From new brand partnerships to new experiential marketing campaigns, it can be tough to keep up with all the changes happening in the advertising world. Dive into our summary of the biggest stories in our Weekly Must Reads.

Westworld’s Weird Pop-Ups

After a two-year hiatus, HBO’s dystopian hit Westworld returns with season four this week. To promote the premiere, HBO set up carts inspired by the show at popular spots around New York City last weekend, with its faceless android characters serving coffee, pastries, pretzels, and more outside partnered restaurants. Each product came with more Westworld surprises via QR codes, which led users to landing pages with exclusive content. The carts also left passers-by with an eerie message – “We are pleased you serve us.”

Following a weekend full of pop-up carts, a local dance company performed on the High Line in New York with dancers that represented Westworld hosts who perform on command. Find out more spooky details about the experiential promotion here: https://adage.com/creativity/work/hbos-westworld-takes-manhattan-eerie-pop-ups/2420196

Jayson Tatum’s New Ruffles-Branded Sneakers

Fresh off the NBA Finals, Jayson Tatum has announced a new sneaker collaboration with both Ruffles and Air Jordan. Ruffles, which is currently the official chip of the NBA, partnered with Tatum to create custom Air Jordans inspired by the star’s favorite Ruffles flavor, Flamin’ Hot BBQ. Fans can enter to win a pair of the shoes by purchasing a bag of Flamin’ Hot BBQ Ruffles or the brand’s new flavor, Spicy Dill Pickle, and using the special code provided.

The sweepstakes are the second NBA-related campaign Ruffles has created this year as the league’s official partner. A few months ago, the brand partnered with LeBron James to release another chip flavor and discuss how kids can overcome the “ridges” in life. Check out the sneakers and learn more about Ruffles’ NBA partnerships here: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/ruffles-nba-jayson-tatum-sneaker-culture-pickle-flavor/625623/

Changes Coming to the Super Bowl

The 2023 Super Bowl may still be eight months away, but new developments are already forming for advertising’s biggest night of the year. For the first time in 33 years, Anheuser-Busch InBev has given up their exclusive rights to alcohol advertising during the Super Bowl. The brand still plans to run ads during the game next year, but now their rivals, including Molson Coors and Heineken, can air commercials during the event as well. The exclusivity agreement was the only one of its kind among Super Bowl advertisers.

AB InBev isn’t the only one reevaluating their relationship with the NFL. Pizza Hut is stepping down as the league’s official pizza sponsor, while Amazon Prime will take over hosting duties for Thursday Night Football from CBS. Learn more about what the new deals mean for advertisers here: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/NFL-Anheuser-Busch-InBev-Super-Bowl-Advertising/625707/

Roku and Walmart Combine Streaming and E-Commerce

E-commerce is coming to streaming. Walmart and streaming platform Roku recently announced a new partnership that will bring commerce capabilities to streaming ads, allowing users to purchase Walmart products directly from their Roku devices. The brands will work together to create shoppable ads that customers can select with their Roku remotes before checking out with payment details already connected to the Roku platform.

The new development is the first of its kind, and coincides with Roku’s recent emphasis on shoppable experiences. For Walmart, the new collaboration will help them effectively reach customers on one of their favorite platforms, which the brand’s CMO calls “modern marketing at its best.” Dive into all the details here: https://www.adweek.com/convergent-tv/roku-and-walmart-partner-in-exclusive-streaming-ecommerce-offering/#