Brand New World

The Old Man & The Z: Nike rips the script for its World Cup epic

The World Cup is just about to kick off and, of course, Nike was going to go big. Last week, the brand rolled out a chaotic and fun six-minute meta whirlwind through a Hollywood set of … a World Cup commercial shoot. The collection of global soccer stars, celebrities, and other cultural icons is pretty insane, but not unprecedented for the Swoosh company.   In this episode, hosts Jeff Beer and Grace Snelling are digging into this Nike spot, as well as some of our other favorite overall brand work right now, from WhatsApp to J.Crew and beyond.

The New Rules of Fandom: How Jomboy Media Is Playing Its Own Game

What started as lipreading breakdowns of baseball’s most chaotic moments became a new kind of sports media business—one built on passion, personality, and pure fun. Jomboy Media has transformed viral content into profits and rapid growth, with a Major League Baseball partnership that gives the company access to the league’s IP and sponsorship opportunities (while preserving editorial independence). Join this conversation with CEO Courtney Hirsch as she unpacks how Jomboy Media has followed its own script and shown that creators don’t have to sell out to scale.

Why Adidas is winning the World Cup so far

When Oscar-nominated actor Timothée Chalamet recently dropped Adidas’s new blockbuster World Cup spot, a five-minute epic story, on his Instagram, it sent shockwaves through the soccer world.    Not only because it stars Team USA's Trinity Rodman, Jude Bellingham of Real Madrid and Team England, and Spanish teen sensation Lamine Yamal of FC Barcelona. And not only because it's another big-budget blockbuster World Cup ad from a footwear giant featuring star players, celebrities, and a storyline that revolves around a big game in an unexpected place or with unexpected characters.   The magic trick it pulls off is how it manages to take a less-than-unique story device (famous players, unexpected game, etc.) and give it a new spin in a way that lives up to both the hype and the occasion of the world’s biggest sporting event. It might just be the best World Cup ad from the Three Stripes brand in 20 years. Grace Snelling is back for our monthly Old Man & the Z episode, and she and host Jeff Beer will be digging into the Chalamet ad, as well as where it fits into Adidas’s 21st-century World Cup pantheon. But first! Beer and Snelling break down their favorite overall recent brand work—which runs the gamut from Adidas super shoes to a very swooshy new ad from Yeti.

How Ford is reengineering its iconic brand without letting go of its heritage

Late last year, Ford launched its first new global brand strategy in over a decade. "Ready. Set. Ford." hit the U.S. last September and is gradually rolling out in Europe, Canada, and South America throughout this year.    Leading the charge is Ford’s Global chief marketing officer Lisa Materazzo, who joined the company in 2023, after 20 years at Toyota, where she led marketing for the Lexus and Scion brands.    In this episode, Jeff Beer talks to Materazzo about how and why "Ready. Set. Ford." goes far beyond just a marketing strategy, how our relationship with car brands has evolved most in recent years, and more.    Get your keys and start your engines.

Coca-Cola, America250, and the patriotic sales pitch

On April 6, Coca-Cola reheated its famed 1971 "Hilltop" strategy and launched its yearlong, nationwide campaign to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary with a three-minute video called “Drink in America.” Much like "Hilltop" more than 50 years ago, this is an incredibly idealized version of America. It feels especially weird amid intense partisan politics, an increasingly unpopular president, and a war with Iran. This video isn’t just selling sugar water—but an America you would barely recognize online.   On this episode of Brand New World, we’re going to talk about Coke’s idealized America and how brands are marking America250 so far. We'll also dig into the good, the bad, and the ugly of patriotic advertising.    But first! Hosts Jeff Beer and Grace Snelling break down some of their favorite brand work of the past month. Apple! KitKat! Lighters and cowboy boots?