During the last week, there were news stories that reflected advertising, brand identity, brand storytelling, brand communications, brand experiences, brand messaging, brand partnerships, personal branding, product packaging, promotions, rebranding, sports advertising, and more.
THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION ANNOUNCES END OF PRINT EDITION
ABC News reported, "The Atlanta Journal-Constitution will stop providing a print edition at the end of the year and go completely digital, marking a dramatic change for a storied newspaper that was founded in 1868. The decision will make Atlanta the largest U.S. metro area without a printed daily newspaper, although some smaller metro Atlanta newspapers continue printing."
Publisher Andrew Morse explained, "The fact is, many more people engage with our digital platforms and products today than with our print edition, and that shift is only accelerating. We will begin the new year as a fully digital organization, committed, as always, to being the most essential and engaging news source for the people of Atlanta, Georgia, and the South."
TIME FOR "THROW A PUFFIN OFF A CLIFF" SEASON
Yes, you read that correctly! As reported by IFLScience, "In Iceland, as summer draws to a close, locals give baby puffins a helping hand as they leave their burrows for the first time and attempt to find the ocean. It's a long-held tradition in the Westman Islands, where puffins nest in large numbers. The island cluster is home to the largest puffin colony in the world with around 830,000 breeding pairs - approximately 20 percent of the global population - arriving each spring/summer to mate and lay their eggs.
As nights begin, puffin chicks (known as pufflings) start to flee the nest, embarking on an often-treacherous journey to the sea. The baby birds are guided by the light of the moon, but tend to be drawn by the bright city lights, and instead, head inland. Their wings are too weak to take off again, so they can end up stranded on the island, where they make easy prey for local predators.
To set them back on the right course, the people of Iceland will intervene. There are designated rescue teams and hundreds of volunteers who scour the nearby towns and villages each night, scoop up hapless pufflings, take them home, and gently throw them off a cliff the next morning. Rescuers can scoop up as many as 10 pufflings a night during the peak. Once in the air, the pufflings know how to handle the rest."
According to Kyana Sue Powers, "The pufflings are brought to the south side of the Island. The location can be found on Google Maps as "Beautiful Puffin and Shore View." The cliffs and air are dotted with hundreds of adult puffins, and families can be found releasing their puffins one by one into the wild."
COST TO ENTER THE UNITED STATES
As reported by CNN Travel, "Visitors to the US from some of the nation’s closest allies will soon be required to pay higher fees outlined in the Trump administration’s “One Big Beautiful Bill.” Specifically, a hike to the fees associated with the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), which processes travel applications from residents of more than 40 countries that are part of the Visa Waiver Program. Those countries include the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, and most of Europe, as well as a handful of countries in other regions, including Qatar in the Middle East. Prior to the passage of President Trump’s signature legislation, applicants to the ESTA system, as it’s known, paid $21. Now that mandatory fee will nearly double on September 30 to $40.
Travel to the US from abroad is in a major slump. As CNN’s Natasha Chen reported, many Canadians and other international visitors to the US are staying away. The World Travel and Tourism Council projected in May that the US will lose $12.5 billion in international visitor spending in 2025. It was the only country out of 184 economies analyzed by the Council, a global tourism advocacy organization, that will see a decline this year."
Talk about the decline in brand equity for the USA brand.
"PUMPKIN FATIGUE"
As reported by Restaurant Business, "There’s no doubt fans eagerly welcome the return of pumpkin spice latte. It’s since been joined by pumpkin cold brew, bubble tea, chai, Americano, mocha, and even pumpkin cold foam. If a coffee chain or beverage concept doesn’t offer one or more pumpkin drinks this time of year, they could easily lose business to a competitor. Smoothies, concretes, thick shakes, and other sippable or spoonable treats also make sense as pumpkin vehicles. So do ice cream, baked goods, and desserts. All pair well with pumpkin and the sweet spices associated with it: cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
But has the trend gone too far when pumpkin spice chicken wings and pumpkin bagels with pumpkin cream cheese hit the menu? There is evidence that consumers are starting to suffer from pumpkin fatigue. New research from Rubix Foods, a flavor and functional ingredient company, indicates that 47 percent of consumers say pumpkin is overrated, and 25 percent are completely over it (especially Gen Xers and Boomers). That said, pumpkin remains one of the most recognized and craved seasonal flavors, with 15 percent saying it’s actually underrated."
In addition, on the advertising front, "Some chains are taking advantage of that dichotomy by detouring into other flavors and marketing their nonconformity. In a tongue-in-cheek PSA, Sonic is calling on customers to “Save a pumpkin, sip a salted caramel toffee iced coffee.” It’s all part of Sonic’s humorous campaign to promote its new Salted Caramel Toffee Iced Coffee and Salted Caramel Croissant Bites — the Oklahoma City-based chain’s seasonal beverage and snack. On a more serious note, Sonic plans to donate $15,000 to Agricity’s Pumpkins for the People to support the program’s mission to rescue edible pumpkins and reduce food waste."
"Tropical Smoothie Cafe is also taking a stance against pumpkin, debuting an Apple Pie Paradise Smoothie with Biscoff Cookies as “a fresh, bold alternative to pumpkin.” The smoothie is a blend of apples, cinnamon, nonfat yogurt, banana, and coconut, topped with Biscoff cookie crumble."
"And Starbucks, the coffee cafe that started it all, is reaching beyond the pumpkin patch this year. Of course, there are the expected pumpkin-forward coffee drinks and even a Pumpkin Spice Whiskey at Reserve Roasteries. But pecan is the 2025 flavor sidekick, spotlighted in a new Pecan Oatmilk Cortado and the returning Pecan Crunch Oatmilk Latte."
And let's not forget that at Starbucks, there's also a new "Tiramisu Latte," featuring Starbucks Reserve Espresso, rich dark chocolate, and steamed milk - topped with a decadent layer of tiramisu cold foam and a dusting of dark chocolate mocha powder. Apparently, this new latte will be part of the permanent menu.
SUBWAY ART PROMOTION
As reported by Nation's Restaurant News, "To celebrate the brand's 60th anniversary, Subway is giving away a piece of sandwich shop history — the artwork that once adorned the walls of its restaurants. The limited-time giveaway is open through September 4. To enter, Instagram users can comment directly on the brand's official Subway account post. Winners will be picked on the basis of comments."
KRAFT HEINZ TO SPLIT
As reported by NPR, "Hot dogs go to the left; ketchup to the right. That's Kraft Heinz, one of the world's largest food conglomerates, splitting into two companies. The breakup comes a decade after its messy megamerger, orchestrated by billionaire investor Warren Buffett and considered one of his notable missteps. In recent weeks, both Kraft Heinz and Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway took multibillion-dollar impairment charges reflecting the declining value of the food giant. Kraft Heinz spent years slicing its costs, while rivals invested in new ideas to keep up with changing consumer tastes. Budget-conscious shoppers have been buying more store-brand packaged foods, while people willing to spend extra often reach for fresher alternatives to processed products. Now, Kraft Heinz executives hope the sum of two parts will prove greater than the whole.
Kraft Heinz tried to refresh its food offerings and address families' growing health concerns. It cut the sugar level in its Capri Sun juices and made mac and cheese with natural food coloring. Last year, after reports about Lunchables' sodium and heavy metals content, the company stopped offering the snack packs for school-lunch programs. It is now removing artificial food dyes from all U.S. products. But years of high inflation have shoppers at Walmart, Costco, and supermarket chains increasingly choosing private-label packaged foods, including in categories where brand names long enjoyed high loyalty."
After the split, the first company will keep some of the fastest-growing categories, such as sauces and condiments, and will carry brands Heinz, Philadelphia, and Kraft Mac & Cheese. The second company will include the slower-growing grocery business, including brands such as Oscar Mayer, Maxwell House, Capri Sun, and Lunchables. Current CEO Carlos Abrams-Rivera will remain with the second company.
MUSIC AT VATICAN CITY
As reported by EWTN Vatican, "Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli and American songwriter Pharrell Williams will direct a concert featuring musicians John Legend, Teddy Swims, Jelly Roll, Karol G, BamBam, and Angelique Kidjo in St. Peter’s Square on September 13. The concert, which will be free and open to the public, will also include a drone light show and talks on themes including peace, justice, food, freedom, and humanity. Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, president of the Fratelli Tutti Foundation and archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica, said organizers tried to broaden the international scope with the choice of music artists."
THE SOUND OF MUSIC CELEBRATES 60 YEARS
As reported by ABC7, "The Rodgers & Hammerstein classic is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year with a newly restored and remastered version of the beloved movie courtesy of the Walt Disney Film Restoration team. The film will be re-released in theaters in 4K from September 12-September 17 in more than 1,000 cities across the country and around the world beginning September 20. Additionally, there will be a North American Stage Tour of "The Sound of Music," making its way to 80 cities nationwide.
TREATONOMICS TREND
"Treatonomics" (also referred to as "little treat culture") describes our current era of economic uncertainty. The trend has taken off with consumers, according to NBC News, who are buying a small treat that's easier to afford, rather than a large purchase such as furniture or a car. Studies show that these pick-me-ups can cause our brains to release "happy hormones" such as dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins.
BEST BUY AND UBER EATS - A NEW PARTNERSHIP
Announced by Uber on September 2, "We announce a new partnership with Best Buy that brings consumer electronics from more than 800 stores to the Uber Eats platform. Starting today, Best Buy customers can tap to order a wide range of electronics, appliances, and tech essentials on Uber Eats for delivery right to their doorsteps. From headphones and chargers to laptops, gaming gear, and small appliances, Best Buy customers will now enjoy the convenience of on-demand delivery or scheduled drop-offs, all within the Uber Eats app. To celebrate the launch, Uber Eats is offering $20 off Best Buy orders of $60 or more using the code BESTBUY10. Uber One members will continue to enjoy $0 delivery fees on eligible orders and other exclusive savings."
According to Hashim Amin, Head of Grocery & Retail for North America at Uber, "Consumers today expect everything from groceries to gadgets to arrive at their doorsteps quickly and reliably. With this partnership, Uber Eats and Best Buy are making it easier than ever for customers to access the latest technology, whether it’s a necessity or something fun. We’re thrilled to help bring Best Buy’s trusted assortment into the on-demand economy."
DEATH OF GEORGE RAVELING
A force in the basketball world died on September 1 - but his footprint (no pun intended) has ripples in the marketing, advertising, and personal branding arenas.
According to the Basketball Hall of Fame, "The fingerprint George Raveling has left on the game of basketball spreads far and wide. From his playing days at Villanova, to coaching stints as far west as USC, to executive positions with Nike that sent him around the globe, Raveling has touched the game at every level. As a player, Raveling loved to mix it up under the boards and he regularly led his team in rebounding. As a coach, he brought that same toughness to teams at Washington State, USC, and the University of Iowa. In 1984 and again in 1988, he served as an assistant coach on the medal-winning Olympic teams coached by Bob Knight and John Thompson. He broke away from coaching in 1994, but stayed close to the game working as a broadcaster for Fox Sports and CBS. Soon another door opened for George, as Nike named him Director of Grassroots Basketball and later Director of International Basketball. Raveling’s work has taken him to key positions on the boards of the NABC, the NCAA, USA Basketball, and Nike, Inc."
According to The New York Times, "He joined Nike in 1996, first as director of grass roots basketball, then as director of international basketball. He played a key role in signing Michael Jordan, a move that helped invigorate the Nike brand. Raveling was close to Jordan after coaching him in the Olympics, and began lobbying him to join Nike. But Jordan was an Adidas fan. In the end, Nike won Jordan over by planning a new idea: a signature shoe for him known as the Air Jordan." And the worlds of sports advertising, product design, and personal branding were never the same!
Michael Jordan said, "I signed with Nike because of George, and without him, there would be no Air Jordan."
LA AIRPORT SIGNAGE
As reported by the LA Times, "The giant “LAX” sign that has welcomed travelers to Los Angeles International Airport for the last 25 years is temporarily coming down to make way for major roadway projects. Crews began taking down the 32-foot-tall sign on September 4, starting with the “X,” as part of an upcoming reconfiguration of the surrounding roads. Reconstruction will include pedestrian enhancements, improved signage and more direct access to airport economy parking on a 4.4-mile-stretch of reconfigured roadway, according to Los Angeles World Airports. The project is expected to remove hundreds of vehicles from Sepulveda Boulevard traffic at any given time once it is completed...The three-dimensional sign was installed as part of an $80-million facelift of the airport’s main entrance ahead of the Democratic National Convention in 2000, and at the time, it was LAX’s first major beautification project since the 1984 Olympics, with an aim of it becoming as much a symbol of Los Angeles as the Hollywood sign."
Michael Christensen, chief airport development officer for Los Angeles World Airports, said the reconstruction project is a significant milestone for LAX as the airport authority works to improve efficiency and accessibility leading up to the World Cup in 2026 and the Summer Olympics in 2028.
POWER OF ONE WORD
According to an opinion piece on CNN.com, political reporter Ron Brownstein wrote that "One word captures the most important division among Democrats." He wrote that the word was "distraction" because every time President Trump does something that causes people to shake their heads, it causes a distraction. Case in point, how can legislators in Congress focus on important issues, when each day, Trump makes a crazy statement, for example, eliminating mail-in ballots?
However, according to Celinda Lake, a veteran Democratic pollster, "Describing Trump's actions as a "distraction" is absolutely wrong. I think it misses completely where Democrats are at."
And back to Brownstein, "The conflict over the word "distraction," is, of course, a proxy for the much larger debate over which messages Democrats should emphasize as they work to rebuild the party's tattered image and shape their campaigns for 2026."
REBRANDING OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
As reported by NPR, "President Trump signed an executive order on September 5 to give the Department of Defense a new name: the Department of War. Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump said the rebranding reflected a new tone for the country and its military. A White House fact sheet explains that under the executive order, the name "Department of War" will serve as a "secondary title" for the Department of Defense. According to the fact sheet, the order will also authorize Defense Department officials to substitute the word "war" into their titles. For example, the Secretary of Defense could use the title Secretary of War. President Trump had previously signaled that a change was in the works. During an appearance in the Oval Office last month, Trump said that War Department "just sounded to me better."
Trump does not have the authority to change the department's name without congressional action. The legal name was established by Congress in 1949, when it renamed the newly unified military service branches under a new "Department of Defense" following World War II. Almost from the country's founding, the army was overseen by the War Department, but the sprawling agency took on its current name following an act of Congress in 1949. At the time, the change marked the culmination of an effort by President Harry Truman to unify the Air Force, Army, and Navy under the umbrella of a single department."
TIME FOR A CHANGE AT VOGUE
As reported by the BBC, "Chloe Malle will become the top editor at American Vogue after Dame Anna Wintour stepped aside as editor-in-chief, the publication announced on September 1. Malle's appointment marks a new era for the magazine, considered one of the most influential and glamorous fashion publications. Malle, 39, the daughter of actress Candice Bergen and French film director Louis Malle, grew up splitting her time between Paris and Los Angeles until her father died when she was 10 years old. In a previous job, she covered real estate for the New York Observer. Her next gig as a freelance writer led her to Vogue, where she began a full-time position as the social editor in 2011, aged 25. She rose through the ranks of the organization and later became the editor of Vogue.com, while also hosting a podcast for the magazine called The Run Through...It is unclear exactly when the transition from Dame Anna to Malle as chief of the magazine will be, but 75-year-old Dame Anna is not completely leaving the picture. Dame Anna previously told the New York Times she would not be moving offices - and that her pottery collection would therefore be staying put as well."
END OF WINDOWS 10
As reported by MSN, "Windows 10 users have a little over a month until Microsoft pulls the plug on the operating system on October 14. A public interest group (PIRG) petitioned the company to reconsider its decision, claiming it would lead to the single biggest jump in e-waste ever. An estimated 400 million PCs are still running Windows 10 despite this imminent end-of-support. However, Windows 11 is slowly gaining traction and broad adoption as it recently surpassed Windows 10 as the most dominant desktop operating system." If you don't want to upgrade your OS and are willing to pay, Microsoft will offer security updates for one year for consumers at a cost of $30.
DEMOCRATIC PARTY'S UNPOPULAR LANGUAGE
As reported by Politico, "Nearly 10 months after the 2024 elections, and the Democratic party is still embroiled in self-recriminations over where they’re talking, what they’re talking about and, now, the actual words they’re using. Or, more precisely: which words they shouldn’t utter. In a new memo, shared with POLITICO, the center-left think tank Third Way is circulating a list of 45 words and phrases they want Democrats to avoid using, alleging that the terms put 'a wall between us and everyday people of all races, religions, and ethnicities.'"
According to Lanae Erickson, Third Way’s senior vice president, "The Democratic Party brand is toxic across the country at this point with way too many people — enough that there’s no way for us to win a governing majority without changing that. Part of the problem was that we were using words that literally no normal people used — [and] that we were sticking to messages that were so overly scripted that they basically sounded like nothing."
Here's the list of words and phrases that fall into six categories:
THERAPY-SPEAK:
*Privilege
*Violence (as in “environmental violence”)
*Dialoguing
*Othering
*Triggering
*Microaggression/assault/invalidation
*Progressive stack
*Centering
*Safe space
*Holding space
*Body shaming
SEMINAR ROOM LANGUAGE:
*Subverting norms
*Systems of oppression
*Critical theory
*Cultural appropriation
*Postmodernism
*Overton Window
*Heuristic
*Existential threat to (climate, the planet, democracy, the economy)
ORGANIZER JARGON:
*Radical transparency
*Small ‘d’ democracy
*Barriers to participation
*Stakeholders
*The unhoused
*Food insecurity
*Housing insecurity
*Person who immigrated
GENDER/ORIENTATION CORRECTNESS:
*Birthing person/inseminated person
*Pregnant people
*Chest feeding
*Cisgender
*Deadnaming
*Heteronormative
*Patriarchy
*LGBTQIA+
THE SHIFTING LANGUAGE OF RACIAL CONSTRUCTS:
*Latinx
*BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color)
*Allyship
*Intersectionality
*Minoritized communities
EXPLAINING AWAY CRIME:
*Justice-involved
*Carceration
*Incarcerated people
*Involuntary confinement
THE END OF MAIL-IN BALLOTS?
Can President Trump eliminate mail-in ballots, as he announced on social media? According to Northeastern University, "While Presidents can advocate for election changes, experts note that the Constitution and U.S. law gives states the authority to decide how ballots are cast. According to Northeastern University law professor Jeremy Paul, "To eliminate mail-in ballots nationwide, Congress would have to pass legislation on the issue, something that seems unlikely. There's not sufficient support to have a nationwide elimination of mail-in ballots."
NATIONAL SERVICE DOG MONTH
According to the American Human Society, "During National Service Dog Month (September), we raise awareness and show appreciation for the extraordinary work service dogs do every day for the people in their care. Service dogs are specially trained to perform specific tasks for people with disabilities as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act. They can be trained to retrieve objects, assist with balance, or assist those with psychiatric disabilities. They also serve our nation’s wounded warriors suffering from conditions including Post-Traumatic Stress and Traumatic Brain Injury. These special pups exemplify the amazing healing power of the human-animal bond."
If you want to find out more about the amazing work that service dogs do, check out one of my favorite nonprofits, Canine Companions - celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. (Visit the nonprofit's website at www.canine.org.)
What other recent marketing buzz caught your attention? Since there's always something happening that impacts marketing, read #DebbieLaskeysBlog for the scoop!
Image Credits: Subway and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Read Publisher Morse's full letter to readers of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
https://www.ajc.com/opinion/2025/08/a-new-chapter-for-the-ajc/
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