Hey everyone, this is Sabrina Sanchez, creative editor at Campaign US, overwhelmed by the sheer volume of football pitches so far this season. Seems like this year will be an active one! 

Campaign US has finally released the results to its Return to Office survey and, spoiler alert, folks aren’t thrilled with new mandates. Most prefer to work hybrid without a mandatory in-office minimum, leaving the decision of whether and when to come in at their own discretion. Some executives are willing to cut their losses. But first...

New in Campaign US this week: 

• Wieden + Kennedy restructures U.S. leadership team
• Publicis Groupe’s Le Truc hires Julia Neumann as partner and chief creative officer
• Ikea awards global ad account to McCann
• New holding company snaps up TwentyFirstCenturyBrand 

Editor's pick

Just briefly: Nonprofit ChildFund International’s latest campaign, #TakeItDown, brings to light how child predators can easily use AI to “hide in plain sight” as they create child sexual abuse material (CSAM). 

Behind the scenes: A video spot, created in partnership with social impact agency WRTHY, depicts a predator whose face quickly switches from unassuming when speaking to his kids or colleagues into a pale monster when using his computer. The video is part of a multimedia campaign that invites viewers to demand action from policymakers, as well as a mini-documentary. 

The campaign comes as, according to the Washington Post, AI-generated CSAM has increased month-over-month since AI tools became widely available in the fall of 2022. While every U.S. state’s attorney general has signed a petition for Congress to further study and create guards against the proliferation of CSAM, there are still few barriers to keeping it from being generated or distributed. 

The message: The campaign draws attention to a less-considered abuse of AI, and reminds viewers that anyone can be a predator online. It leverages a popular topic — AI — to drive awareness for parents to be cautious of who their children are speaking with online, and offers a simple call to action to demand change. 

Hot topic

Brands are active in the fashion scene this month as New York Fashion Week takes place in Manhattan. Like in years prior, brands spanning categories from pet food, to soap to alcohol have dived into the festivities as they aim to align themselves with fashion-forward consumers. 

This year, these brand-fashion tie-ups are out of the box. Both Bombay and Greenies created couture garments for people and pets inspired by gin cocktails and dog dental treats, respectively, in partnership with fashion designer Christian Siriano. Meanwhile, White Claw created fashion accessories for its cans. 

The campaigns reflect how brands aim to align with culture and play into an artsy crowd in quirky ways. New York Fashion Week is a perfect opportunity to harp on the gravitas and shock factor associated with wealth, couture and bold fashion. 

But while the campaigns may be fun and grab the attention of fashion enthusiasts, do they add value? Are brands really moving the needle amid enthusiasts, or are these stunts too niche? Email us your thoughts and we may include them in the next newsletter!

What we're reading

• Verizon names Ogilvy creative AOR for its consumer business (Adweek)

• Google to require AI disclosures on political ads (Marketing Brew)

• How Burger King and Monster.com are seeing gains from their cinema ads (Adweek)

• Ford hires Toyota veteran as global CMO (Marketing Dive)

Campaigns we love

• This Female Quotient ad spotted in the wild is exactly the wake-up call sports reporters and commentators need. The ad features clips of male athletes in interviews and press conferences overlayed with audio from questions posed to female athletes after a competition. These include, “How do you think your weight gain has affected your performance?,” and “Can you give us a twirl and tell us about your outfit?” The caption asks: What if male athletes were asked the same questions or spoken about in the same way as female athletes? It calls for media companies to close the gap between men’s and women’s sports coverage with the hashtag #CoverTheAthlete. 

• We all understand why actor Ben Affleck is a brand ambassador for Dunkin’ (if you didn’t know, he’s from Boston), but now the brand has a new kid on the block. Ice Spice has been revealed as Dunkin’s newest ambassador, with a new drink on the menu. The Ice Spice Munchkins Drink, featuring a pumpkin munchkin blended into frozen coffee, debuted on Wednesday. In a spot, written and directed by Affleck and Artists Equity, Affleck ponders why Ice Spice is working with Dunkin’. Ice Spice points out her alignment with the brand in her stage name (a reference to iced coffee and pumpkin spice), and the name of her fandom (munchkins). Affleck still doesn’t seem to get it. Watch the spot here. 

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