With football season on the horizon and the return of the Pumpkin Spice Latte, brands are officially moving into fall mode. Get the rundown on all the latest news you need to know in our Weekly Must Reads.

The Early Return of the PSL

Fall is officially back, ya’ll! The iconic Pumpkin Spice Latte will return to Starbucks stores tomorrow. The August release date follows a recent trend for retailers to launch their pumpkin products earlier and earlier each year – the PSL debuted on August 25 last year, while Dunkin’ started serving their pumpkin products in stores last week. Back in 2018, the drink never arrived at Starbucks before September, but due to high consumer demand, brands have chosen to move up the timeline. This year, a Morning Consult survey found 1 in 4 consumers said August was the perfect time to start enjoying pumpkin spice products, and the figure is even higher among millennials and Gen Zers.

The pumpkin spice flavor has remained a seasonal offering for nearly all participating brands, but there’s an increasing movement among consumers to make the flavor a permanent staple. In the same survey, 40% of respondents said they would prefer pumpkin spice be offered year-round, a three-percentage point increase from 2020. Dig into more of the pumpkin spice data here: https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/pumpkin-spice-arriving-earlier-each-year-gen-z-millennials/

Wingstop Puts Digital First

Last week, Wingstop named Stacy Peterson as their Chief Digital and Technology Officer, a move that will closely align their IT and marketing departments to support the brand’s digital-focused mindset. According to recent data, more than 65 percent of Wingstop’s total sales now come from either online ordering or delivery services. That’s already an increase over 2020, when Wingstop earned 60 percent of its sales from digital channels, representing more than $1 billion in sales. With more than 25 million users signed into their online ordering platform, Wingstop is looking to further improve their marketing strategy for these highly engaged customers through more meaningful investments.

Wingstop is already well-known as a clever, digital-focused brand. Earlier this year, when faced with a national chicken wing shortage, Wingstop quickly developed a new virtual-only brand that they dubbed “Thighstop,” to shift consumer focus to a product they could source more easily. Learn more about Wingstop’s future plans here: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/wingstop-shakes-up-marketing-structure-as-it-eyes-100-digital-transactions/605105/

Pepsi Calls for a Coke Break-Up

Now that Coca-Cola has launched their new Coke Zero Sugar drink, Pepsi is encouraging consumers to “break up” with Coke in favor of their competing Pepsi Zero Sugar product. In their latest campaign, Pepsi is offering to reimburse consumers $2.50 with their purchase of a 20 oz. bottle of Pepsi Zero Sugar to make up for Coke’s “disappointing” new drink. To earn the refund, consumers just need to text Pepsi their proof of purchase, post a photo on social media with the drink, and include the hashtag #MyCokeBreakUp.

For years, Coke Zero (the predecessor to Coke Zero Sugar) has been a leader in the sugar-free soda category, and the rebrand is giving Pepsi a chance to make up ground. As the official sponsor of the NFL, we expect Pepsi to produce plenty of commercials and promotions for Pepsi Zero Sugar during all the games for months to come. Catch up on the latest news in this long-standing soda rivalry here: https://www.thedrum.com/news/2021/08/18/pepsi-zero-sugar-trolls-coke-the-cola-wars-get-frosty

A Thrilling Launch for Madden 22

To celebrate the release of “Madden NFL 22,” its largest video game launch of the year, Electronic Arts has pulled out all the stops. The brand typically does a significant ad rollout for the new game each year, but 2021 marks the first year that EA developed the campaign completely in-house. This year’s first advertisement includes some of the NFL’s hugest stars, including Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes, as they present the grand opening of a pretend amusement park they call Madden Land. According to Cam Weber, executive VP at EA, the ad represents the “rollercoaster of emotions and fun of NFL gameday.”

The campaign also includes popular NFL reporters and commentators, including Erin Andrews and Kenny Mayne. The commercial will air primarily on ESPN, in addition to related digital and social media ads. Watch all the action for yourself here: https://adage.com/article/digital-marketing-ad-tech-news/eas-madden-takes-its-biggest-campaign-year-house/2359601