Over a year later, the Barbie movie is continuing to affect culture: The final scene of the film, which features Barbie going to a gynecologist, might have caused a spike in internet searches related to gynecology following the movie’s release, according to a recent study published in the journal JAMA Network Open.

Barbie’s impact goes beyond the medical realm. The film was a branding phenomenon, and its success has left brands clamoring to be included in movies and TV shows to woo consumers.

“Barbie got everyone really excited last summer,” said Lily Gluzberg, VP at 160over90, a cultural marketing agency that is a sibling of entertainment agency WME, where she acts as the day-to-day lead for the entertainment marketing group. “We’re seeing a lot of brands want to ride this wave and try to replicate that success.”

While Barbie may have sparked new conversations around creating branded content, it will take time for brands to “actually do the thing,” Gluzberg said. And Julian Jacobs, head of UTA NY and partner and co-head of UTA entertainment and culture marketing, said that while brands are eager to partner with content thanks to the movie, not every brand is, well, Barbie.

“Although the Barbie movement sent brands to Hollywood to go explore in a similar fashion, I think the truth is that not all brands really can do that and aren’t right to go make a movie or a TV show inspired by their brand,” he told us.

Continue reading here.—JS

The stock market’s changed. Once dominated by a few huge players, a new wave of engaged retail investors has emerged with more influence than ever.

After Earnings is the show that connects the modern investor with the executives and decision-makers who are shaping the markets. Listen now as Austin Hankwitz and Katie Perry bring the conversations that used to be available only to hedge fund managers to the rest of us.

Hanes has been around for decades and had a famed partnership with Michael Jordan spanning over 30 years. Despite the brand’s visibility, it faces serious competition: Brands like Nike and Under Armour sell undies and other clothing, while newer ventures like Skims and Parade have successfully profited within the industry.

To stay relevant, Hanes employs a multi-pronged advertising strategy, which includes heavily advertising across Amazon ad offerings, Dawn Hedgepeth, CMO of HanesBrands Innerwear and Hanes Apparel, told Marketing Brew. The messaging strategy focuses on leveraging Hanes’s reputation to build awareness of its newer products, while also experimenting with a broad array of advertising mediums.

It’s even active on Amazon Freevee, which was supposed to be sunsetted earlier this year, according to Adweek, after Prime Video debuted ads.

Spread the word: Since ads on Prime Video debuted in late January, it’s significantly influenced the ad ecosystem: Scores of brands have bought ads on the new offering, which can reach over 200 million monthly viewers. Prime Video ads have been so attractive that Netflix has dropped its ad rates compared with last year, according to the Wall Street Journal.

While Prime Video ads may be the talk of the town, Hanes still sees value in activating on Freevee, Hedgepeth said. Hanes wants to reach a large segment of consumers with affordable products, and Freevee is accessible to a larger audience outside of only Prime users.

Continue reading here.—JS

AmEx—the company behind that heavy credit card your friend is always flashing—is updating its advertising business.

As it announced earlier this month, the premium credit card company will let advertisers target new American Express customers with offers, like discounts and rewards, as early as five days after they get their credit card. Previously, the company had a lag of roughly 30 days.

The update will open up inventory to advertisers, just as new card holders attempt to hit lucrative spending bonuses.

So what? If any of this feels familiar, that’s because Chase just overhauled its advertising business in April and will bring its targeting capabilities in-house.

Financial service companies are cashing in on the booming retail media category, which is projected to be a $166 billion industry by 2025, according to eMarketer. Just this month, Uber’s ad business surpassed the $1 billion mark. Walmart’s, meanwhile, was estimated at $3.4 billion, according to the company’s fiscal 2024 year-end earnings report, and its global ad business grew 26% YoY during Q2, it reported earlier this month.

“As a retailer, they know what happens in the four walls of that retail store. I can tell them how my card members behave, not only in that store, but others in their peer set, in that industry vertical,” Erin Frankcombe, VP and general manager of AmEx Offers and Business Insights, told Marketing Brew. “That is a pretty powerful advantage.”

Keep reading here.—RB

Stories we’re jealous of.

• The New York Times traveled around in the L.L.Bean Bootmobile.
• The Wall Street Journal wrote about how the State of Ohio and the tagline “Only in Ohio” have taken on a new meaning in Gen Alpha slang.
• The Economist wrote about how AI is “losing hype,” and whether that’s indicative of future success or failure.