Marketing winners and losers of the week

This week’s marketing winners, losers and newsmakers. Ad Age Small Agency Awards Showcase your agency’s creativity, business success and commitment to a thriving workplace. Enter today Winners Paramount Pictures The studio found an ingenious way to plug its new “Novocaine” film during Sunday’s Los Angeles Clippers-Sacramento Kings game. The movie stars Jack Quaid as a man who does not feel pain. Quaid played into the premise while seated courtside at the game with cameras catching him looking increasingly battered and beaten up, as documented by EW.com. Jack Quaid promoted his new movie ‘Novocaine’ at the Kings versus Clippers game by getting more and more beaten up as the game progressed on. pic.twitter.com/ZWav0EQFUj— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) March 11, 2025 Dick’s Sporting Goods The sporting goods retailer logged what it called its best sales quarter ever with fourth-quarter comparable sales growth of 6.4% over the year-earlier period. Net sales, at $3.89 billion, increased 0.5%. Though the latter may appear “subdued,” it “has been delivered with one fewer week of trade compared to last year, so is, in actuality, a strong result,” wrote Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData Retail, in a research report this week, noting that Dick’s was a “magnet” over the holiday period and has benefited from a branding perception shift from solely a sports chain to more of a lifestyle destination for impulse buying. However, like many retailers, Dick’s did warn of lower than anticipated profits this year as it manages tariffs and other retail uncertainty. Lego The brick toy maker posted strong annual revenue results this week as it releases new collections and products that are resonating with customers. In particular, the brand is gaining ground with women for its Botanicals Collection, which includes bouquets and plants made from Legos. The Danish Lego said revenue grew 13% last year over 2023 to 74.3 billion Danish crowns, or $10.82 billion. Losers Southwest Airlines The carrier announced an end to its popular baggage policy that allowed customers to check up to two bags for free. Instead, the perk will be reserved only for travelers in the highest level of its loyalty program, business class ticket holders or Southwest credit card holders. The news follows last year’s announcement of the demise of open boarding on Southwest flights as the brand seeks to improve sales. Consumers were displeased, to say the least. It’s so interesting to watch companies purposely destroy their customer loyalty for no real reason. Southwest was known for affordable, open seating, and free checked bags. Now they getting rid of all of it and just going be another airline https://t.co/Kw9bd61YwH— Nwamaka ✨ (@LoveWammie) March 11, 2025 Southwest wants to eliminate their free checked bags policy? GIRL YOU THOUGHT I WAS CHOOSING YOU FOR ANYTHING ELSE ?! pic.twitter.com/FYra02Qenp— Grimmjow’s Hollow Hole (@yamsnmac) March 11, 2025 Even other brands jumped in to mock the airline. @aldiusa At our stores, it's BYOB (bring your own bags). And yes, you can use both free of charge. 😉 #ALDIUSA ♬ som original - Milton - ratomilton guess we’re the only ones doing free baggage now— Amtrak (@Amtrak) March 11, 2025 still 99 cents https://t.co/Uu7wMK5EeO pic.twitter.com/u7mS4U7gaL— AriZona Iced Tea (@DrinkAriZona) March 11, 2025 See all of Ad Age’s 2025 Agency A-List winners here Girl Scouts The cookie seller is facing a consumer lawsuit alleging heavy metals and pesticides in some of its most popular flavors. A proposed class action lawsuit filed in Brooklyn earlier this week cited a recent study from GMO Science and Moms Across America that found the presence of aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury and pesticides in a sample of cookies that surpassed recommended amounts. The cookies named include the popular Thin Mint variety. European alcohol brands Imports of Champagne, wine and other European booze could get more expensive for Americans, under President Donald Trump’s latest tariff proposal. In a social post, he threatened a 200% tariff on European wine and other alcoholic drinks in retaliation for the European Union’s proposal for duties on U.S. goods, including American whiskey, according to Bloomberg News. 200% tariff on wine? Yeah we’re winning every single suburban house seat in 2026 pic.twitter.com/WE9wHOqxBE— santos-inistas (@JDabknee) March 13, 2025 Quote of the week “Creators don’t really have a platform where they can talk about themselves as being the new [media] networks and creating hit TV shows. We really want to educate the advertisers and the brands on the opportunity and this seismic shift that we all have been talking about for a long time, but it’s here. It’s now.” —Nic Paul, president of Spotter, which is running an event resembling TV upfronts for creators later this month. Read more: Why YouTubers are adopting an upfront ad strategy Social post of the week George Clooney’s first ever Broadway bio is surprisingly refreshing pic.twitter.com/pfnaP69f5I— Chris Murphy (@christress) March 13, 2025 Number of the week $19 Price of a single strawberry at Erewhon, a splurge consumers are obsessing over On the move Irresistible Foods Group recently hired Michelle Gabe as director of marketing and partnerships. She was most recently VP of strategic marketing, communications and partnerships at Truff. Front Row, an e-commerce agency, hired Michelle Lee as chief brand officer. She was most recently VP of global editorial and publishing at Netflix. The National Restaurant Association hired Leslie Nagao as chief marketing officer. She had been global CMO at the Urban Land Institute. Acorns hired Kasia Leyden as CMO. She was most recently chief marketing and strategy officer at ApplyBoard. Become an All Access subscriber Get access to exclusive resources including Leading National Advertisers, World’s Largest Advertisers, Agency Report, Agency Review Tracker and TV Pricing Report. Click here

Marketing winners and losers of the week

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