Bay FC may have finished seventh in the rankings and earned a spot in the playoffs for its first season in the NWSL, but the team is still in the mud when it comes to its marketing. Literally.

The team’s inaugural ad campaign last year was all about “blood, sweat, and mud,” and this year’s new campaign, which focuses on what they’ve accomplished since, still has an element of grit to it—thanks in part to a rainy day on set, according to COO Jen Millet.

“We were a little bit like, ‘Oh, my gosh, how’s this gonna work, how’s this gonna look?’” she said. “But the fact that it was raining actually makes it look really dramatic and awesome.”

In addition to showing off Bay FC’s foundation, the campaign, called “Built for the Moment,” aims to highlight star players and a new kit design as the team looks to boost ticket and merchandise sales, as well as sponsorships, in its sophomore season, Millet said.

Read more here about the strategy behind the sophomore campaign.—AM

Could the most compelling case for AI be talking to ads?

Meta is testing a new feature that will let users “talk” and question AI agents on behalf of advertisers and businesses across platforms like Facebook and Instagram, it announced Tuesday.

Called Business AI, the tech Meta is piloting involves AI agents that can engage with users’ questions, either through voice or text. The tool, which functions like a chatbot, aims to help democratize access to AI agents for smaller businesses that can’t otherwise afford AI investments, Clara Shih, Meta’s VP of Business AI, said at a press roundtable held at the company’s offices in New York.

“There’s also a lot of businesses where it’s just not feasible for them to fine-tune a model and build all of the software infrastructure that’s required to deploy AI,” she said.

Read more here about the new tools and their proposed applications.—RB

Amid calls for a boycott and being overrun on its social media channels with criticism for backtracking on its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts, Target saw foot traffic decline for the fourth consecutive week, according to new data from Placer.ai.

For the week that began February 17, foot traffic at Target’s stores fell 7.9% YoY, more than double the 3.9% it fell the previous week.

Traffic was also down at Walmart, which also has faced criticism for rolling back its DEI program, falling 5.2% YoY for the week beginning February 17, also marking the fourth consecutive week its traffic fell, and more than triple the 1.4% it fell the previous week.

At Costco, meanwhile, which resisted calls from shareholders and 19 Republican attorneys general to cancel its DEI programs, traffic has been up for all four weeks in the same period. Foot traffic rose 4.8% YoY for the week beginning February 17, slightly higher than the 4.6% it rose the week before.

Correlation—let’s say it all together—is not causation, and Placer.ai had no comment about whether the DEI rollbacks had an impact on the data.

In a statement, R.J. Hottovy, head of analytical research at Placer.ai, said that “foot traffic across much of the retail sector has declined in February, likely due to factors such as post-holiday spending pullbacks, decreased consumer confidence, and other macroeconomic conditions.”—AAN

Get ready for an inspiring session with Jes Wolfe, CEO of Rebel Girls, on April 8 in New York (or virtually)! Learn how to build purpose-driven brands that empower the next generation of female leaders. It’s a conversation you won’t want to miss. Grab your ticket now before it sells out!

Discover how brands like Saucony, Gainful, and Netflix are using run clubs to engage diverse communities. From exclusive gear to one-of-a-kind events, learn how these partnerships are creating powerful connections and building loyalty by embracing the inclusive spirit of running.