece of Kamala Harris, started with a Women's March T-shirt.

Advertising's internships have not been easy to navigate this year.

Tie-up with performance analytics company Profitero gives them greater access to online shopping data.

The film will be available to view for $30 on the service starting today.