This week's marketing winners, losers and newsmakers.

Winners

Deion Sanders: The ex-NFL star and sports media personality and current University of Colorado head coach is this season’s top college football marketing star. He’s generated buzz ever since taking over as Colorado head coach and the positive press has come pouring in this week—including multiple headlines about how his endorsement of sunglass brand Blenders is paying off. As documented by USA Today, Blenders sales shot through the roof after the coach of Colorado State criticized Sanders for not taking his sunglasses off. Blenders founder and CEO Chase Fisher told USA Today that “that comment directed at sunglasses and then us releasing the (Sanders) collection today was peanut butter meets jelly. The timing was insane.”

Ever the marketer, Sanders seems to be capitalizing on the burst of attention by filing several trademarks, as spotted by trademark lawyer Josh Gerben.

Influencers: The group is gaining trust, particularly from younger consumers, according to a recent MorningConsult report. The report found that 61% of Gen Z and millennial adults said they trust social media influencers, an increase from 51% in 2019.

Portillo’s: The dining chain is bullish on the nation’s appetite for Chicago-style hot dogs and Italian beef. The company this week updated its growth projections this week to 920 U.S. locations, up from the 600 it previously planned. Crain’s Chicago Business has more. 

To learn more about Portillo’s ad plans, listen to our recent Marketer’s Brief podcast with Nick Scarpino, Portillo’s senior VP of marketing & off-premise dining.

Losers

Kraft Heinz: The brand recalled thousands of cases of its iconic American Cheese Singles product this week following reports of choking and gagging. A plastic strip was left on the cheese product after unwrapping due to an issue with a wrapping machine, the company said. Nearly 84,000 cases were impacted by Kraft’s recall.

Adidas: The German sportswear giant is under fire following remarks made by CEO Bjørn Gulden that appeared to support Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West. On a podcast, Gulden said he didn’t think Ye “meant what he said” in his widely publicized antisemitic rants, according to multiple reports. Consumers immediately complained about the Adidas chief’s remarks on social media.

McDonald’s: The fast feeder is again in hot water over its hot coffee. An 85-year-old San Francisco woman has filed a lawsuit alleging that she suffered first- and second-degree burns from drinking a McD’s coffee in June, saying the lid was not secured, reports Crain’s Chicago, which recalled the famous 1982 case that led to a jury awarding a woman $2.7 million in damages after she alleged that the chain’s hot coffee put her in the hospital.

Social post of the week

Flashback: Progressive actually used the Kool-Aid Man in a campaign

Number of the week

38,000: Number of seasonal positions Macy’s plans to hire for this year

Quote of the week

“F U, all the way.”—Megan Thee Stallion in a new ad for Flamin’ Hot University—referred to as “FU.” The fake university serves as a creative device to raise real money for a scholarship fund of up to $150,000 at Texas Southern University (TSU), a historically Black university in Houston.

On the move

United Airlines promoted Josh Earnest to executive VP of communications and advertising from senior VP and chief communications officer.

The Wine Group hired Helen Kurtz as chief marketing officer. She had been senior VP and general manager at Calavo Growers.

Amtrak tapped Eliot Hamlisch as chief commercial officer. He was CMO at AMC.

CarMax promoted Sarah Lane to senior VP, chief marketing officer. She began her career at the auto retailer 20 years ago as a paid search analyst.

Diageo hired Sally Grimes as CEO for North America. She had been CEO at Clif Bar & Company. Grimes was named an Ad Age Woman to Watch in 2013 when she oversaw innovation at Hillshire Brands.