News and Views

Industry news and views on the campaigns and trends that matter to us all in marketing from our team of experts

News & Views 

Creative news, marketing trends and cutting-edge research from around the globe

Vienna Tourist Board creates OnlyFans for NSFW art
Campaign of the Week
Campaign of the Week

Vienna Tourist Board creates OnlyFans for NSFW art 

Tourist board uses OnlyFans account to evade censorship and promote the city’s famed artwork

Arthouse streaming service pegs price to popularity of bad movies
Campaign of the Week
Campaign of the Week

19 October 2021

Arthouse streaming service pegs price to popularity of bad movies 

Swedish streaming platform Draken Film offers discounted subscriptions to encourage people to broaden their taste in films

Marketers and agencies at odds over ‘shoddy’ and ‘dull’ briefs
Research
Research

12 October 2021

Marketers and agencies at odds over ‘shoddy’ and ‘dull’ briefs 

Survey reveals disparity in attitudes towards briefing in advertising

Ikea sends reality show contestants to the 1990s
Campaign of the Week
Campaign of the Week

12 October 2021

Ikea sends reality show contestants to the 1990s 

Homeware retailer creates reality show where contestants must live in a world without flatpack furniture

Contagious Spotlight on Latin America: October 2021

11 October 2021

Contagious Spotlight on Latin America: October 2021 

The Contagious team in Brazil highlight their favourite campaigns from Latin America

Medical researcher solicits donations with ‘Sophie’s Choice’ campaign
Campaign of the Week
Campaign of the Week

5 October 2021

Medical researcher solicits donations with ‘Sophie’s Choice’ campaign 

Australian medical research organisation creates campaign pitting illnesses against each other, secures AUS$19m in donations

The strategy behind Volkswagen’s ad-break race game
Insight & strategy
Insight & strategy

4 October 2021

The strategy behind Volkswagen’s ad-break race game 

VW in Australia departed from its usual post-emission-scandal messages of reliability to conjure some excitement for its newest model with an interactive TV ad that turned into a mobile racing game

Balenciaga drops fashion collection inside Fortnite
Campaign of the Week
Campaign of the Week

28 September 2021

Balenciaga drops fashion collection inside Fortnite 

Luxury fashion house launches multi-level gaming collaboration

Why Candour was king at Cannes
Promoted content
Promoted content

22 September 2021

Why Candour was king at Cannes 

Contagious and Clear Channel delivered a talk on some of the biggest trends from this year's Cannes Lions festival

Athletics store challenges runners to break the speed limit
Campaign of the Week
Campaign of the Week

21 September 2021

Athletics store challenges runners to break the speed limit 

Distance recruited professional athletes to trigger a speed camera by running faster than Paris' new speed limit

The Power of Constraint
Opinion
Opinion

20 September 2021

The Power of Constraint 

How constraints on time and money can often encourage creativity rather than impede it

The strategy behind KFC China’s foray into esports
Insight & strategy
Insight & strategy

15 September 2021

The strategy behind KFC China’s foray into esports  

How the fast food brand reimagined its mascot for an esports tournament generating social media engagement and sales

The WhatsApp Test
Opinion
Opinion

14 September 2021

The WhatsApp Test 

Why marketers must streamline the communication processes between creatives and decision-makers to unleash quick-thinking campaigns

What happens when a retailer gives customers their data?
Campaign of the Week
Campaign of the Week

14 September 2021

What happens when a retailer gives customers their data? 

Co-operative retail and service chain S Group shared purchase data with customers and increased revenue by nearly 14%

Inclusivity for Impact

13 September 2021

Inclusivity for Impact 

Why more brands should eschew performative campaigns that address big social issues and instead make way for marketing that makes a difference

H&M unveils second-hand clothing website
Campaign of the Week
Campaign of the Week

7 September 2021

H&M unveils second-hand clothing website 

Fashion retail giant launches peer-to-peer resale platform in sustainability push

Closing the intention-behaviour gap for sustainable shopping
Opinion
Opinion

6 September 2021

Closing the intention-behaviour gap for sustainable shopping 

It's up to retailers to get the Greta Generation to shop green – here's how

Andy Nairn explains the luck behind the Lions
Creativity
Creativity

3 September 2021

Andy Nairn explains the luck behind the Lions 

The idea of good fortune should not be a taboo in advertising. Here's how winners from this year's Cannes Lions festival used kismet to their advantage

Reebok targets inner-city youth with basketball court AR tool
Campaign of the Week
Campaign of the Week

31 August 2021

Reebok targets inner-city youth with basketball court AR tool 

Reebok carves a new niche for its brand with an augmented reality tool that maps basketball courts onto car parks and alleys

9 fascinating titbits taken from issue 68 of Contagious Magazine

31 August 2021

9 fascinating titbits taken from issue 68 of Contagious Magazine 

A collection of facts, nuggets and titbits pulled from the latest issue of Contagious magazine

Fred Pelard on how to be strategic
Interview
Interview

30 August 2021

Fred Pelard on how to be strategic 

Former rocket scientist Fred Pelard believes anyone can learn to be strategic. He tells us how to build the intellectual muscle groups that will help you solve problems and make better decisions

Advertising and enlightened self interest
Opinion
Opinion

27 August 2021

Advertising and enlightened self interest 

Why brands have real power to effect change in the world

Corona hosts plastic-fishing tournament in Mexico
Campaign of the Week
Campaign of the Week

24 August 2021

Corona hosts plastic-fishing tournament in Mexico 

Beer brand partners with Mexico’s fishermen to fight plastic pollution

Contagious Spotlight on Latin America: August 2021
Creativity
Creativity

23 August 2021

Contagious Spotlight on Latin America: August 2021 

The Contagious team in Brazil highlight their favourite campaigns from Latin America

Dettol Pakistan creates pandemic prayer mat
Campaign of the Week
Campaign of the Week

17 August 2021

Dettol Pakistan creates pandemic prayer mat 

Cleaning products supplier designs oversized prayer mat to encourage social distancing in mosques as Covid-19 infections rise

Strategist’s Digest: Online vs offline advertising
Research
Research

16 August 2021

Strategist’s Digest: Online vs offline advertising 

Contagious digests the most interesting and relevant research from the world of advertising and beyond, because there’s just too much to read and too little time

Strategist’s Digest: What happens when you stop advertising?
Research
Research

10 August 2021

Strategist’s Digest: What happens when you stop advertising? 

Contagious digests the most interesting and relevant research from the world of advertising and beyond, because there’s just too much to read and too little time

Coors courts hockey fans by brewing beer with Stanley Cup ice
Campaign of the Week
Campaign of the Week

10 August 2021

Coors courts hockey fans by brewing beer with Stanley Cup ice 

Beer brand uses ice from ice hockey final to create limited-edition brew for fans

Why does Snickers keep getting accused of homophobia?
Opinion
Opinion

9 August 2021

Why does Snickers keep getting accused of homophobia? 

An ad for Snickers ice cream in Spain has been denounced as insulting to gay people, raising questions about similar instances in the brand's past

McDonald’s Costa Rica claims fries emoji for its own
Campaign of the Week
Campaign of the Week

3 August 2021

McDonald’s Costa Rica claims fries emoji for its own 

Fast food chain sends iconic red carton fries emoji to the top of people’s most-used list

Strategist’s Digest: Why online star ratings are useless
Research
Research

2 August 2021

Strategist’s Digest: Why online star ratings are useless 

Contagious digests the most interesting and relevant research from the world of advertising and beyond, because there’s just too much to read and too little time

Strategist’s Digest: The power of ‘you’
Research
Research

27 July 2021

Strategist’s Digest: The power of ‘you’ 

Contagious digests the most interesting and relevant research from the world of advertising and beyond, because there’s just too much to read and too little time

VW combines TV and gaming for Golf launch campaign
Campaign of the Week
Campaign of the Week

27 July 2021

VW combines TV and gaming for Golf launch campaign 

Car manufacturer promotes latest vehicle with TV ad that transforms into a mobile racing event

The strategy behind RC Cola’s surreal ‘Basta’ ads in the Philippines
Insight & strategy
Insight & strategy

20 July 2021

The strategy behind RC Cola’s surreal ‘Basta’ ads in the Philippines 

When a sugar tax ruined RC Cola's price strategy, the brand turned to comedic absurdism to appeal to Gen Z, increasing sales 67%

Ikea heroes junked furniture in sustainability campaign
Campaign of the Week
Campaign of the Week

20 July 2021

Ikea heroes junked furniture in sustainability campaign 

Furniture retailer reclaims junked products to raise awareness of buy-back and refurbishment scheme

Three crucial words
Promoted content
Promoted content

19 July 2021

Three crucial words 

Diversity, equity and inclusion: three crucial words at the top of many company agendas right now, but how best to turn noble intention into active and meaningful cultural change? From mortgages to yoghurt, marketers weigh in on the different approaches to DEI

Adidas UAE creates ‘swimmable’ billboard to promote swimwear range
Campaign of the Week
Campaign of the Week

13 July 2021

Adidas UAE creates ‘swimmable’ billboard to promote swimwear range 

Sportswear brand uses billboard stunt to promote inclusive swimwear range by boosting women's confidence