Latest news with #ADWEEK
The Sun
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Duolingo users baffled by new icon and say app has ‘gone demonic' after cryptic social media post
THE popular language-learning app has shocked users with its new look - after scrapping its social media accounts. The iconic logo - which now appears with three eyes - has blown the brains of fans. Duolingo recently wiped its Instagram and TikTok accounts, followed by the mind-boggling message 'gonefornow123". Alongside the cryptic message was a set of two dead roses and three eye emojis in the bio description. Its last post on platform X on May 17 read: 'Real eyes realise real lies,' followed by another set of three eye emojis. One user asked: "I was updating a bunch of my apps and saw Duolingo had three eyes now??? I opened the what's new tab and it's like he's gone demonic…?" "Could this be another sign of the second coming?" inquired a second user. "The 3 eyes creep me out personally," admitted a third. A fourth penned: "Why does Duo have 3 eyes??' Duolingo has left its 16.7 million TikTok followers and 4.6 million Instagram fans baffled after disappearing without explanation. A Duolingo spokesperson told ADWEEK recently: 'Let's just say we're experimenting with silence. "Sometimes, the best way to make noise is to disappear first.' Duolingo's Viral Owl Exit: The End of Duo? Duolingo is a free language learning app that helps users master new words and phrases in a language of their choice. The app delivers up game style language study tools in bite-sized lessons. Users can choose from over 40 languages to learn from scratch, or simply to brush up on their knowledge of speaking a second language. In October 2023, the Duolingo owl appeared to melt as part of a limited-time app icon change. Duolingo is the world's most downloaded free language-learning app. 2
Business Mayor
22-05-2025
- Automotive
- Business Mayor
Andretti and Marcus Ericsson Drive Allegra Into Indianapolis 500
Even at the Indianapolis 500, it takes more than slapping a logo on a race car for a brand like Allegra to emerge from the pack. The Sanofi-produced over-the-counter allergy medication doesn't get much return from having its trademark shade of purple simply make fast left turns in Indianapolis on Memorial Day weekend. Instead, the brand drilled a bit deeper for the race's 109th installment, bringing 2022 Indy 500 winner, 2023 runner-up, and allergy sufferer Marcus Ericsson into the fold to share his story and add some depth to the sponsorship. When you're an allergy pill claiming a non-drowsy formula and '0% brain interference,' there are few stronger tests of your brand thesis than having it quell allergies at a clear-headed 220 miles per hour. 'I have a strong brand, and I want to make sure that my partners can take advantage of that, and we can sort of win together and both have benefits from the partnership,' Ericsson told ADWEEK from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 'I always try to make sure that happens, and hopefully, having a strong month of May and winning the race will make it an even better partnership. I think the Allegra car will look pretty good in victory lane in a couple of weeks.' Meanwhile, when fans watching the race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway—tuning into the race on Fox on May 25—see Ericsson pull into the pits, they'll get a chance to play around with the Allegra Pit Shop. His team at TWG Motorsports' Andretti Global has outfitted its pit crew in purple jumpsuits with QR codes on the back, allowing fans to scan the codes and win prizes, including a trip to an upcoming race. Andretti Global pit crew are part of partner Allegra's Indy 500 campaign. Scott Heins. The Andretti family began its Indianapolis 500 legacy when Mario Andretti won the 1969 installment. As a team owner, Andretti has won six races since 1995—a total that's still second overall in Indy 500 history to reigning champion Penske's 20. If there was any trepidation about how racing professionals working for a family with that racing pedigree would react to purple gear and QR codes on their backs, it disappeared once the cameras arrived. 'We had a photo shoot/media day with the pit crew, and we were probably not nervous, but it's like, OK, who's going to want to do that?' said Jill Gregory, president of Andretti Global. 'We couldn't keep these guys off camera: They are like, 'Finally, someone's paying attention to us.''
Business Mayor
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Mayor
McDonald's, Olipop, and Nissan Dish on Their Buzziest Brand Collabs
ADWEEK's Social Media Week has come to a close, but the social and influencer marketing conversation is here to stay. Brands big and small convened at the event in New York City this past week to discuss their social strategies, how they're forging creator partnerships, and everything in between. During a panel called 'How Brands Are Getting Social Right,' marketers from McDonald's, Olipop, and Nissan highlighted some of their biggest collaborations in the past year—and how they drove success. The Grimace effect In 2023, McDonald's reintroduced its fuzzy purple mascot, Grimace, by unveiling a purple milkshake to celebrate his birthday. Virality soon followed as people took to social media to mock the product with homemade horror skits. The QSR chain, with help from its agency Wieden+Kennedy, leaned into this moment by incorporating the rotund character into more campaigns and collabs, including with the New York Mets. After Grimace threw out the first pitch at a Mets game last summer, the moment coincidentally kicked off a win streak for the team. Fans then credited the character for the Mets' sudden success, leading to an ongoing partnership. 'It was completely fan-led,' said Amanda Mulligan, McDonald's head of social media and influencer marketing. '[They] coined it, 'The Grimace Effect.'' To maintain the momentum, McDonald's worked with the Mets to create a custom, purple stadium chair for Grimace. He also rode the 7 train in New York City, the purple subway line with a direct route to Citi Field, the team's home stadium. Barbie x Olipop Olipop also made a big splash through a collab with Barbie. Last year, the health soda brand partnered with the Mattel doll on a peaches and cream flavor to commemorate the toy's 65th birthday and the relaunch of its 1984 Peaches 'N Cream Barbie.
Perth Now
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Bethenny Frankel 'would retire if she finds a billionaire on a boat'
Bethenny Frankel would "definitely retire" if she finds a "billionaire on some big boat". The 54-year-old star has admitted that she would happily walk away from her work life if she finds the right man. Speaking to ADWEEK, Bethenny said: "I would definitely retire - like, if I end up with some billionaire on some big boat." Bethenny considers herself to be an "accidental influencer". But the reality star insists there's also real skill to her success. Bethenny - who is best known for starring on 'The Real Housewives of New York City' - said: "I see a lot of entrepreneurs and business owners that can't help but want to promote themselves. But not everybody can do it, and you have to really know if you can. It has to land." The influencer believes that honesty and authenticity are the keys to her success. She explained: "Be honest, be authentic - this is what I'm doing." Earlier this month, Bethenny revealed that she felt like she was "drowning" before moving to Florida. In a post on TikTok, Bethenny - who has daughter Bryn, 14, with ex-husband Jason Hoppy - explained why she decided to swap New York for Florida. She said: "The morning of March 19th, this wasn't even a thought and by that evening, a series of events transpired and we decided it was the best move to move here [to Florida]. "Within five weeks, [we] had sold and bought a home in both places. We'll keep this apartment, but I sold my home and bought a house in Florida ... "[The previous house] was drowning me. It was just the two of us ... "It was a massive property, and I made the decision to buy that property when I was in a different stage of my life. I thought it would be this, like, big family home and that I'd be entertaining there a lot. "The house was drowning me because it had an apple orchard, it was a historical house, it had all this property, and it was beautiful and amazing for a big family with kids and grandparents. "It just ended up being a place that I spent a lot of time alone [in] because I didn't really know many people in that community."
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Where Brands' DEI Pledges Stand 5 Years After George Floyd
On May 25, 2020, George Floyd was murdered by a white police officer in Minneapolis. The tragedy sparked national outrage and a resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement, as people took to the streets of major cities across the country to protest and demand justice. Brands reacted, too. Companies including Walmart, Target, and Starbucks launched commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace and beyond, implementing inclusive hiring goals and making long-term investments in internal racial equity programs as well as supporting initiatives within underserved communities. Five years on, with an executive order from President Donald Trump in place to "end radical and wasteful government DEI programs and preferencing," the majority of 2020 pledges made by brands have disappeared. For Sheryl Daija, founder and CEO of global DEI marketing trade group BRIDGE, brands' initial pledges, specifically in support of the Black community, were well-intentioned, but DEI has since evolved from a practice to a buzzword, and now something more political. "The practice of DEI has been happening in companies for the last 40 years. It's not new, it's an extension of the Civil Rights Movement," she said. "The goal for DEI has always been to expand the opportunities given to more people that reflect the communities and consumers that companies serve," she said. "Instead of rolling back DEI, companies should be thinking about how they [can] leverage it for business opportunities." ADWEEK reached out to some of the high-profile brands that made public DEI pledges in 2020 to get an update on their progress in 2025. Walmart 2020 Pledge: Walmart created its Center for Racial Equity through a five-year, $100 million commitment to "address the root causes of gaps in outcomes experienced by Black and African American people in education, health, finance, and criminal justice systems." By 2021, the brand distributed the first set of grants totaling $14.3 million to various nonprofit organizations. In addition, it also invested $5 million into North Carolina A&T State University for its Equity in Education Initiative, which aims to get more Black college graduates into careers in fields like business and engineering. 2025 Progress: A Walmart spokesperson confirmed to ADWEEK that the retail giant is on track to fulfill its $100 million commitment this year. Per its 2024 Annual Belonging, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Report, the Center for Racial Equity has invested more than $80 million through Walmart and the Walmart Foundation. What's next? Walmart began scaling back its DEI efforts before federal mandates kicked in. The retailer told ADWEEK it would not be renewing its Center for Racial Equity. Last November, Walmart confirmed that it would no longer use the term "DEI" in its communications (favoring the word "belonging"), will review grants to Pride events, and no longer consider gender and race when offering contracts to suppliers, among other pullbacks. Bank of America Looking up at Bank of America sign on building 2020 Pledge: Bank of America pledged $1 billion over four years to help local communities address economic and racial inequality. It later increased this to $1.25 billion over five years in 2021. The increased funding was intended to further support investments to address racial justice, advocacy, and equality for people and communities of color, including those of Asian descent. 2025 Progress: Per the company's 2024 annual report released in March, it has exceeded its $1.25 billion goal. A Bank of America spokesperson declined to share by how much. What's next? Bank of America excluded references to diversity and inclusion in its 2024 annual report, something it has highlighted in previous reports. The company did not respond to a request for more information about the exclusion, or whether the $1.25 billion investment would be renewed. Target Target store 2020 Pledge: In 2020, Target launched Racial Equity Action and Change (REACH), a committee of diverse senior leaders tasked with guiding the brand's efforts to help "end systemic racism in the U.S. and drive lasting impact for the Black community." The retailer also announced plans to increase its representation of Black team members companywide by 20% over three years. In 2021, Target announced a commitment to spend more than $2 billion with Black-owned businesses by the end of 2025. It also pledged $10 million to nonprofit organizations focused on addressing barriers for systemic and structural Black communities, and in 2022 enhanced its Target Scholars Program, providing 1,000 first-year students at more than a dozen HBCUs $15,000 scholarships over three years. 2025 Progress: When contacted by ADWEEK, Target did not confirm whether its $2 billion investment and Target Scholars scholarships were on track to be fulfilled by the end of this year. It also did not confirm whether its promised $10 million investment has been fulfilled. What's next? In January, Target announced that it would conclude REACH initiatives, including its three-year DEI goals. It is also stopping all external diversity-focused surveys, including the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index, which measures workplace policies, practices, and benefits relative to LGBTQ+ employees. Starbucks Photo of Starbucks storefront. 2020 Pledge: In 2020, Starbucks announced it was setting and tracking annual inclusion and diversity goals of at least 30% BIPOC representation at all corporate levels and at least 40% of all retail and manufacturing roles by 2025. The Starbucks Foundation also pledged $1.5 million in Neighborhood Grants (which started in 2019) to prioritize community-based nonprofit organizations focused on local impact. It also invested $5 million to launch a two-year initiative supporting nonprofits that serve BIPOC youth. 2025 Progress: Per an October update from Mark Brown, Starbucks' svp of talent and inclusion, the coffee chain has "made progress on the racial and ethnic diversity of Starbucks in the U.S.," with diverse partners representing more than 51.9% of its retail team and more than 37.9% of its corporate roles. However, Brown stated that it has made less progress in its manufacturing teams. A Starbucks spokesperson confirmed to ADWEEK that its Neighborhood Grants program is ongoing. The brand has also fulfilled its two-year, $5 million investment, supporting eight youth organizations during that timeframe. What's next? Despite facing lawsuits alleging that its DEI policies violate civil rights laws, Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol doubled down on the company's commitment to diversity, stating in its annual shareholder meeting in March that "diversity is going to continue to be a key strength of our business and frankly, helps us connect with our customers at another level." Chief partner officer Sarah Kelly said Starbucks is "deeply committed to diversity" and is 'developing and designing programs focused on how we create and foster that inclusion, from strong partner networks to rewarding our senior leaders for creating a culture of belonging."
