HIGHLIGHTS: November 2024
November was an interesting month, punctuated for me by a nasty wind storm that ripped through the Seattle area, knocking out power for roughly half a million people in the area. We were without power for 4 days. When reliable high-speed connectivity gets scarce, it becomes clear how reliant on it most of us have become. It's the first time since remote work started in earnest that I missed having an office to go to for connectivity and power.
Otherwise, in the emerging tech world - rumors of AI advancements starting to slow down proliferated last month. It's hard to get a clear read on it but my guess is that things aren't likely to slow down soon - it's just that the way most foundational model training has been done is likely to shift. Video and audio capabilities took major leaps forward over the last few months, leading brands and agencies continue to experiment heavily with GenAI and other emerging technologies. Probably the biggest highlight is Coca-Cola releasing new versions of its classic Holiday spots, generated primarily by AI. However you feel about the content, the fact that a major brand is comfortable enough with the technology to release these videos is a clear illustration of how far the tech has come. See the story below for more details.
We also captured a few immersive / XR examples last month - it's so interesting to watch that space continue to evolve as well, and the combined power of AI and immersive tech is bound to transform the way that people interact with the world around them on a daily basis. Tom Emrich, a long time Augmented Reality expert, announced the release of his first book"The Next Dimension: How to Use Augmented Reality for Business Growth in the Era of Spatial Computing." I pre-ordered my copy months ago and can't wait to dive in.
TOP 5 EXAMPLES:
Coca-Cola continues its deep dive into GenAI with new Holiday TV spots - Coca-Cola has launched its first AI-driven holiday TV commercials, leveraging generative AI to reimagine its iconic "Holidays Are Coming" campaign from 1995. Collaborating with AI studios like Secret Level, Silverside AI, and Wild Card, Coca-Cola developed three distinct versions of the ad, tailored for global broadcast across various platforms. Instead of traditional filming, AI tools like Leonardo, Luma, and Runway were used to generate snow-covered towns, festive animals, and the brand’s signature Christmas trucks. The ads also integrate AI-generated humans and animals, with some sequences requiring hundreds of iterations to perfect.
Rams Fans Dive into AR Deals with Uber Eats and Princess Cruises - The Los Angeles Rams and Stagwell have teamed up with Princess Cruises and Uber Eats to bring augmented reality (AR) directly to fans during games at SoFi Stadium. Using Stagwell’s ARound platform, fans can engage with two immersive in-stadium AR experiences. Princess Cruises’ activation, “Touchdown Treasure,” transforms the stadium into exotic cruise destinations, like Mexico and Alaska, giving fans a sense of the brand’s travel offerings as Rams players “race” through these digital locations. Uber Eats offers a more interactive approach, where fans can play games to unlock food and beverage deals redeemable at stadium concession stands.
How AI-Powered CTV Ads Are Changing Live Sports Marketing - DraftKings and Dr Pepper are leaning into Perion’s AI-powered Stay Live advertising format, a technology designed to seamlessly integrate ads into live sports broadcasts on CTV. Stay Live employs artificial intelligence to analyze live broadcast streams, identifying optimal ad placement moments with high viewer engagement and minimal interruption—like replays of major game moments. The format, which expands beyond sports to potentially other live content, aligns with advertisers' push for contextually relevant, attention-grabbing messaging.
BOSS Unveils Immersive Holiday Shopping Experience - BOSS has entered the holiday season with flair, launching a virtual shopping experience to showcase its merino wool holiday collection. Featuring David Beckham as its ambassador, the campaign highlights an array of stylish essentials like sweaters, scarves, and beanies in luxe merino wool. At the heart of this campaign is an immersive virtual platform created by Emperia. Shoppers are invited into a gamified environment where they can browse menswear, womenswear, footwear, accessories, and even fragrances. The platform seamlessly integrates browsing and purchasing, making gift selection more interactive and enjoyable. Users can view product details, add items to their carts, and even join raffles, with loyalty program members doubling their chances of winning, boosting both engagement and brand loyalty.
PepsiCo Expands Multi-year Partnership with EA Sports - PepsiCo and EA have announced an expansion of their partnership, integrating Gatorade into EA Sports FC Mobile for the first time. This collaboration extends PepsiCo's existing presence in EA Sports FC, which began on console game platforms. Gatorade branding will now feature across in-game assets such as ad boards and virtual cooling equipment, alongside existing Pepsi product integrations.
That's it for this month. Have a great holiday season! See you in the new year!
