This week's marketing winners, losers and newsmakers.
Winners
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital: The organization took the top prize in the Association of National Advertisers In-House Excellence Awards ceremony. The marketing trade group praised a St. Jude’s campaign that leveraged YouTube personalities for a variety show/telethon that included participation from viewers around the world. It was created with outside agency Theorist Inc. That partnership earned a second award for St. Jude in the “Best Collaborative Effort” category.
Halloween marketers: After a COVID-filled year in which few kids attended parties or went trick-or-treating, Halloween is expected to make a big comeback this year. Consumer spending on items for the holiday is expected to reach $10.1 billion—a record and a 25% increase over 2020, according to a recent survey from the National Retail Federation. The report also found that 65% of Americans plan to celebrate Halloween this year, up from 58% last year and close to the 68% of pre-pandemic 2019. All signs point to 2022 being a good year for dentists.
Sports betting: Gambling brands continue to break through with mainstream marketing deals. The latest comes from Caesars Entertainment, which struck a pact with the NHL’s Washington Capitals that will have the team wear Caesars Sportsbook logos on team jerseys for home games starting with the 2022-23 season. The pro hockey league cleared the way for jersey ad deals in August.