Movin’ on up
Manscaped, famous for tending to the “southern hemisphere,” is heading north with its cheeky new campaign, Send Face Pics Instead, highlighting its beard and face-grooming lineup. Backed by actual science and a hefty bout of research, the brand found that men are nine times more likely to get a response from a face pic than from, well, anything else. The campaign blends humor and cultural commentary with a Tinder takeover, OOH stunts, and a push into the upper-funnel spotlight to cement Manscaped as more than just a groin brand. Or as CMO Marcelo Kertész puts it, they’re using the groin as a trampoline, and landing squarely on your face. 🕺
We’re lovin’ this
Mickey D’s is dusting off the golden arches’ grooviest era, reviving McDonaldland for the first time in 20 years with a meal, merch, and a full-blown psychedelic marketing blitz. Fans can now explore the burger utopia in VR, Fortnite, Snapchat AR, and real-world events, all while sipping a mysterious Mt. McDonaldland Shake and collecting nostalgia-fueled souvenirs. The whole crew, including Ronald, Grimace, Birdie and more, are back to unlock “core memories” for old fans and introduce the magical mayhem to Gen Z in this supersized nostalgia play.
Jonas Brothers back on tour and now this? Someone check the pulses of millennials and make sure their 30+-year-old selves are making it through.
Nostalgia and no-no’s
This year’s back-to-school marketing is heavy on value and even heavier on déjà vu, with brands clinging to familiar themes in rocky economic times. American Eagle learned the hard way that a celebrity splash + cheeky wordplay can backfire when audiences read more into it than intended. Meanwhile, Gen Z remains the holy grail, with brands leaning into social-first campaigns, influencer hauls, and IRL pop-ups to win their scrolls and their wallets. The lesson? In 2025, you can chase nostalgia, TikTok trends, or both, but miss the cultural mark, and you’ll make headlines for all the wrong reasons.
Pepper Pick
Us 🤝seeing Freakier Friday in theaters and making it our main (only) event this weekend
