The year may be coming to an end, but marketers are still ramping up their latest campaigns as we head into the holidays. Catch up on some of the biggest stories to close out this year in our Weekly Must Reads.

The 2022 Pantone Color of the Year

Normally, Pantone names one of its existing color codes as its annual Color of the Year. However, for 2022, Pantone has created a brand new bright purple-blue color, named Very Peri, to represent the coming year. According to the company, the invention of a new color is a fitting choice for 2022, as the world hopes to find a fresh start more than two years since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of Pantone, described Very Peri as a color that “encapsulated the feeling of newness.”

Blue is also often closely associated with technology, so choosing Veri Peri as the Color of the Year also gives a nod to the digital innovations, such as NFTs and the metaverse, that continue to impact our everyday lives. In the year to come, expect to see this vibrant periwinkle color pop up within products, design trends, and more. Find out more about Pantone’s choice here: https://time.com/6126463/pantone-color-of-the-year-2022/

Kraft Responds to the Cream Cheese Shortage

Cream cheese is the latest household item experiencing shortages, but Kraft Heinz isn’t letting it spoil their holiday spirit. The company, which produces market leader Philadelphia cream cheese, recently launched a campaign encouraging consumers to buy any other holiday dessert other than cheesecake. In exchange, Kraft Heinz will reimburse anyone who uploaded a photo of their receipt with a $20 digital gift card.

In addition to decreasing the demand for their out-of-stock cream cheese, this campaign also provides Kraft Heinz with tons of first-party data about their customers, including what other kinds of products they like to buy. This is an especially important strategy this year, as Google and other ad platforms phase out the traditional cookies used to gather users’ information. Learn more about the cream cheese shortage and the battle for consumer data here: https://adage.com/article/marketing-news-strategy/philadelphia-responds-cream-cheese-shortage-ad-campaign/2388426

E.l.f.’s TikTok Holiday Movie

Inspired by the many TikTok trends and viral moments that captured audiences this year, cosmetics brand e.l.f. has used the video sharing app to create their own holiday movie, titled “Big Mood, Big e.l.f.ing City.” The film is broken up into three three-minute TikTok videos, which star popular creator Fia James as she explores New York City alongside other influencers and e.l.f. products come to life.

This short-film style of video is relatively new to TikTok, which just introduced the three-minute video feature this year. Typically, users quickly watch just one video from a brand or creator at a time on their curated For You Page. It’s no surprise that this new strategy comes from e.l.f., though. The brand was one of the first to add TikTok into their marketing mix and has frequently led the way in adopting new trends on the platform. Read up on all the details here: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/elf-goes-long-form-for-meme-heavy-holiday-movie-native-to-tiktok/611551/

Enter the Sliderverse

Step aside, metaverse – the “Sliderverse” has arrived. In honor of their 100th anniversary, White Castle teamed up with digital artist Che-Yu Wu and Doodle Labs to create 5,000 brand-inspired NFTs. Though they’re not the first fast-food brand to join the NFT trend, they are the first to use Art Blocks, an algorithm-based minting technology used to create a unique asset for each purchase. A portion of the NFT sales will go directly to White Castle’s own front-line worker, along with their Team Member Scholarship Fund which helps support employees and their families.

Though there have been some recent security risks associated with brands’ NFTs, other companies are still flocking to the technology in hopes of monetizing their brand reputation and equity. How do you think the NFT craze will evolve in 2022 and beyond? Catch up on the latest details here: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/white-castle-cooks-up-sliderverse-nft-collection-celebrating-chains-cent/611698/