Justin Bieber ‘saves’ Tim Hortons—and other marketing winners (and losers) of the week

This week’s marketing winners, losers and newsmakers. Winners Tim Hortons: “JUSTIN BIEBER HOLIER THAN THOU!!! Singer Saves Donut Chain,” screamed a TMZ headline on Wednesday. The love from the celebrity gossip site was in reference to Canadian coffee-and-donut chain Tim Hortons' partnership with the Canadian pop star for “TimBiebs,” a late 2021 line of flavor combinations for its popular Timbits donut treats. Jose Cil, the CEO of brand owner Restaurant Brands International, this week called the limited time creation “one of the more successful traffic-driving initiatives in recent memory” after it helped the chain post 11.3% same-store sales gains in the fourth quarter. Cil went so far as to call himself a "Belieber" during an earnings conference call. EVs: Electric vehicles, which starred in nearly every auto brand Super Bowl ad, are finally starting to crack through into the mainstream. The latest evidence comes from Airbnb, which announced this week that more than 850,000 of its listings now feature an EV charger as an amenity. Puppy Monkey Baby: He’s back. Nuff said. Losers Roblox: The shine came off Roblox a bit this week after the gaming social platform reported that bookings—a measurement for revenue—missed analyst estimates in the fourth quarter. Bloomberg noted that it reflected “a retreat from the pandemic-inspired boost over the last two years.” 5WPR: The PR agency is in all kinds of hot water as new reporting emerges on how its founder Ronn Torossian secretly bought a site that covers the PR industry without disclosing ownership. The latest blow came Friday from the Public Relations Society of America, which, as reported by Crain’s New York Business, issued a statement that read in part: "In addition to being a cowardly and blatant violation of PRSA's code of ethics, Ronn's actions are a stain on our profession and undermines our role as guardians of facts and integrity for those we serve.” CNN: The bad news cycle continued for the network this week with the resignation of Chief Marketing Officer Allison Gollust. She was found to have violated news division standards through her relationship with former CNN President Jeff Zucker. Zucker had stepped down from his position earlier this month. Tweet of the week This is a metaphor for something. https://t.co/dTmIrtPumS— cindygallop.eth (@cindygallop) February 18, 2022 Quote of the week “What could space taste like?”—Josh Schwarber, Coca-Cola’s digital design director, about the creative brief for the conception of Starlight, Coke’s new “space-flavored” variety. Number of the week $40 million to $50 million: How much the NFL is seeking for its Super Bowl halftime sponsorship, according to Sports Business Journal. Pepsi has sponsored the spectacle for the past 10 years but its deal expires this year. On the move Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. hired Mark Danzig as senior VP, creative. He had been VP, creative at Walmart. The retailer also appointed Umesh Sripad senior VP, digital. He had been chief digital officer at Ikea USA. Genexa, which calls itself a “clean medicine” brand selling at retailers such as Walmart and CVS, named Emily Culp chief marketing officer. She most recently was CEO of Cover FX, a beauty brand. Register for Ad Age Next: Health & Wellness at AdAge.com/NextWellness.

Justin Bieber ‘saves’ Tim Hortons—and other marketing winners (and losers) of the week

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