Happy New Year from the marketing and advertising world! Catch up on the first campaigns and biggest news of 2022 in our Weekly Must Reads.

TurboTax Tackles Unique Tax Needs

As part of its first 2022 marketing campaign, TurboTax has created six different short films highlighting different tax filers, each with different needs that TurboTax can address. The characters include a social media influencer, cryptocurrency investor, and a musician – all professions that don’t necessarily carry a typical employee’s W2 tax structure. TurboTax has used these spots to remind consumers that its tax experts can simplify the process for the growing number of employees working for themselves or within the gig economy.

The ad campaign, titled “You Do Your Thing,” will continue its run through the Super Bowl, where TurboTax will air a commercial for the ninth consecutive year. The event offers TurboTax a perfect opportunity for increased awareness during their busiest season of the year. Watch the new short films here: https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/turbotax-distinct-tax-campaign/

A Fitacular 2022

Planet Fitness’ first ad of the new year is a star-studded affair, featuring celebrities like William Shatner and Dennis Rodman learning about the physical and mental benefits of exercise. January is always prime marketing time for any fitness brand as consumers resolve to get healthy in the new year, but as Americans grapple with both the physical and psychological challenges of the pandemic, this “Feel Fitacular” campaign feels especially timely. It’s a rare move for a gym to highlight mental health as much as physical health, but in 2022, we expect this to become a much larger focus for health-focused brands across the board.

The campaign marks the first work from Planet Fitness’ new marketing partner, Publicis Group, and a notable departure from their typical “judgment-free zone” slogan. Check out the first ad here: https://adage.com/article/marketing-news-strategy/watch-planet-fitness-first-campaign-publicis-groupe/2390486

Fiverr Collaborates with College Football Stars

Now that college athletes have received the OK to take endorsements, online marketplace Fiverr is on board to help these students learn how to build their own brands. The site is now host to a “mentorship program” between college players and NFL stars from the same school, who can provide advice on topics ranging from selecting sponsorships to charging appearance fees. The first pair of the program, current Oregon football player Kayvon Thibodeaux and San Francisco 49er Arik Armstead, have filmed videos together promoting Fiverr and encouraging more students to take advantage of the new name, image, and likeness rule.

In addition to advice from NFL players, college athletes can also partner with other Fiverr experts to build their own websites and improve SEO of their name. For more updates on NIL partnerships and Fiverr’s recent efforts, read on here: https://adage.com/article/marketing-news-strategy/fiverr-looks-help-college-football-players-build-their-brands/2390456

Brands to Bring Optimism to the Super Bowl

Next month marks advertising’s biggest night, and this year, brands plan to offset the recent bad news in our world with commercials that radiate optimism. Rakuten Rewards has announced their upcoming first-ever Super Bowl commercial will have focus on positivity, while Avocados from Mexico will return to the event with a new optimistic ad after taking a year off in 2021. During the game, look for other anticipated commercials from brands like Nissan, DraftKings, and cryptocurrency exchange FTX.

This year, NBC set the price of a 30-second Super Bowl commercial at $6.5 million, a whopping $1 million increase from 2021. In addition to the change in price and overall tone of the event, other changes from last year include an ensemble cast of stars for the half time show and 100 percent stadium capacity. Catch up on all the other details of Super Bowl LVI here: https://www.wsj.com/articles/rakuten-other-advertisers-plan-optimistic-tone-for-super-bowl-ads-11639051205