During the last few weeks, there were news stories that reflected advertising, brand experiences, brand identity, brand storytelling, brand strategy, celebration marketing, cobranding, corporate sponsorship, customer experience marketing, personal branding, product marketing, product pricing, special event marketing, and more.
NEW ELECTRICAL VEHICLE CREDITS IN CALIFORNIA
The Hill reported, "California will begin offering instant rebates of up to $3,500 to first-time electric vehicle (EV) buyers later this summer, replacing some of the incentives lost after the phase out of federal EV and clean energy tax credits. On July 13th, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed new legislation establishing a $270 million rebate program for California residents called "MyFirstEV." It will provide a point-of-sale rebate for eligible Californians purchasing their first zero-emission vehicle. The program is funded by both a state budget and automakers. It gives a $3,500 rebate for new EVs with a suggested retail price of up to $50,000, and a separate $1,750 rebate for used EVs sold for up to $25,000."
NEW ADDITION TO NASDAQ 100
CNN reported, "The Nasdaq 100 is an index tracking the 100 largest non-financial stocks traded on the Nasdaq exchange. SpaceX (Space Exploration Technologies Corp - NASDAQ: SPCX) debuted for trading on the Nasdaq on June 12th, and was added to the Nasdaq 100 on July 7th...While SpaceX's market value of more than $2 trillion makes it the sixth-largest publicly traded stock in the United States, it enters the Nasdaq 100 with a significantly smaller influence... Since SpaceX will not be eligible for inclusion in the S&P 500 for at least a year, buying the S&P 500 would be one of the simplest methods for investors who wish to avoid SpaceX. The blue-chip Dow doesn't include SpaceX or Tesla... In order to eventually be included in the S&P 500, SpaceX would need to register four quarters of profits. It took Tesla 10 years to join the S&P 500. Meanwhile, SpaceX’s weight in the Nasdaq 100 and its share price performance will be under a microscope."
KRISPY KREME'S CELEBRATION OF THE FOURTH OF JULY
The doughnut brand that always features unique doughnuts for celebrations did not disappoint for July 4th. According to the brand's website, "As America prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday this Independence Day, Krispy Kreme is helping make this once-in-a-generation milestone sweeter with a new patriotic doughnut collection: USA Doughnut filled with Cookies n' Kreme, Firework Doughnut, Freedom Ring Doughnut, and Chocolate Iced Doughnut with Patriotic Sprinkles."
NEW YORK CITY'S TIMES SQUARE ON THE FOURTH OF JULY
CBS News reported, "The celebration of America's 250th birthday in New York City's Times Square is taking a page out of the New Year's Eve playbook. Times Square is hosting eight ball drops to celebrate Independence Day with each occurring at midnight in every American time zone including U.S. territories. The first ball drop took place at 10 a.m. Friday, marking midnight in Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Following the Guam ball drop, the next took place at 11:59 p.m., marking midnight on the East Coast. Unlike New Year's Eve, which draws hundreds of thousands of people to Times Square, there was no street-level viewing event planned, but that didn't keep hundreds of pedestrians from stopping to watch and count down to the moment. That ball drop is considered the centerpiece of the event, although additional ball drops will take place overnight through each U.S. time zone: Central, Mountain, Pacific, Alaska, Hawaii, and culminating in the finale at 7 a.m., marking midnight in American Samoa. The ball that's being used is the same one that millions watched usher in 2026."
AMERICA'S 250TH TIME CAPSULE
According to the Associated Press (AP), "Paper, the traditional gift for marking a couple's first year of marriage, is also a great choice for 250th anniversaries — especially when filling a time capsule celebrating American independence. The 2016 law creating the nonpartisan America250 commission mandated that a time capsule be buried in Philadelphia on July 4th, 2026, and dug up 250 years later in 2276. Last week, the resulting 900-pound cylinder was sealed shut, capping years of technical design and construction, collaboration with states, and meticulous review of collected items. The stainless steel capsule is shaped like a cylinder, not the typical box, because square edges tend to crack and break. It will be covered with a secondary cylinder that will trap air and push out any approaching water, and the capsule itself is rimmed with a soft metal that compresses under pressure."
Some of the interesting contributions placed in the time capsule were letters from many governors, a whale bone from Maine, flags from Alaska and Texas, set of gambling chips from Nevada, a belt buckle from Oklahoma, fabric from the Wright Brothers flight from Ohio, and a Masters medallion from Georgia. In addition, there were contributions from a variety of America250 partners including: Major League Baseball, the Library of Congress, the International Olympic Committee, the National Endowment for the Arts, National Football League, Smithsonian Institution, and the Supreme Court of the United States.
CO-BRANDING: NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY AND TALEA
According to the New York Public Library's website, "The New York Public Library and TALEA Beer Co. announced "Liberty Lager," a limited-edition beer inspired by George Washington's recipe. This announcement comes as the Library launches "250 Years: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness," a system-wide initiative marking the nation's 250th anniversary. As part of the launch, the Library is also debuting a new, limited-edition NYPL card, publishing a special anniversary book list, giving away books, offering free and instant audio and e-book downloads to select titles, and opening online reservations to view the Declaration of Independence in July.
"Liberty Lager" is inspired by George Washington's "To Make Small Beer" recipe from a 1757 notebook he kept when he served as a colonel in the Virginia militia. Produced by TALEA Beer Co., the limited-edition brew is available for sale in TALEA's taprooms and New York City restaurants and retail outlets. TALEA Beer Co. is New York City's first women- and veteran-owned craft brewery, and was founded in 2019. Created to bring a new experience to the male-dominated beer industry, TALEA brews a wide range of styles including fruit-forward beers designed to welcome a more inclusive community.
George Washington's notebook—with the recipe neatly written out on the back page—is representative of the Library's role as a repository for historic documents, art, and ephemera. The journal is housed in the Library's Manuscripts and Archives Division at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building alongside other historical items such as Washington's Farewell Address, an original copy of the Declaration of Independence handwritten by Thomas Jefferson, and a silk protest banner from before America's Civil War demanding the abolition of slavery."
BARCELONA'S NEW TOURISM POLICY
The New York Times reported, "Barcelona's Boqueria market is so crowded with visitors these days that many stalls that once sold fresh vegetables, fish, or meat to home cooks now offer takeaway cups of cut fruit or fried shrimp to tourists instead. Convinced the market is no longer meant for them, many locals have given up on it. Barcelona's new commissioner for sustainable tourism, José Antonio Donaire, is developing strategies to diminish the impact of the nearly 16 million tourists who visit the Catalan capital annually. Created last year, his position builds on the work the municipal government started nearly a decade ago when it enacted its first policy aimed at restraining the overtourism that has contributed to rising housing prices and overwhelmed public transport. Other initiatives have since followed, including a tourist tax on accommodations and a ban on vacation rentals that goes into effect in 2028."
Donaire, a professor of tourism studies at the University of Girona and a former member of the regional parliament, wants to reverse overtourism. He explained, "Barcelona began rethinking tourism with innovative measures like the moratorium on new hotel construction back in 2017...The message of the city now is: not one tourist more. We don't want to grow more. We want the tourists that the city already has. There were 15.7 million tourists in the city in 2025 — that's the threshold. Sixteen million is the maximum. We're not coming at this from an anti-tourist position. But we need to manage tourism in an orderly way, and the first management objective is to change the kinds of tourists who come. Right now, two-thirds are leisure tourists; we want the makeup to be a third business travel, a third cultural travel, and a third leisure. That's the effect of setting the limits. The demand can't grow if there's no accommodations for them. Already this summer we're seeing that there are people who can't come because they can't find a place to stay. The mayor has also just announced a proposal to eliminate cruise ships that only stop for the day. We want zero day-tripping cruise passengers, and to achieve that, we're going to ask the regional authorities to raise the tax on them to the maximum allowed. We want it be so high that it doesn't make sense to come into the city."
ITALIAN VILLAGE FINE
The Guardian reported, "A fishing village by Lake Como has imposed fines of up to €200 ($230) for people who wander around with bare chests or in swimwear, in the latest attempt by an Italian holiday destination to crack down on uncouth tourists. Varenna has been feeling the strain from an increasing number of visitors, and so authorities were moved to introduce new rules aimed at preserving the village's appearance and guaranteeing a smidgen of peace and quiet for its year-round population of roughly 650. Walking around the village shirtless or in swimwear – garments that are strictly reserved for lakeside beaches or boat trips on Como – is now banned. Those who fail to comply risk fines. Furthermore, tour groups have been limited to no more than 25 people and must not clog Varenna's narrow cobblestoned streets, and guides have been banned from using loudspeakers."
CHIPOTLE OPENED FIRST RESTAURANT IN MEXICO
The BBC reported on July 13th, "Chipotle Mexican Grill is set to open its first restaurant in Mexico, testing its appeal in the country that inspired its menu. The chain, which has more than 4,100 outlets worldwide, said that the move is a "significant milestone" for the brand known for its customizable burritos, tacos, and bowls. US restaurant chains have often struggled to succeed in the countries in which their dishes originated. Taco Bell no longer has any outlets in Mexico, while Domino's Pizza has pulled out of Italy. The new restaurant, located in the north-eastern state of Nuevo León near the Texas border, serves as an "important proof-of-concept," the company said. It plans to open more restaurants in the state and expand into Mexico City in 2027 as part of its collaboration with Mexican restaurant operator Alsea, which also operates brands including Domino's Pizza, Starbucks, and Chili's."
"MADE IN USA" PRODUCT DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING LESSONS
NPR reported, "The board game Monopoly has always taught some important economic lessons: The benefits of owning real estate. The profit potential of railroad mergers. The value of a get-out-of-jail-free card. President Trump hopes to encourage more U.S. manufacturing with his import taxes on foreign goods. But an online experiment suggests most people aren't willing to pay a premium for a "Made in the USA" product. Now a special edition of the board game is teaching a new lesson—about how hard it is to make things in the USA. The game is being marketed by the WS Game Company, which produces most of its high-end board games in China, just like almost every other toy maker. After getting hit with a seven-figure tariff bill last year, CEO Jonathan Silva decided to see if it was possible to produce a profitable board game in the United States. He opted for a custom version of Monopoly, pegged to the country's 250th birthday. But the experiment almost didn't pass go (pun intended?). One big problem: No dice."
Silva explained, "We turned over every single leaf trying to find someone who would make 10,000 dice for us in the U.S. It requires special machinery. It requires investment. And that type of stuff just can't happen on a random Tuesday and be ready in a couple of months."
More from NPR, "Silva ultimately had to settle for imported dice. He was able to find the rest of what he needed domestically, but it wasn't easy. A former Hasbro factory in Massachusetts prints the Monopoly board. A company called Pioneer Packaging makes the tray that holds the Monopoly money. And a small business in Indiana cranked out custom metal game tokens in all-American shapes like a cowboy hat, a covered wagon, and an apple pie. Just assembling all those different players (components) took more than a year, so Silva missed the first half of the 250th birthday selling season. And the cost to manufacture the games — which retail for $80 — was at least double what it would have been in China. There's a reason nearly 80 percent of all toys and games sold in the U.S. are made in China. That country has spent decades building a factory ecosystem to supply not only finished products, but all the specialized parts that go into them."
LAUNCH OF NEW NONPARTISAN INSTITUTE AT UC BERKELEY
The University of California, Berkeley announced on June 29th, "UC Berkeley is joining forces with Nancy Pelosi, the first female speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, to launch a new, nonpartisan institute dedicated to strengthening American democracy and advancing solutions to the country's most pressing challenges. The Nancy Pelosi Institute for Representative Democracy, or NPI, will be a hub for research, teaching, and civic engagement rooted in a shared commitment to advancing the public good. Through faculty research initiatives, undergraduate courses, and a visiting fellows program, the institute will explore what impedes progress and how best to solve political problems, from polarization to the future of artificial intelligence. The institute's work will focus on four pillars: strengthening America's democratic institutions; overcoming America's greatest challenges for our society, economy, and planet; promoting human rights and civil rights at home and abroad; and ensuring political leadership that represents the full spectrum of perspectives and backgrounds in California and the country. With plans to support hundreds of students annually, the NPI will launch in January in the Charles and Louise Travers Department of Political Science. Pelosi, the first Californian to serve as House speaker, is slated to co-teach a course about Congress."
Chancellor Rich Lyons said the institute aligns with Berkeley's commitment to fostering civil discourse, advancing democracy, and preparing students to lead with integrity, "The purpose and impact of the NPI will be defined and strengthened by Berkeley's ability to bring together world-class faculty and extraordinary students and by our commitment, as the country's preeminent public university, to advancing the greater good. We intend to do more than simply study democracy; we are building this institute to strengthen it."
Pelosi said, "The work of democracy is never finished, and securing its future is our greatest calling. UC Berkeley has a long, proud history of challenging the status quo and producing leaders who run toward the greatest challenges of our time. I am honored to partner with this exceptional community of scholars and students so we can equip the next generation with the tools they need to strengthen our democratic institutions and forge a future that serves the public good."
SHARE THIS: UC Berkeley has a long, proud history of challenging the status quo and producing leaders who run toward the greatest challenges of our time. ~Nancy Pelosi #UCBerkeley #GoBears #PersonalBranding #MarketingNews #DebbieLaskeysBlog
According to Scott Straus, chair of the Travers Department of Political Science, "The study of political science is most impactful when it bridges the gap between academic research and real-world governance. This institute will provide our students and faculty with unprecedented opportunities to engage directly with the mechanics of leadership and move ideas from the classroom into the real world, ensuring that our research directly informs the leaders and policymakers who are working for a better tomorrow across the political spectrum."
CO-BRANDING: MLB'S 96TH ALL-STAR GAME AND STAND UP TO CANCER (SU2C)
AOL reported, "The 2026 MLB All-Star Game arrived in Philadelphia with the feel of a 250th birthday bash for the United States, complete with plenty of red, white, and blue and a roster full of stars who had earned their stripes. But Citizens Bank Park, long known as a hitter-friendly backdrop, produced fewer fireworks than expected as the American League shut out the National League 4-0 in the 96th Midsummer Classic.
In a fitting tribute to baseball history and American history, the game and broadcast paused for a five-minute interlude narrated by JK Simmons and set to Ray Charles' indelible performance of "America the Beautiful." Major League Baseball doesn't always get it right, but when they do, they do. It's impossible to watch that video without, as the now-legendary "Moneyball" line says, being "romantic about baseball." Because baseball is romantic. Three outs. Nine in the field. Pitcher against hitter. Walk-offs, diving catches, big strikeouts, and the drama of a ninth inning one-run game. Nothing compares to baseball, or as this tribute demonstrates, America either."
And as MLB reported on its site, "In 2009, Major League Baseball and its 30 clubs became the founding donors of Stand Up To Cancer, a groundbreaking initiative supporting cancer research. The most important work is done out of the spotlight, in the form of new therapies and innovative treatments. But there is a public element to this too, and that's where MLB, beyond the dollars, has had so much impact. For the past 17 years, the All-Star Game and Game 4 of the World Series have featured the in-stadium Stand Up To Cancer moment. At the end of the fifth inning, the game pauses, and everyone in the ballpark – players, managers, coaches, support staffers, umpires, broadcasters, and fans – honors people who have been touched by cancer: Those who are currently battling the disease, those who have survived it, and those who have succumbed to it. The moment is a joint effort, supported by MLB, MasterCard, and SU2C, and aired live on FOX. Everyone is invited to write a name or names on a placard and, for two minutes, everyone comes together – thousands inside the ballpark holding up their signs, and millions more watching at home. As a founding donor to Stand Up to Cancer, MLB has conducted significant awareness-building efforts through public service announcements, in-stadium promotions, and various fundraising events. To date, the efforts between MLB, MasterCard, and SU2C have raised upward of $80 million."
200TH ANNIVERSARY OF BOSTON'S UNION OYSTER HOUSE
In advance of the July 4th celebrations across the United States, Forbes reported, "Opened in 1826, Boston's Union Oyster House claims to be America's oldest continuously operating restaurant, and this August will celebrate its 200th anniversary, a historic first for any eatery in the United States. This National Historic Landmark on the Freedom Trail is lauded for its quintessential New England seafood from fresh oysters to classic clam chowder. It has welcomed a "Who's Who" of guests, including U.S. Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama; Queen Elizabeth II; Hollywood royalty including Meryl Streep, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Steven Spielberg; and Boston's own culinary super icon, Julia Child. The restaurant has also consistently earned "Best Landmark Restaurant" accolades. Managed by only four family owners in two centuries, it maintains reliable, fresh dishes, proving its enduring appeal beyond mere historical novelty."
If you're wondering about the oldest restaurants in the world - and where Boston's Union Oyster House fits in the list, here are the oldest dozen:
(1) St. Peter Stifts Kulinarium - founded 803 (Salzburg, Austria) (located inside St. Peter's Abbey)
(2) Bianyifang - founded 1416 (Beijing, China)
(3) Zum Franziskaner - founded 1421 (Stockholm, Sweden)
(4) Honke Owariya - founded 1465 (Kyoto, Japan)
(5) La Tour d'Argent - founded 1582 (Paris, France)
(6) Zur letzten Instanz - founded 1621 (Berlin, Germany)
(7) White Horse Tavern - founded 1673 (Newport, Rhode Island, USA)
(8) A la Petite Chaise - founded 1680 (Paris, France)
(9) Caffe Florian - founded 1720 (Venice, Italy)
(10) Sobrino de Botin - founded 1725 (Madrid, Spain) (officially recognized by Guinness World Records as the oldest continuously operating restaurant)
(11) Rules - founded 1798 (London, United Kingdom)
(12) The Union Oyster House - founded 1826 (Boston, Massachusetts, USA)
UBER AD FOR WOMEN PREFERENCES
While Uber has offered "Women Preferences" for women riders and drivers in the United States since March of 2026, the brand's television ad for this feature has been appearing on television on a regular basis during the last few weeks. According to Uber's website, "Women Preferences was created because women asked for it. What began in 2019 after women in Saudi Arabia gained the right to drive, Women Preferences has grown into a global movement as women around the world embrace more control over how they use Uber. Over 230 million global trips later, Women Preferences is now available for drivers in over 40 countries, and for riders across 7 countries, including the U.S., Germany, France, Saudi Arabia, Portugal, Brazil, and Spain."
DEATH OF WALLY FUNK
Wally (Mary Wallace) Funk died on July 6th at the age of 87. The BBC reported, "As an aviator, Wally Funk was a trailblazing pioneer for women, breaking barriers for eight decades of a remarkable career. "Aviation has been my whole life; I eat and breathe it," she said in her 2020 memoir, Higher, Faster, Longer (written with Loretta Hall). She earned her pilot's licence as a teenager, at 20 was the US military's first female flight instructor, in 1971 became the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) first female flight inspector, and three years later was the first woman instructor for the National Transport Safety Board (NTSB). But hanging over these accomplishments was her unfulfilled dream of becoming an astronaut.
In 1960 she discovered that the young pilot Jerrie Cobb had been tested for spaceflight, and despite being below the age requirement, she joined the program that became the so-called "Mercury 13," who underwent the same training and testing as the seven American men chosen as Mercury astronauts. Having tested top of the group, including spending 10 hours 35 minutes in an isolation tank, and having three feet of rubber tubing shoved down her throat, Funk requested four times to be picked for space flight. But NASA was not prepared to send a woman into space; they would accept only USAF pilots, who of course were all male. NASA eventually relented, but too late for Funk, as Sally Ride became America's first female in space in 1983, though not until 1999 did Eileen Collins become the first pilot/commander of the space shuttle Columbia.
Two decades later, in 2021, Wally was invited to join Jeff Bezos and his brother on a sub-orbital flight on Blue Origin's New Shepard spacecraft, making her, at 82, the oldest person to fly into space. They took with them a helmet and goggles worn by the famed aviatrix Amelia Earhart. Although the Star Trek actor William Shatner, at 90, broke her age record (since broken again by the former pilot Ed Dwight), Funk remains the oldest woman in space.
Besides her work for the FAA and NTSB, Funk trained more than 800 pilots at her flight school in Taos, New Mexico. She was a pilot for Sierra Pacific Airlines, a regional operation based in Tucson, Arizona. As both pilot and navigator, she flew in many competitions, including the transcontinental Powder Puff Derby. She became a spokesperson and inspirational speaker, especially for women's equality in the workplace. Funk was elected to the Women in Aviation International Pioneer Hall of Fame in 1995, and joined the Wall of Honor at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington in 2017. Following her 2021 space flight, she received astronaut wings, and a young person's book based on her memoir was published in 2025."
DEATH OF RANDOLPH MANTOOTH
Variety reported, "Randolph Mantooth, known for playing paramedic Johnny Gage on the "Emergency!" TV series in the 1970s, died July 9th in Ventura. He was 80. Mantooth broke out in 1972 when he was cast in "Emergency!," which introduced the profession of paramedics to the public. He co-starred with Kevin Tighe in the popular NBC series which ran for six seasons, and performed most of his own stunts. He remained an advocate for firefighters, paramedics, and EMTs throughout his life."
According to The New York Times, "Mantooth's lead role on "Emergency!" helped paramedics and emergency medicine gain greater recognition in the United States. He said he was proud to be known for his part on the show, which portrayed the work of paramedics and firefighters in Los Angeles County. (At that time, there were only 13 paramedics in all of California, and nobody had ever heard of them before.) After "Emergency!," Mantooth was an advocate for emergency medical workers, speaking at firefighter and paramedic symposiums across the country. He was given an award by the International Association of Fire Chiefs in 2022 honoring his work to promote the profession. While accepting the award, he said, 'To be honored by men and women who have dedicated their lives and careers to public safety, it humbles me.'"
VOCABULARY ENDING IN -MAXXING
The Guardian reported, "It started more than a decade ago with looksmaxxing, a strategy for optimizing personal appearance through diet or exercise. Over time, the -maxxing suffix has come to mean going all in on a particular trait, habit, quality, or pastime, generally in a manner that misses the point. So, how well do you know your maxxes? Here are five examples:
(1) Sleepmaxxing: Getting as much sleep as you can, rather than as much as you need.
(2) Ethicsmaxxing: Having a code of ethics and applying it rigorously to every decision you make.
(3) Sidequestmaxxing: Being open to new challenges.
(4) Solomaxxing: Learning to enjoy your own company.
(5) Tanmaxxing: Tanning your skin to its maximal darkness by spending longer in the sun and ignoring safety warnings.
LA AUTO SHOW'S NEW PRESENTING SPONSOR
With the high gasoline prices and the negative publicity from California Governor Gavin Newsom to not purchase Chevron gas, the Los Angeles Auto Show announced on July 14th that Chevron with Techron would join the show as presenting sponsor. According to the press release, "The sponsorship reinforces the show's position as one of the country's most important stages for innovations across the automotive industry. Every November, automakers, designers, and the brands that support the driving experience choose Los Angeles Auto Show for many of their latest products in front of this large and influential car-buying geography. Vehicle debuts, technology premieres, and immersive consumer experiences help make every fall in Los Angeles one of the industry's defining moments."
According to Terri Toennies, President and Chief Operating Officer of Los Angeles Auto Show, "When a brand with the reach and reputation of Chevron with Techron chooses our show to feature the next chapter of an iconic fuel technology, it reflects exactly the role this show plays."
WELCOME TO THE WEDDING-EXPERIENCE ERA
CNN reported, "Madison Square Garden isn't where most people picture saying "I do." Throw in arcade games and a raffle, and it gives off even less of a wedding vibe. But that's exactly the point. Those and other unexpected details surfacing from Taylor Swift's and Travis Kelce's ultra-private yet attention-grabbing celebration over the recent July 4th weekend reflect a growing wedding trend: designing a day guests will remember how they felt, not what they saw. Consider this your invitation to the wedding-experience era."
Akeshi Akinseye, founder of Kesh Events, a global luxury wedding and event planning and design company based in Chicago, explained, "We're seeing a desire to take some of the stiffness and formality out of weddings and bring the fun back. The arcade games and raffle make much more sense in the context of building an experience-forward wedding. It introduces anticipation. Guests are not just consuming the event — they're part of it. I can absolutely see couples taking cues from (Taylor's and Travis' wedding), but personalizing it to fit their own story. To execute an experience-forward wedding, more couples are hiring experience designers. And where a wedding takes place is the front door into the overall experience...There is something incredibly powerful about anticipation. This wedding could absolutely encourage more couples to look beyond traditional wedding venues and ask, 'What could this space become?'"
More from CNN, "Julie Comfort, an experience designer who works with wedding planners, describes her job as executing emotional design, or how a wedding is meant to make guests feel. That doesn't necessarily require shelling out even more money. For instance, she recently designed a wedding with the couple's love for karaoke in mind. A few close friends sang along with music for the first dance, and as the dance went on, more voices joined in, and the music gradually faded, eventually disappearing." Comfort explained, "Couples are realizing that they don't have to go over the top to make an impact, they just have to be more thoughtful, intentional, and generous with how they host people. A lot of the experience design techniques we use come from the art and theater world to create anticipation, surprise, magic, and drama."
WALMART'S VIP TOURS DURING WORLD CUP
CNN reported, "The nation's largest retailer [created] two VIP tours for tourists to "explore the oversized products, iconic snack aisles, and uniquely American finds" at its big box stores. One tour will take place in New Jersey ahead of the World Cup final and another in Miami after the quarterfinal game between Norway and England for the first 20 people in line for a World Cup parking lot experience it is hosting in partnership with Laliga, Spain's soccer league. The guided tours include custom Walmart passports, aisle stamps, swag, tour guides, and curated product samplings."
WORLD CUP MARKETING HIGHLIGHTS
According to customer experience marketer Dan Gingiss, some brands were creative with their event marketing efforts. According to Dan, "FIFA brands like Levi's, Heinz, and Beats were never supposed to be part of the story. FIFA, the international governing body of football (soccer in the U.S.), spent the opening weeks of the 2026 World Cup trying to make some of the world's most recognizable brands disappear. It didn't work. And the lesson for every business has nothing to do with sports. FIFA's clean venue policy requires that any brand not paying to be an official tournament sponsor be covered or removed from sight at host stadiums. Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara became "San Francisco Bay Area Stadium." A white tarpaulin covered the Levi's batwing logo...So some genius marketers decided to do something about it, turning this into a memorable customer experience story. Levi's didn't fight the tarpaulin. Instead, it leaned into it. The brand posted a video captioned "Welcoming the world to the beautiful [redacted] stadium!" set to the viral "Nobody’s Gonna Know” audio. As of July 16th, the post has more than 2.6 million likes and more than 42,000 reposts on Instagram alone.
Levi's then extended the covered-logo aesthetic to storefronts in London, Paris, Milan, Berlin, Hong Kong, Brazil, and Mexico. So the cover-up became the campaign (with the message: "Come visit, if you can find us."). The brands FIFA tried to suppress became the most-talked-about brands of the tournament, while the brands that paid for official sponsorship largely blended into the background...FIFA's clean venue policy was designed to protect its sponsors. Instead, it handed free marketing to the brands it was trying to erase."
According to Alexander Chernev, professor of marketing at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, "If customers can still recognize the logo, that actually gives you more awareness than if you haven't done anything to begin with."
SHARE THIS: FIFA's clean venue policy was designed to protect its sponsors. Instead, it handed free marketing to the brands it was trying to erase. ~Dan Gingiss #MarketingNews #WorldCupSponsorship #BrandExperience #DebbieLaskeysBlog
According to CNBC, "According to market research firm Meltwater, since the tournament began, non-sponsor brands have surpassed 57,000 mentions on social media versus just over 43,000 for official sponsors. And according to John Box, Meltwater CEO, "A big takeaway from this World Cup is that you don't need an official sponsorship to own the cultural moment anymore. The brands that will win the next tournament aren't necessarily the ones with the biggest budgets, but instead the ones who are set up to see what's trending in real time, the creativity to connect it back to your brand, and the speed to act before the moment passes."
KFC'S FIRST "CHIEF CONCEPT OFFICER" AIMS TO "DISRUPT THE FUTURE"
According to Marketing Week, "Christophe Poirier, KFC's first chief concept officer, says his ultimate goal is to "disrupt the future" while ensuring the brand remains true to its roots. Poirier explained, "KFC was born 74 years ago, so how do you keep it true to its DNA? How do you make sure you don't lose your core audience. But at the same time, how do you make sure this 74-year-old brand stays forever young?"" We'll be watching.
NEW NAME FOR FLORIDA AIRPORT
Reuters reported on July 9th, "Palm Beach International Airport was officially renamed to President Donald J. Trump International Airport, becoming the latest in a series of buildings and government programs to take on the Republican's identity. The Federal Aviation Administration three-letter identifier code for the airport was changed from PBI to DJT, but passengers will need to use PBI to book flights until August 18th, when it will be reflected on baggage tags, tickets, and airline reservation systems. The airport said the name change cost $5.5 million."
According to the airport's website, "The State of Florida appropriated $2.75 million toward the project. The remaining costs will be funded through the Department of Airports' operating budget and capital improvement program. The airport rebranding is anticipated to occur in phases based on available funding. The Department of Airports will continue to pursue all available funding sources, including legislative appropriations, eligible Florida Department of Transportation funding opportunities, grants, and other airport funding sources...The name change does not result in a separate fee charged to passengers. Like other airport operating and capital expenses, implementation costs are managed through the Department of Airports' existing funding sources."
Other U.S. airports have been named for former presidents including Little Rock, Arkansas's airport after former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton - but it retained the LIT airport code. And President Clinton signed a bill in 1998 to rename Washington National Airport (in DC) to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
NATIONAL ICE CREAM DAY
How did you celebrate National Ice Cream Day on July 19th? In 1984, President Ronald Reagan declared National Ice Cream Day would be celebrated on the third Sunday of July, and also declared July as National Ice Cream Month. According to NationalDayCalendar, "Culinary folks point to Naples, Italy as the birthplace of the first ice cream. They give credit to Antonio Latini. He was born in 1642, and created a milk-based sorbet."
According to USA Today, "Data from Instacart shows that vanilla remained the most-ordered ice cream flavor on the platform in 2025, retaining the title it had held the last two years. Chocolate, cookie dough, cookies & cream, and chocolate fudge/brownie rounded out the top five most popular flavors, according to the delivery platform. According to the data, Häagen-Dazs was the most-ordered ice cream brand on the platform in 2025 with Ben & Jerry's a close second."
Food Network provided a list of brands/stores with deals to celebrate: Dairy Queen, Baskin-Robbins, Friendly's, Dippin' Dots, Wendy's, Graeter's, DoorDash, Dunkin', Cold Stone Creamery, Insomnia Cookies, 16 Handles, Carvel, Gopuff, Harry Potter Shops, Marble Slab Creamery, My/Mochi Ice Cream, Oberwels, Stop & Shop, Target, Uncle Giuseppe's Marketplace, and Yasso.
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Image Credits: StandUp2Cancer/Major League Baseball/MasterCard and Krispy Kreme.
See what all 50 States, 5 U.S. Territories, and the District of Columbia added to the America 250 Time Capsule:
https://america250.org/time-capsule/contents/
Read more about New York Public Library's collaboration with TALEA:
https://www.nypl.org/blog/2026/06/01/george-washington-beer-recipe-talea
Watch the announcement of the Nancy Pelosi Institute for Representative Democracy at UC Berkeley:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nkww2gWKbbc
Read Dan Gingiss' full post about FIFA and branding:
https://dangingiss.com/fifa-tried-to-erase-these-brands/
Read about (and also watch?) the documentary, "Mercury 13," featuring Wally Funk:
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/apr/18/mercury-13-space-women-nasa-1960s
Read about the history of ice cream from Clementine's:
Read my post about an ice cream truck and leadership (March 6, 2026):
https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2026/03/celebrate-employee-appreciation-day-by.html
