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Joe Sedelmaier, the groundbreaking commercial director whose comedic TV spots helped redefine modern advertising and turned catchphrases into cultural touchstones, died Friday at age 92.

Sedelmaier’s best-known spots included FedEx’s “Fast Talking Man” in 1981 and Wendy’s “Where’s the Beef?” in 1984. He became one of the most influential directors in advertising history in large part by jettisoning the past. At a time when TV commercials were dominated by conventionally attractive actors and rigid storyboards, Sedelmaier pioneered unconventional casting, exaggerated comic rhythms and cinematic staging.

Sedelmaier passed away “peacefully of natural causes at home in his favorite chair,” his family told Ad Age.

🔗 Read Sedelmaier's full obituary and see some of his iconic work at the link in our bio.

Forget orange slices. @mcdonaldsnewzealand wants athletes to try pickle juice as matchay fuel. 🥒

The fast-food chain has teamed up with soccer club @aucklandfc on a campaign that repurposes leftover pickle brine from its kitchens and supplies it to players as an anti-cramping remedy. The salty liquid has become a familiar sight in athletics, particularly in endurance sports, with many believing it can help ease cramps quickly during play.

The campaign, devised by McCann and promoted by FleishmanHillard Aotearoa, rolled out through in-stadium activations at Auckland FC matches along with creator partnerships, social content and earned media.

📲 Read about the full campaign at the link in our bio. 🔗

Forget orange slices. @mcdonaldsnewzealand wants athletes to try pickle juice as matchay fuel. 🥒

The fast-food chain has teamed up with soccer club @aucklandfc on a campaign that repurposes leftover pickle brine from its kitchens and supplies it to players as an anti-cramping remedy. The salty liquid has become a familiar sight in athletics, particularly in endurance sports, with many believing it can help ease cramps quickly during play.

The campaign, devised by McCann and promoted by FleishmanHillard Aotearoa, rolled out through in-stadium activations at Auckland FC matches along with creator partnerships, social content and earned media.

📲 Read about the full campaign at the link in our bio. 🔗

Forget orange slices. @mcdonaldsnewzealand wants athletes to try pickle juice as matchay fuel. 🥒

The fast-food chain has teamed up with soccer club @aucklandfc on a campaign that repurposes leftover pickle brine from its kitchens and supplies it to players as an anti-cramping remedy. The salty liquid has become a familiar sight in athletics, particularly in endurance sports, with many believing it can help ease cramps quickly during play.

The campaign, devised by McCann and promoted by FleishmanHillard Aotearoa, rolled out through in-stadium activations at Auckland FC matches along with creator partnerships, social content and earned media.

📲 Read about the full campaign at the link in our bio. 🔗

🥑 Would you pay $305 for an avocado with better branding?

@theordinary is taking aim at the category’s marketing spin with an experiential activation that turns ordinary groceries into wildly overpriced “premium” products. Created with @uncommon.creative.studio, “The Markup Marché” opened in Toronto this week as a faux supermarket where bananas, coconuts and avocados are repackaged with elaborate wellness language and outlandish prices.

The campaign arrives alongside consumer research cited by the brand suggesting shoppers are willing to spend more when products are framed with aspirational language or upscale packaging. 

“The beauty industry hasn’t always been selling the truth, and we’re continuing our mission to change this,” said Amy Bi, VP of brand at The Ordinary. “We wouldn’t buy everyday essentials that were marketed misleadingly, so why shouldn’t we apply the same logic to beauty products? The Markup Marché is designed to be a relatable comparison to how over-exaggerated marketing language can influence purchases, offering an excuse for brands to inflate their product prices.”

📲 Read about the full campaign at the link in our bio. 🔗

🥑 Would you pay $305 for an avocado with better branding?

@theordinary is taking aim at the category’s marketing spin with an experiential activation that turns ordinary groceries into wildly overpriced “premium” products. Created with @uncommon.creative.studio, “The Markup Marché” opened in Toronto this week as a faux supermarket where bananas, coconuts and avocados are repackaged with elaborate wellness language and outlandish prices.

The campaign arrives alongside consumer research cited by the brand suggesting shoppers are willing to spend more when products are framed with aspirational language or upscale packaging. 

“The beauty industry hasn’t always been selling the truth, and we’re continuing our mission to change this,” said Amy Bi, VP of brand at The Ordinary. “We wouldn’t buy everyday essentials that were marketed misleadingly, so why shouldn’t we apply the same logic to beauty products? The Markup Marché is designed to be a relatable comparison to how over-exaggerated marketing language can influence purchases, offering an excuse for brands to inflate their product prices.”

📲 Read about the full campaign at the link in our bio. 🔗

🥑 Would you pay $305 for an avocado with better branding?

@theordinary is taking aim at the category’s marketing spin with an experiential activation that turns ordinary groceries into wildly overpriced “premium” products. Created with @uncommon.creative.studio, “The Markup Marché” opened in Toronto this week as a faux supermarket where bananas, coconuts and avocados are repackaged with elaborate wellness language and outlandish prices.

The campaign arrives alongside consumer research cited by the brand suggesting shoppers are willing to spend more when products are framed with aspirational language or upscale packaging. 

“The beauty industry hasn’t always been selling the truth, and we’re continuing our mission to change this,” said Amy Bi, VP of brand at The Ordinary. “We wouldn’t buy everyday essentials that were marketed misleadingly, so why shouldn’t we apply the same logic to beauty products? The Markup Marché is designed to be a relatable comparison to how over-exaggerated marketing language can influence purchases, offering an excuse for brands to inflate their product prices.”

📲 Read about the full campaign at the link in our bio. 🔗

💪 @mothernewyork wants subway bros to train harder for stroller duty.

The agency is marking Mother’s Day with a tongue-in-cheek fitness initiative aimed at one of New York’s most stubborn transit headaches: lugging strollers up subway stairs. The agency’s new “M.A.M.A. Training” program—short for Men Assisting Moms Ascending—reimagines stroller assistance as a kind of urban athletic challenge, complete with a real-life workout class in Brooklyn.

The campaign riffs on the rise of functional fitness trends, just with nontraditional gym equipment. 

“Whether it was offering me a seat when I was pregnant or helping with my stroller now, as a new mom, I’ve noticed that probably nine out of 10 times, the people who offer to help on public transit are usually women,” said Sara Carr, creative director at Mother. “It’s anecdotal, of course, but other moms we spoke to reported the same thing. Moms are incredibly strong, but strollers are heavy! Hopefully, now the men of New York will be strong enough to help out, too.”

📲 Read about the full campaign at the link in our bio. 🔗

💪 @mothernewyork wants subway bros to train harder for stroller duty.

The agency is marking Mother’s Day with a tongue-in-cheek fitness initiative aimed at one of New York’s most stubborn transit headaches: lugging strollers up subway stairs. The agency’s new “M.A.M.A. Training” program—short for Men Assisting Moms Ascending—reimagines stroller assistance as a kind of urban athletic challenge, complete with a real-life workout class in Brooklyn.

The campaign riffs on the rise of functional fitness trends, just with nontraditional gym equipment. 

“Whether it was offering me a seat when I was pregnant or helping with my stroller now, as a new mom, I’ve noticed that probably nine out of 10 times, the people who offer to help on public transit are usually women,” said Sara Carr, creative director at Mother. “It’s anecdotal, of course, but other moms we spoke to reported the same thing. Moms are incredibly strong, but strollers are heavy! Hopefully, now the men of New York will be strong enough to help out, too.”

📲 Read about the full campaign at the link in our bio. 🔗

💪 @mothernewyork wants subway bros to train harder for stroller duty.

The agency is marking Mother’s Day with a tongue-in-cheek fitness initiative aimed at one of New York’s most stubborn transit headaches: lugging strollers up subway stairs. The agency’s new “M.A.M.A. Training” program—short for Men Assisting Moms Ascending—reimagines stroller assistance as a kind of urban athletic challenge, complete with a real-life workout class in Brooklyn.

The campaign riffs on the rise of functional fitness trends, just with nontraditional gym equipment. 

“Whether it was offering me a seat when I was pregnant or helping with my stroller now, as a new mom, I’ve noticed that probably nine out of 10 times, the people who offer to help on public transit are usually women,” said Sara Carr, creative director at Mother. “It’s anecdotal, of course, but other moms we spoke to reported the same thing. Moms are incredibly strong, but strollers are heavy! Hopefully, now the men of New York will be strong enough to help out, too.”

📲 Read about the full campaign at the link in our bio. 🔗

🍻 @abinbev has been named Creative Marketer of the Year for 2026 by @cannes_lions, becoming the first company to receive the honor three times.

The award recognizes marketers that have built a sustained track record of Lion-winning creative work. AB InBev took home 37 Lions at last year’s festival, while demonstrating the positive business results from investing in creativity.

“AB InBev has embedded creativity into how it operates, not just how it leverages marketing, and it is consistently outperforming as a result,” Simon Cook, CEO of Lions, said in a statement. “By prioritizing creativity at a C-suite level and implementing an internal creative effectiveness system, it continues to demonstrate the clear and compelling link between creative excellence and commercial performance.”

🏆 Read the full story to learn more about AB InBev’s Cannes Lions win at the link in our bio. 🔗

@lays is chasing soccer fans from grocery runs to group chats ahead of this summer’s World Cup. ⚽️ The @pepsico brand is bringing back its “No Lay’s, No Game” platform. 

The work, from @slapglobal, reflects a shift in how the brand is approaching its audience. Instead of aiming messaging at demographics, the campaign looks at behavior—who’s buying chips at a store, who’s chatting during a match—and builds from there. Lay’s believes this approach feels more immediate and less staged, even when global celebrities are involved.

PepsiCo is teasing the next phase of the campaign, which will have a “bandwagon” theme.

📲 Read about the full campaign at the link in our bio. 🔗

@lays is chasing soccer fans from grocery runs to group chats ahead of this summer’s World Cup. ⚽️ The @pepsico brand is bringing back its “No Lay’s, No Game” platform. 

The work, from @slapglobal, reflects a shift in how the brand is approaching its audience. Instead of aiming messaging at demographics, the campaign looks at behavior—who’s buying chips at a store, who’s chatting during a match—and builds from there. Lay’s believes this approach feels more immediate and less staged, even when global celebrities are involved.

PepsiCo is teasing the next phase of the campaign, which will have a “bandwagon” theme.

📲 Read about the full campaign at the link in our bio. 🔗

@lays is chasing soccer fans from grocery runs to group chats ahead of this summer’s World Cup. ⚽️ The @pepsico brand is bringing back its “No Lay’s, No Game” platform. 

The work, from @slapglobal, reflects a shift in how the brand is approaching its audience. Instead of aiming messaging at demographics, the campaign looks at behavior—who’s buying chips at a store, who’s chatting during a match—and builds from there. Lay’s believes this approach feels more immediate and less staged, even when global celebrities are involved.

PepsiCo is teasing the next phase of the campaign, which will have a “bandwagon” theme.

📲 Read about the full campaign at the link in our bio. 🔗

🐿️ Fake squirrel fandom in New York has turned out to be a very real @canva stunt.

Last week, a squirrel statue and a group calling themselves The Squirrelites popped up in Brooklyn Bridge Park, offering squirrel-themed tours, performances and crafted items. 

A new brand campaign for the creative platform from @qualitymeatscreative suggests using Canva can make any niche interest snowball into something bigger. Take, for instance, squirrel worship.

“At any given moment, there are hundreds of ideas stuck in people’s heads, but they never see the light of day—not because they aren’t good, but because not everyone has the tools to bring them to life,” said Kristine Segrist, Canva’s global head of consumer marketing. “With Canva, we want to empower anyone to take an idea from a spark and turn it into something the world can see, share and believe in, even if it starts as something a little unexpected.”

📲 Read about the full campaign at the link in our bio. 🔗

🐿️ Fake squirrel fandom in New York has turned out to be a very real @canva stunt.

Last week, a squirrel statue and a group calling themselves The Squirrelites popped up in Brooklyn Bridge Park, offering squirrel-themed tours, performances and crafted items. 

A new brand campaign for the creative platform from @qualitymeatscreative suggests using Canva can make any niche interest snowball into something bigger. Take, for instance, squirrel worship.

“At any given moment, there are hundreds of ideas stuck in people’s heads, but they never see the light of day—not because they aren’t good, but because not everyone has the tools to bring them to life,” said Kristine Segrist, Canva’s global head of consumer marketing. “With Canva, we want to empower anyone to take an idea from a spark and turn it into something the world can see, share and believe in, even if it starts as something a little unexpected.”

📲 Read about the full campaign at the link in our bio. 🔗

"This is a historic moment for our agency."

After 56 years, @uwginc made it onto Ad Age's A-List as multicultural agency of the year.

In a year when multicultural marketing was tested, politicized and, in some corners, deprioritized, UWG doubled down and reinvented itself.

Returning to the agency at the end of 2024 after stepping away for health reasons, @mouwgceo described 2025 as a “welcome-back year”—but also as a reset. The industry was in flux. AI was accelerating. DEI was under fire. Budgets were tightening. For many multicultural agencies, the post-2020 enthusiasm had cooled.

But Nelson preached focus. “Even though there’s all this noise going on, humans are still going to human and we still have to perform for our clients."

🌈 @skittles imagines a softer world—with the brand’s trademark absurdity—in a new campaign for its Gummies candies.

Three spots feature oddball scenarios that feel pulled from a dream. Each scenario is soft and squishy in its own, weird way.

Aimed largely at Gen Z, the effort is credited to @tbwafit, @criticalmassagency and Omnicom Production. Carl Sundemo of Epoch was the director.

📲 Read about the full campaign at the link in our bio. 🔗

🌈 @skittles imagines a softer world—with the brand’s trademark absurdity—in a new campaign for its Gummies candies.

Three spots feature oddball scenarios that feel pulled from a dream. Each scenario is soft and squishy in its own, weird way.

Aimed largely at Gen Z, the effort is credited to @tbwafit, @criticalmassagency and Omnicom Production. Carl Sundemo of Epoch was the director.

📲 Read about the full campaign at the link in our bio. 🔗

New Search advertising updates from @google show how the tech giant is continuing to shift away from keywords and toward capturing intent through deploying the reasoning skills of AI. Advertisers using AI Max, its automated platform for optimizing search ad campaigns, can now instruct the system in natural language instead of having to rely on previously selected keywords, Google announced today.

The new feature, dubbed AI Brief, is meant to give advertisers better control over how AI Max optimizes their Search campaigns, much like conversational AI helps consumers express more specific search queries.

The rise of AI search platforms has changed how consumers use the internet, namely, opting for longer, more complex search queries over relying on a few impactful keywords. In turn, this behavior has spurred tech companies such as Google and Meta to create new ways for advertisers to target ads on their platforms.

📲 Read the full story to learn more about Google’s new Search ad updates at the link in our bio. 🔗

New Search advertising updates from @google show how the tech giant is continuing to shift away from keywords and toward capturing intent through deploying the reasoning skills of AI. Advertisers using AI Max, its automated platform for optimizing search ad campaigns, can now instruct the system in natural language instead of having to rely on previously selected keywords, Google announced today.

The new feature, dubbed AI Brief, is meant to give advertisers better control over how AI Max optimizes their Search campaigns, much like conversational AI helps consumers express more specific search queries.

The rise of AI search platforms has changed how consumers use the internet, namely, opting for longer, more complex search queries over relying on a few impactful keywords. In turn, this behavior has spurred tech companies such as Google and Meta to create new ways for advertisers to target ads on their platforms.

📲 Read the full story to learn more about Google’s new Search ad updates at the link in our bio. 🔗

🥤 Nectar, the canned cocktail brand, is taking on a long-stigmatized aspect of drinking for many Asian consumers and turning it into a pregame beauty ritual.

A new “Asian Glow Up” campaign reframes alcohol flush—a complexion effect, often called “Asian glow,” that causes the drinker to become flushed—as something to highlight rather than conceal. Working with creators and makeup artists, Nectar built the campaign around “get ready with me” content on social media, tapping a moment when Gen Z consumers are making plans for the evening.

The effort is timed to Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month in May.

📲 Read about the full campaign at the link in our bio. 🔗

🥤 Nectar, the canned cocktail brand, is taking on a long-stigmatized aspect of drinking for many Asian consumers and turning it into a pregame beauty ritual.

A new “Asian Glow Up” campaign reframes alcohol flush—a complexion effect, often called “Asian glow,” that causes the drinker to become flushed—as something to highlight rather than conceal. Working with creators and makeup artists, Nectar built the campaign around “get ready with me” content on social media, tapping a moment when Gen Z consumers are making plans for the evening.

The effort is timed to Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month in May.

📲 Read about the full campaign at the link in our bio. 🔗

🥤 Nectar, the canned cocktail brand, is taking on a long-stigmatized aspect of drinking for many Asian consumers and turning it into a pregame beauty ritual.

A new “Asian Glow Up” campaign reframes alcohol flush—a complexion effect, often called “Asian glow,” that causes the drinker to become flushed—as something to highlight rather than conceal. Working with creators and makeup artists, Nectar built the campaign around “get ready with me” content on social media, tapping a moment when Gen Z consumers are making plans for the evening.

The effort is timed to Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month in May.

📲 Read about the full campaign at the link in our bio. 🔗

🥤 Nectar, the canned cocktail brand, is taking on a long-stigmatized aspect of drinking for many Asian consumers and turning it into a pregame beauty ritual.

A new “Asian Glow Up” campaign reframes alcohol flush—a complexion effect, often called “Asian glow,” that causes the drinker to become flushed—as something to highlight rather than conceal. Working with creators and makeup artists, Nectar built the campaign around “get ready with me” content on social media, tapping a moment when Gen Z consumers are making plans for the evening.

The effort is timed to Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month in May.

📲 Read about the full campaign at the link in our bio. 🔗

🥤 Nectar, the canned cocktail brand, is taking on a long-stigmatized aspect of drinking for many Asian consumers and turning it into a pregame beauty ritual.

A new “Asian Glow Up” campaign reframes alcohol flush—a complexion effect, often called “Asian glow,” that causes the drinker to become flushed—as something to highlight rather than conceal. Working with creators and makeup artists, Nectar built the campaign around “get ready with me” content on social media, tapping a moment when Gen Z consumers are making plans for the evening.

The effort is timed to Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month in May.

📲 Read about the full campaign at the link in our bio. 🔗

@fallon is briefly changing its name to put the spotlight on someone who rarely sought it.

For one week, the Minneapolis-based ad agency will operate under the name Runkel, marking the upcoming retirement of Stacy Runkel.

Runkel joined Fallon in 1992. She was founder Pat Fallon’s executive assistant for 24 years and has been with the agency for 34 years in all, helping to guide internal processes, reviewing materials and supporting teams across departments. Her influence has extended beyond client work into the rhythms of agency life, from organizing major internal meetings to maintaining small traditions that shaped workplace culture.

The name change is being rolled out across the agency’s branding and communications during her final week, effectively turning the whole company into a tribute to her. While the name will revert back to Fallon after the week is over, the effort underscores the often-unseen contributions that sustain creative organizations over time.

📲 Read the full tribute at the link in our bio. 🔗

@fallon is briefly changing its name to put the spotlight on someone who rarely sought it.

For one week, the Minneapolis-based ad agency will operate under the name Runkel, marking the upcoming retirement of Stacy Runkel.

Runkel joined Fallon in 1992. She was founder Pat Fallon’s executive assistant for 24 years and has been with the agency for 34 years in all, helping to guide internal processes, reviewing materials and supporting teams across departments. Her influence has extended beyond client work into the rhythms of agency life, from organizing major internal meetings to maintaining small traditions that shaped workplace culture.

The name change is being rolled out across the agency’s branding and communications during her final week, effectively turning the whole company into a tribute to her. While the name will revert back to Fallon after the week is over, the effort underscores the often-unseen contributions that sustain creative organizations over time.

📲 Read the full tribute at the link in our bio. 🔗