ADWEEK

As generative AI and creators take a bigger hand in producing creative work, brand managers face a crucial question: Who’s watching to ensure its all working together to build brand equity? It’s an especially pertinent question for a company the size of Bayer, which operates in 80 countries with a consumer-health portfolio that includes household names like Claritin, Alka Seltzer, and Aleve. “If we have creative, but we want to localize it in different markets, in different languages, and cut the assets in different lengths, we have been using AI,” said Bayer’s global content and creative lead, Céline Baudin. But ensuring all of that content is driving brand recognition and equity is a challenge. “We struggle sometimes to understand what kind of content we create across all our markets, and to ensure this is the content that is actually optimized and good quality.” Read more from Robert Klara 👇

"How can we BUILD with this community?" That's the question that Miguel Lopez-Ixta says marketers should be asking when talking to communities. Learn how to shift your clients' mindset at Social Media Week April 14-16 ➡️ https://adweek.it/3NkZO02

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How can a deal as monumental as the one between Netflix and Warner Music Group genuinely push the medium forward? To Chris Watling, founder of BABY TEETH, the answer comes down to artistic integrity, risk-taking, and bravery. Read more about his take on what this deal means for artists, documentary filmmakers, and the industry as a whole 👇

What are your non-negotiables when working on a creator campaign? For Jordan Howlett, it's making sure he can actually interact with the folks he's working with. Join the convo with us at Social Media Week April 14-16 in NYC 👉 https://adweek.it/3NkZO02

Sundial Media & Technology Group, parent of Essence, Refinery29, Afropunk, and more, has appointed marketing veteran Amanda Butler, MBA as its first chief marketing officer. Butler, who started in mid-January, will lead consumer marketing, communications, creative strategy, and insights across the portfolio, including 29Rooms and Essence Fest. CEO Kirk McDonald said the role signals a shift to making marketing a central growth driver across media, live experiences, commerce, and technology. Read more 👉 https://adweek.it/4e0qA8N

Big brands are returning to their founding stories to reset after losing focus, and it is paying off. Nike, down nearly 60% from its 2021 peak, brought back veteran Elliott Hill, reorganized around sports, and relaunched brand storytelling with “Why Do It?”. Starbucks hired Brian Niccol in 2024 to refocus on coffee and the in-store experience, helping lift Q1 2026 revenue 5% to $9.9B and end an eight-quarter slump in U.S. transactions.

"Unilever’s decision to combine its foods business with McCormick & Company isn’t a retreat from food, but a re-focus on areas where it can naturally make more money." Javier E. Rodriguez Horta, senior consultant at Overline, gives his take on the recent restructuring at Unilever.

Agentic commerce dominated the conversation at this year’s Shoptalk, showing up everywhere from panels to private chats. But despite the buzz, no one in the ecosystem has figured out how it will actually work, since consumer behavior and the needed infrastructure are still unclear. Even so, the discussion is starting to push the industry toward action, and early missteps may prove useful.