Stella, Skincare, Stars and the Upcoming Fall Marketing Playbook
Written By: Lexi Rapnikas
Campaign of the Week: Theo James Takes Stella into the Gentlemen
Anheuser-Busch's infamous Stella Artois is stepping into The Gentlemen universe with a new campaign starring Theo James and David Beckham, marking the first major creative collaboration from Netflix and AB InBev’s multi-year partnership. The 90-second spot blends seamlessly into the show’s world, with James’ character using a perfectly poured Stella as a power move during a tense auction with Beckham.
Beyond the hero film, the partnership will extend across social content, events and limited-edition chalices, showcasing AB InBev’s push to make brands feel more like entertainment than traditional advertising. The campaign will roll out across major markets as Stella also appears throughout the show’s second season.
Athleta Revamps with “My World. My Rules.”
Athleta is launching its fall 2026 campaign, “My World. My Rules.,” as part of a broader effort to revive the struggling activewear brand. The campaign takes a bolder, purpose-driven approach to women’s empowerment, featuring cinematic storytelling, social-first content and a partnership with Olivia Rodrigo’s Daisy Chain Fields Festival.
The Gap-owned brand is also sharpening its focus on women and girls, blending performance and everyday apparel, and investing in creative, social-first and community-driven marketing. With a renewed emphasis on bold visuals and emotional storytelling, Athleta hopes to reengage loyal customers, attract younger shoppers and carve out more market share in the crowded activewear space.
Bowen Yang is Guilty as Skin!
Estée Lauder is taking its skincare secrets straight to the group chat with “Guilty as Skin,” a new campaign starring Bowen Yang and Ana Gasteyer. The playful spot promotes Advanced Night Repair by tapping into the way consumers increasingly rely on friends for product recommendations and everyday decisions. Rolling out across digital, social, connected TV and retail, the campaign is part of Estée Lauder’s broader push to connect with younger consumers through culturally relevant marketing as the brand works to reignite growth.
Uber Takes on Back-to-School Manifestation with Teens
Uber is tapping into teen manifestation culture with “Manifest Your Best Year Ever,” a back-to-school campaign promoting Uber teen accounts with a week of free rides and eats. The Mother New York campaign features two playful spots showing teens using Uber to make their back-to-school goals a reality, from getting to class on time while finishing a skincare routine to bringing protein shakes to the gym.
The campaign will span film, OOH, audio and social, plus activations at 10 high schools across the country. Students can turn their goals into memes through a giant digital “manifestation portal,” while Uber is also partnering with Home From College to recruit student ambassadors and extend the campaign through peer-to-peer engagement.
Coca-Cola Tackles the Upcoming Football Season with New Ad
The Coca-Cola Company is bringing back its “Fan Work Is Thirsty Work” platform for football season with a bigger social-first push featuring college creators, personalized packaging and its first partnership with Yahoo Sports College Fantasy Football. The campaign will also hit the road with a 74-stop campus tour, bringing locally inspired experiences to fans across the country. Building on the momentum of its World Cup marketing, Coke is doubling down on personalized, fan-focused activations to keep its brand at the center of college football season.
