Staying up-to-date on the latest branding, marketing and advertising news doesn’t have to be so hard. Radius is here to help. Check out our rundown for the stories you need to know this week.

A Marvelous “Maisel Day”

Is it time travel, or just the power of Amazon? Businesses across Los Angeles were thrown back to the 1950s last week, as more than two dozen retailers agreed to revert to their prices from the 50s in honor of Amazon’s inaugural “Maisel Day.” Ahead of the next season of their hit show “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” Amazon partnered with a variety of businesses, such as delis, hotels and movie theaters, to throw a city-wide celebration last Thursday. Customers enjoyed discounts on a variety of products, including 50 cent movie tickets, 99 cent pastrami sandwiches and $2 manicures.

Each business was accompanied by hot pink signs and balloons marking their involvement with the Maisel Day campaign. Though official results haven’t been released, it seems the promotions were a success. One participating gas station offering gas for 30 cents a gallon actually caused traffic delays so severe it had to be temporarily shut down. Read on for details about the campaign and the power of Amazon’s brand here: https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2019-08-14/marvelous-mrs-maisel-amazon-deals-emmys

Hard Seltzer War

Step aside, White Claw. Last week, alcohol brands including Natural Light, PBR and Four Loko all jumped on the hottest beverage trend and announced new hard seltzer drinks. While women looking for an alternative to beer may seem like the natural market for hard seltzer, it’s surprisingly most popular with younger consumers, and especially younger men. Business Insider even quoted college fraternity members saying hard seltzer is increasingly popular among their members. While White Claw has become the market leader, these other brands are trying to win back customers with higher alcohol content and messaging targeted to a younger audience.

As beer sales continue to take a dive, hard seltzer is often viewed as a healthier alternative without being an overly “wussy” choice. Is it smart for all these brands to target the younger male demographic, or do you think they’re missing out on other market segments? Check out more details here: https://www.businessinsider.com/natty-light-pbr-four-loko-take-on-white-claw-2019-8

The Truth About Cause Marketing

From Pride promotions to charity partnerships, cause marketing is more popular than ever. However, it seems consumers are more interested in brands’ actions than their words, and companies are facing more scrutiny than ever when it comes to their sustainability efforts. Many brands preach their support for the environment in ads and social media posts, but few have taken action to back it up. The public is now calling them out for it. Across the globe, 81 percent of all consumers feel strongly that companies should implement programs to improve the environment.

Larger businesses are especially susceptible to backlash. They may be making significant changes, such as using more recycled materials, but business giants rarely have clean records when it comes to sustainability. Though any business without procedures in place to implement change are vulnerable to criticism, brands who promote causes in their ads tend to draw extra scrutiny. Is it worth it for brands to incorporate activism into their marketing, or should they simply let their actions speak for themselves? Find out more here: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/can-brands-avoid-backlash-as-sustainability-scrutiny-piles-up/560345/

Barstool Sports Brand Controversy

Barstool Sports, a sports media company popular with younger male audiences, has always positioned themselves as a defiant brand. Last week, its founder Dave Portnoy tweeted up a storm, threatening to fire any employee who tries to unionize within his company. While the tweets were on-brand, and Barstool Sports has felt very little criticism from their audience, that doesn’t mean the company won’t still feel the effects of Portnoy’s threats. Preventing employees from unionizing is a violation of National Labor Relations Act, and if any employee makes a claim, the company could quickly find themselves in legal trouble.

Despite the legal danger, a branding expert thinks Portnoy’s comments will only cement loyalty among their core audience. Barstool Sports is clearly a brand who knows who they are, and they aren’t afraid of criticism or controversy. But is the brand exposure and increased loyalty worth the potential legal repercussions? Read the full story here: https://adage.com/article/media/barstool-sports-founder-dave-portnoys-threats-might-boost-brand-what-cost/2191576