Now that Halloween is over, brands are already kicking off the holiday shopping season with new campaigns and advertisements. Catch up on all the news you need to know in our Weekly Must Reads.

Meta Is “Going to Be Fun”

One week after announcing that Facebook’s parent company would now be called Meta, the brand has released its first advertisement under its new name. The spot, called “This Is Going to Be Fun,” takes viewers on a trip of Zuckerburg’s imagined metaverse through the lens of a Rousseau painting in an art museum. In the video, people admiring the painting are transported into a 3D world of talking and dancing animals. The ad illustrates the multi-dimensional goals of the metaverse, though it doesn’t delve into any other details or features the company plans to roll out in the months and years to come.

The launch coincides with another Meta announcement this week. The company disclosed their decision to discontinue its use of automatic facial recognition software and erase all related data in an effort to further protect users’ privacy. Read up more on the announcement and new Meta campaign here: https://www.businessinsider.in/advertising/brands/news/facebook-owner-meta-launches-first-ever-campaign-after-its-rebranding-mark-zuckerberg-gives-a-sneak-peek-into-his-meta-world-through-a-simple-painting/articleshow/87537046.cms

A New Gift from Starbucks

For nearly 25 years, Starbucks has kicked off the holiday season with festive seasonal coffee cups. Last week, the brand launched this year’s iteration with four different designs meant to look like wrapping paper and ribbons. The theme is meant to be more inclusive of all holiday traditions, following Starbucks’ 2015 decision to move away from Christmas-focused designs. For the first time, the cups also incorporate a “gift tag” into the design, giving baristas a space to write a personalized holiday note to each customer.

Starbucks has also launched an ad campaign on television and digital channels. In addition to the themed cups, the ads will also showcase the brand’s new holiday drink – the Iced Sugar Cookie Almond Milk Latte. Check out the cup designs for yourself here: https://www.adweek.com/commerce/starbucks-holiday-cups-2021-more-inclusive/

A Peloton Carol

Who knew Scrooge was such a workout fiend? In their annual holiday campaign, Peloton is showing their take on the Charles Dickens classic, “A Christmas Carol.” In this adaptation, Scrooge, played by actors Brett Gelman, is inspired to ditch his curmudgeonly ways with the help of Peloton products rather a trio of Christmas ghosts. The ad aims to depict Peloton as the solution to making workouts fun and enjoyable rather than a chore. 

Despite the backlash Peloton faced from their infamous 2019 holiday campaign, the brand has performed well throughout the pandemic. Peloton earned $4 billion in revenue in their 2021 fiscal year, doubling their earnings from 2020. Check out the new ad and the details of Peloton’s success here: https://adage.com/article/marketing-news-strategy/peloton-holiday-campaign-features-scrooge/2377896

Pinterest Launches Livestream Shopping

Pinterest is the newest social media network to introduce shoppable livestreams to its platform. The new offering, called Pinterest TV, has kicked off with daily episodes featuring popular content creators and product drops in a variety of categories, which consumers can purchase directly from the livestream. The platform hopes Pinterest TV will be a collaboration between the app and its creators, with Pinterest producers utilizing a virtual studio to develop programming with users.

Pinterest is following a growing line of companies attempting to engage their audience with shoppable livestreams. However, some think Pinterest may already have a leg up on the competition, because many of its users already rely on the platform for shopping inspiration. Learn more about Pinterest TV here: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/pinterest-debuts-livestream-shopping-through-pinterest-tv/609330/