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Women’s sports is having its moment in the center of pop culture—one that many would argue is long overdue. Last year was pivotal for the industry, with record-breaking viewership of both the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament and the Women’s World Cup, with women’s basketball shattering its viewership record again this year and drawing more viewers for its championship game than the men’s final. Beyond the cultural shift that helped set the stage for the success of women’s sports, the buying power of women is at an all-time high, a key factor in why this shift is happening now. However, advertisers should be cautious in capitalizing on the hype, and instead honor the work that made this moment possible. “For advertisers, the increased interest in women’s sports is a double-edged sword,” said Noelle San Jose, diversity, equity and inclusion program manager at George P. Johnson. “When Vogue starts writing about ‘The Rise and Rise of Women’s Sports Bars,’ you know there’s money on the table.” San Jose noted that women were responsible for 70% to 80% of all purchases as of 2023, but added that advertisers need to step carefully here.

It’s important to talk about the state of earned and creative campaigns, and do so with urgency. The short reason: Working dollars are working less. Content is everywhere. A shiny branded object exists for a total of 15 seconds in your consumer’s mind, and you paid more for those 15 seconds than you did five years ago. Praytell, in collaboration with Contagious, a creative and strategic intelligence service for brands and agencies, worked together to identify four factors that nearly every high-earning, high-performing creative campaign exhibits.

The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers (25-22) to win Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday at Allegiant Stadium—but the real highlight for viewers (other than glimpses of Taylor Swift, of course) was the Apple Music-sponsored halftime show with headliner Usher. The R&B icon performed more than three decades of hits across the 13-minute show, bringing out guest performers Alicia Keys, H.E.R., Jermaine Dupri, Lil Jon, and Ludacris—along with a slew of Vegas-inspired performers like showgirls, acrobats, stilt walkers, and even a marching band. BizBash asked nine top event producers, including GPJ and G7, to review the nostalgia-inducing performance's event production, lighting, staging, set list, and more.

Olive oil brand California Olive Ranch has named agency Argonaut its creative agency of record. Argonaut, which is based in San Francisco and New York and a part of Project Worldwide, will oversee strategic and creative leadership of the California Olive Ranch brand story to drive awareness and differentiation in a quick growing category.

Each year CES pushes the envelope of innovation further, and 2024 is no different, bringing things to life that we could only imagine. Follow along for more insights!

Event Marketer sat down with the Head of Production at OS Studios, Megan Kuhlenschmidt, to discuss career advice, her favorite brand experience from the year and how she got her start in the industry.

If we learned anything in 2023, it was the sheer size and power of Taylor Swift’s army of fans—and the awakened desire in consumers for tangible, real-world experiences. The unprecedented frenzy the world witnessed around Swift’s Eras Tour ticket sales was as shocking as it was contagious, causing a literal craze around scoring a “Golden Ticket” and underscoring for advertisers the key touchpoints around experiences like these. “This year demonstrated consumers’ thirst for experience, and how people are willing to splurge on must-see moments, with savvy marketers deftly promoting or quickly capitalizing on these tentpole events,” said Nat Wittstruck, senior creative director at George P. Johnson (GPJ). “Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour showed the world that even multicity concerts could be unmissable.”

KOA, which has more than 500 campgrounds across North America, has hired Praytell for PR support. As North America consumer PR agency of record, Praytell will be managing a comprehensive consumer PR and influencer program for KOA (formally Kampgrounds of America), whose sites offer options from tents to glamping. Praytell’s remit includes amplifying the brand and its mission with new and existing audiences, media and creators, while distinguishing KOA from competitors.

Pernod Ricard USA has selected Argonaut as its U.S. creative AOR for Jefferson's Bourbon. The assignment is the agency's second from the liquor giant. It was named creative AOR for Código 1520 Tequila in September.