The celebrity endorsement has been around nearly as long as advertising itself, but brands are still reinventing how they can use spokespeople most effectively. Check out the newest campaigns and marketing news in our Weekly Must Reads.

Sweetgreen Partners with Star Athletes

Much to their surprise, fast casual salad brand Sweetgreen has found themselves in the middle of the changing conversation around sports and health. It all started last summer, when Sweetgreen spokesperson Naomi Osaka withdrew from Wimbledon citing mental health struggles. The brand strongly supported Osaka through her decision and has since used the experience to inform some of their strategies moving forward. As recommended by Osaka, Sweetgreen also recently signed Devin Booker to an endorsement deal. Booker has been a longtime Sweetgreen customer, using their ingredients to “fuel his day on and off the court.”

Both athletes will star in the new campaign, “Create Your Own,” which focuses on the connection between culture and food. The two stars created their own custom bowls, which are available on the Sweetgreen app, while also promoting the many options available from the chain’s fresh ingredients. Dive in deeper here: https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/sweetgreen-customized-approach-to-teaming-with-athletes/

Celebrities & The Crypto Crash

In recent months, celebrities from Matt Damon to LeBron James all signed on to help advertise various cryptocurrency platforms. Who can forget how many star-studded crypto commercials aired during the Super Bowl this year? However, now that the crypto market has started to crash, consumers are side eyeing the spokespeople for prompting fans to make an ultimately ill-advised investment. In fact, some celebrities have even been sued in a class-action lawsuit for using their fame to defraud crypto investors.

The crypto ads serve as a reminder to us all to not take celebrity endorsements too seriously – and for brands to consider how they can use their spokespeople responsibly. Read up on the ongoing discussion here: https://www.fastcompany.com/90751640/crypto-crash-draws-fresh-outrage-over-celebrity-endorsements-that-didnt-age-well

Peloton Turns Instructors into Spokespeople

Speaking of spokespeople, Peloton is taking a different approach to their newest campaign. “Motivation That Moves You” will feature some of the brand’s most popular instructors giving speeches to audiences throughout history, showing how they can motivate their users throughout a workout, as well as their daily life. Though a group of medieval villagers cheering for a Peloton instructor may not be realistic, the sentiment rings true. According to data from the brand, 92 percent of Peloton households retain an active monthly subscription 12 months later, thanks in large part to the engaging instructors.

Though some of these star instructors have become famous influencers, Peloton has never used them in their own ads before. It’s a refreshing new approach from the brand, which has struggled with controversial advertising in the past. Catch the first commercial in the campaign here: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/peloton-brand-turnaround-ads-instructors/623392/

TikTok’s New Ad Options

As they continue to post staggering growth numbers, TikTok is revising their advertising options to better fit their platform and the needs of marketers. Recently, at the Interactive Advertising Bureau’s NewFronts event, the app announced a new ad product, TikTok Pulse, that will help brands advertise on videos that are starting to go viral, rather than ones that are already at their peak of popularity. These spots will come at a premium price, but they will ensure the ad is served only with the top 4 percent of videos in a variety of categories.

Because TikTok runs on a fickle and ever-changing algorithm, it can be hard for companies to pinpoint a successful advertising strategy on the platform. However, according to the app, the world’s largest brands are already eager to test out the new offerings from TikTok Pulse. Learn more details here: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/tiktok-premium-ads-NewFronts-creators/623261/