From new social advertising features to reimagined brand mascots, it’s been an exciting week in the marketing and advertising world. Catch up on all the latest news you need to know in our Weekly Must Reads.

Buy Me Some Peanuts & Cracker Jill

Step aside, Cracker Jack – Cracker Jill has arrived. The iconic baseball snack brand recently introduced their new mascot, which includes a series of five diverse female characters. The women will be featured on the bags of caramel popcorn in MLB stadiums across the US. Consumers can also earn bags of Cracker Jill popcorn by donating to the Women’s Sports Foundation. The brand plans to permanently use the Cracker Jill characters along with Cracker Jack on product packaging for years to come.

To promote the new characters, Cracker Jack partnered with Normani to recreate the song, “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” changing the lyrics to “Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jill.” Catch your first glimpse of the new mascots here: https://www.adweek.com/commerce/cracker-jack-cracker-jill-baseball-women-in-sports/?itm_source=parsely-api&ntfData=login

Lego Builds a Kid-Friendly Metaverse

Lego and video game developer Epic Games have collaborated to create a new kind of metaverse designed specifically for younger kids. Though details on the virtual space are still vague, the companies’ press release states their metaverse will be “designed from the outset with the wellbeing of kids in mind.” Additionally, the brands promise to keep the platform safe for children, protect their privacy, and give kids and parents control over their experience.

Other tech companies, including Meta and Niantic (the creator of Pokémon Go), have recently announced plans to create their own versions of the metaverse. Read more about the potential Lego-inspired metaverse here: https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/7/23014616/epic-lego-metaverse-partnership

Lay’s Goes Experiential at Coachella

Brands and music lovers alike have long awaited the return of the Coachella festival after a two-year hiatus. This weekend, chip brand Lay’s will create an immersive four-course tasting experience at the festival inside branded igloo-inspired “Potadomes.” The food will feature Lay’s chips sourced from potato farms on the West coast to help promote the brand’s sustainability efforts. Festivalgoers will also be the first to try Lay’s new fully compostable chip packaging.

To fit the theme of the event, attendees can also visit the Potadomes to listen to various music genres and take turns DJing within each dome. Learn more details about this experiential marketing campaign here: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/lays-experiential-marketing-Coachella-sustainability/621355/

Social Media Platforms Experiment with 3D Ads

Social media ads are entering a new dimension. Twitter and Meta have both announced new efforts to create interactive advertising products on their platforms. Twitter is testing their new ad formats now, with brands like New Balance and Lexus using the platform to create 3D models and allow users to see their products from different viewpoints. Meta is working on a similar offering for brands on Facebook and Instagram, though their 3D features may be used for organic posts in addition to paid ads.

These social platforms hope the new features will boost their ad business, which has recently been experiencing slower growth. It’s likely a safe bet, as recent estimates predict 3D and AR advertising revenue will grow by more than 130 percent in the next three years. Check out more information on the latest social ad features here: https://www.emarketer.com/content/twitter-meta-increase-3d-advertising-stepping-stone-metaverse