This week, several brands are attempting to engage new, younger audiences by reimagining old campaigns and products. Check out these stories and learn more about the strategies behind them in our Weekly Must Reads.

These Stars Are “Built Ford Proud” In Real Life

Ford has been using various iterations of its “Built Ford Tough” slogan since the 1970s. Their latest take on the saying, “Built Ford Proud,” takes the brand in a new direction. In a new multichannel campaign launched last week, the legacy automaker focuses on the stories of three celebrities who own Ford vehicles in their personal lives. Stunt driver Dee Bryant shows off her skills in her Mustang sports car, while surfer Kai Lenny demonstrates how his F-Series pickup helps transport his surf gear.

The campaign’s primary star, though, is actress Sydney Sweeney, who runs a viral TikTok account chronicling her journey to fix up a vintage Ford Bronco. In her Ford ad, Sweeney discusses her family’s history working in mechanics and her longtime dream of owning a Bronco. Ford also partnered with Sweeney to launch a line of women’s workwear, as well as a series of vehicle maintenance TikTok tutorials. Find out all the details about the reimagined slogan and new campaign here: https://adage.com/creativity/work/ford-taps-sydney-sweeney-dee-bryant-and-kai-lenny-new-built-ford-proud-work/2480716

New Yorkers Don’t <3 Their New Logo

Last week, The Partnership for New York City, a local nonprofit, launched a new (and now-infamous) ad campaign titled “We Love NYC.” To be clear, the new project does play on the long-running I Love NY tourism slogan but will act as a separate initiative rather than a replacement. The goal of the campaign is to boost residents’ civic engagement and optimism about the city…but so far, the response has been less than positive. Many residents took to social media to snark on the new logo, criticizing its asymmetrical design and emoji-esque heart icon.

Despite the backlash, The Partnership is forging ahead with their campaign. In fact, the group’s CEO said they welcome the discussion, as it shows their message resonated with their audience. In the coming weeks, expect to see new events for the initiative featuring high-profile partnerships, including New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York Governor Kathy Hochul. Learn more about the revival campaign and response so far here: https://www.wsj.com/articles/we-love-nyc-ad-blitz-gets-no-love-from-residentsand-thats-ok-with-its-creators-79a82295

Nutter Butter Wins with Weird Instagram Content

Nutter Butter has traditionally been a smaller cookie brand that tends to fly under the radar compared to giants in the industry. However, their new Instagram strategy, which involves offbeat, niche humor that has been resonating with Gen Z consumers. What started as a tribute to a superfan named Aidan has become a long-running gag, with posts containing “Aidan eggs” and announcements that the account will only respond to users named Aidan. With the unexpected success of the Aidan joke, Nutter Butter has committed to using absurdist humor in their social media posts moving forward.

The brand’s first post with the new strategy back in January earned more than 11,000 likes, marking a significant increase in engagement compared to the year prior. The Nutter Butter Instagram account also doubled its total follower count in just two weeks. Read more about the brand’s weirdly successful strategy here: https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/how-nutter-butter-won-over-gen-z-with-an-absurdist-instagram-strategy/?itm_source=parsely-api#

Brands Continue Marketing on TikTok Despite Controversy

TikTok has been all over the news in recent weeks for all the wrong reasons. The app’s ownership from Chinese company ByteDance has sparked concerns over national security, culminating in a congressional hearing last week with CEO Shou Chew. Though it remains unclear whether the government will attempt to ban TikTok in the US, a new survey from Capterra shows 70% of marketers plan to increase spending on the platform in the coming year.

The stat speaks to the increasing power of TikTok, which already has more than 150 million American users. The same survey indicated that a TikTok ban would have a “moderate to significant impact” on marketing initiatives for 82% of respondents. Catch up on the latest news and brands’ short-term plans for the platform here: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/tiktok-ban-increase-spend-influencer-marketing/645803/