Advertising

Ad Age reports: Fresh off its impressive showing at the Cannes Lions festival, Burger King has debuted its latest out-of-the-box move: diamonds made out of Whoppers. To celebrate Pride month, the brand has debuted the “Whopper Diamond,” jewels crafted from the ashes of its signature offering. The diamonds adorn a pair of bespoke wedding rings for a homosexual couple, Dima …

The MediaPost reports: Last year for LGBTQ Pride Month, Verizon produced a tearful one-minute video that showed several young people calling their parents to inform them for the first time that they’re gay. The YouTube video also showed up on the MTV Music Awards. All those phone calls “end happily, if occasionally tearfully,” as MediaPost reported. But these kinds of …

Courthouse News reports: A Wisconsin judge has ordered Anheuser-Busch to stop suggesting in advertising that MillerCoors’ light beers contain corn syrup, wading into a fight between two beer giants that are losing market share to smaller, independent brewers. Corn syrup is used by some brewers during fermentation. During that process, corn syrup is broken down and consumed by yeast so …

CNN reports: A man’s first shave is a milestone no matter who you are. But for transgender man Samson Bonkeabantu Brown, it was memorable for several reasons. Brown shared the experience with a man identified as his father in an advertisement for Gillette, the maker of razors and shaving supplies. The video, which Gillette shared on its Facebook page, shows …

The Guardian reports: Google has given tens of thousands of dollars in free advertising to an anti-abortion group that runs ads suggesting it provides abortion services at its medical clinics, but actually seeks to deter “abortion-minded women” from terminating their pregnancies. The Obria Group, which runs a network of clinics funded by Catholic organizations, received a $120,000 Google advertising grant …

Axios reports: The Trump administration finalized a rule Wednesday that will require pharmaceutical companies to post the list prices of their drugs in TV commercials. The drug industry may sue to block the rule, and many people are skeptical that publishing prices in ads would help patients or successfully shame drugmakers into lowering their prices. But the rule is another …

Pennsylvania’s SETPA mass transit system has begun a pilot program in which commuters must watch a video ad before loading their fare card at train station kiosks. Philadelphia Magazine weighs in: On the one hand, SEPTA’s facing a potentially catastrophic risk to its budget, on account of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, one of its biggest funders, being billions of dollars in …

JMG readers and gay parents Michael and Tony are the stars of a new commercial for baby formula brand Enfamil, which was launched in the 1950s and is currently owned by the global conglomerate Reckitt Benckiser. The clip is part of the brand’s “most important person” campaign. The most important person in the world probably isn’t who you’re thinking of. …

The Hill reports: Language learning platform Babbel apologized Tuesday for its ad being aired during Fox News’ “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” which the company called “repugnant.” Fox News did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Babbel claiming to blacklist Tucker Carlson’s show. Several companies pulled their ads from Carlson’s series in the last year. When the anchor in …

Axios reports: The Trump campaign is spending nearly half (44%) of its Facebook ad budget to target users who are over 65 years old, as opposed to Democratic candidates who are only spending 27% of their budget on that demographic, according to data given to Axios exclusively from Bully Pulpit Interactive. Other data points pulled from the Facebook ad archive …

The Washington Post reports: The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development said Thursday it is charging Facebook with housing discrimination, alleging its targeted advertising platform violates the Fair Housing Act by “encouraging, enabling, and causing” unlawful discrimination by restricting who can view housing ads. The charges caught Facebook off guard, coming one week after the social media giant agreed …

The New York Daily News reports: The city filed a lawsuit Wednesday aimed at sinking the billboard-carrying barges that float on New York waterways. City attorneys write that the company behind the LED advertisements, Ballyhoo Media, has brazenly disregarded requests to dock the barges because they are a public nuisance, distract drivers and violate zoning regulations. “Our waterways aren’t Times …

 CNN reports: A leading Democratic super PAC launched its first digital ad campaign of the 2020 election cycle Tuesday after pledging to spend $100 million on early efforts in key battleground states. The group, Priorities USA, announced a six-figure digital ad buy airing in four key battleground states that are targeted in the early spending initiative: Florida, Michigan, Pennsylvania and …

Via press release: The ACLU, along with our client Communications Workers of America, and other civil rights groups, announced a historic settlement agreement with Facebook that will result in major changes to Facebook’s advertising platform. Advertisers will no longer be able to exclude users from learning about opportunities for housing, employment, or credit based on gender, age, or other protected …

From the Hollywood Reporter: Fox News host Jeanine Pirro’s Saturday night show has already lost at least three corporate advertisers after she said on her March 9 broadcast that Muslim congresswoman Ilhan Omar is “Sharia-compliant” because she wears a traditional hijab head covering. Letgo, an online marketplace for selling used items that advertised on Saturday’s episode of Justice w/ Judge …

Monsters And Critics reports: A new Cottonelle commercial has debuted for 2019 — but there’s more than one version. The two TV spots are almost identical, but while one features a gay couple, a second features lovers who are straight. The premise of both appears to be that if you’re going to meet your partner’s parents, you probably want a …

Reuters reports: When Chloe Kritharas Devienne was asked to photograph 28 couples kissing and cuddling in Greece while holding a bar of Lacta chocolate, she did not expect to be attacked by trolls. The Valentine’s Day adverts for the popular chocolate brand were the first to feature same-sex and interracial couples in Greece, a conservative country where the Orthodox Church …

From the Hollywood Reporter: The Washington Post debuted its Super Bowl commercial, narrated by Tom Hanks, during Sunday’s game between the New England Patriots and the Los Angeles Rams. The commercial showed scenes from major news events in history, from World War II through to the present day. According to the Post, Hanks’ narration “described the role of journalists as …

The Independent reports: This year marks 100 years since British Airways started flying. To celebrate its centenary, the airline has just released its 100th anniversary campaign advert, with best of British talent front and centre. The advert, called #BA100, is designed to be a “love letter to Britain”. Famous faces onboard the special #BA100 flight include actors Gary Oldman, Olivia …

The Independent reports: First they burned their Nike trainers. Now conservatives are taking their rage out on razors. Gillette has been bombarded with footage of angry men throwing away their shavers in response to an advert warning about toxic masculinity. The campaign, which references the #MeToo movement, workplace sexism and male violence, has been praised by many for its message. …