From Giant Hairballs to Haunted Billboards - Marketing Is Getting Weird
Written By: Lexi Rapnikas
Campaign of the Week: Netflix’s The Last House Billboard
Netflix promoted their newest horror movie The Last House with a striking experiential stunt: a performer lived inside a glass-walled, fully furnished billboard above Sunset Boulevard for three days, mirroring the film’s premise of characters trapped inside a home.
The stunt generated significant local news coverage, social media attention, and earned media, helping drive awareness and streams despite the film’s poor reviews. The campaign highlights how experiential marketing can create highly visual, newsworthy moments that deliver substantial reach without traditional media costs, and although the movie doesn’t have the best ratings, the campaign does.
K18 Sends A REAL Hairball Around NYC
K18 Hair launched its new FutureIQ Hair Longevity Serum with “The Tumblehair,” a 10-foot-tall hairball made from real human hair that rolled through New York City to represent the billions of hairs New Yorkers collectively lose through shedding.
Created by Uncommon Creative Studio, the bizarre, highly photogenic stunt sparked widespread social media attention, with many initially mistaking it for AI, while driving awareness of hair loss and K18’s new product. The activation will culminate at a SEPHORA pop-up offering scalp analyses, consultations and product demonstrations.
Kate Spade Plays Hide and Seek in NYC
kate spade new york’s 2026 fall campaign, “Spark Something Beautiful,” turns New York City into a playful hide-and-seek adventure centered on finding joy in everyday moments. Featuring new global ambassador Tyla alongside a diverse group of creators and cultural voices, the campaign uses a hero film, social content, creator collaborations and immersive experiences to encourage audiences to “look closer” for moments of joy, while showcasing the brand’s new Duo Mini shoulder bag, because in New York, you never know where a great handbag might turn up.
We’re OBSESSED with Indy Navarette’s New Gap Campaign
Gap is bringing back the denim (and the drama) with its fall 2026 “Denim on Your Own” campaign, starring rising star Inde Navarrete and musician Malcolm Todd in a music video-inspired ode to self-expression.
Set to Todd’s fresh take on Robyn’s “Dancing on My Own,” the campaign mixes Gap’s consistent ’90s nostalgia with Gen Z energy across social, digital, OOH, stores and creator partnerships. It’s another celebrity-and-music-fueled move for Gap as the brand works to stay culturally relevant, and remind us that what is old, is still very very cool.
Every Jif'ing Thing Makes it's Splash
The J.M. Smucker Co.'s Jif’s new “Every Jif’ing Thing” campaign aims to expand peanut butter beyond the classic PB&J, highlighting uses like dipping, mixing, smoothies and savory dishes.
The campaign creatively transforms Jif’s iconic logo into different actions and pairs the visuals with an unexpected remix of “O Fortuna,” rolling out across TV, streaming, social and digital channels. The effort also introduces a refreshed visual identity as Jif works to increase the occasions when consumers reach for the brand. Basically, Jif is making the case that peanut butter has way more range than we’ve been giving it credit for.
