Brand Builder Lab
Brand Builder Lab is the podcast for marketers, entrepreneurs, creators, and leaders who want to build brands that matter. Produced by Columbia University lecturer and brand strategist Kai D. Wright, this show offers a weekly dose of creativity applied strategically with inspiration, insights, and resources. Each episode breaks down proven strategies from the Brand Builder Lab newsletter on LinkedIn, exploring topics like cult branding, creative effectiveness, storytelling, and personal branding. Explore more at BrandBuilderLab.com
Brand Builder Lab
Fast Five | News This Week | GTA VI x Take-Two Interactive, Meta, McDonald's x Minecraft, Google | Marketing and Brand Trending Stories
In today's fast five, the Brand Builder Lab breaks down five critical marketing and branding stories transforming how brands connect with audiences. From gaming industry strategies to AI-powered advertising tools, we explore the shifts that marketing professionals need to understand to stay competitive in today's rapidly evolving landscape.
- GTA VI's strategic marketing approach demonstrates exceptional brand loyalty with gamers willing to pay $100 without hesitation for the Take-Two Interactive blockbuster
- Meta and LinkedIn aggressively deploying AI-powered advertising tools to enhance campaign performance and targeting capabilities
- Creative partnerships like McDonald's Minecraft meal and The Ordinary's egg carton stunt generating significant brand buzz
- Google's $100 million advertising settlement highlights digital advertising complexity while zero-click searches change SEO strategy
- AI adoption for marketing processes, especially video creation, has more than doubled in a year, becoming essential for brands including Coca-Cola
- Chief Marketing Officers using AI to maximize ad budgets and campaign performance
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Produced by Kai D. Wright. Follow Kai on LinkedIn.
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You found it, the Brand Builder Lab, where we break down the big stories that are changing how the world connects with you. And forget about endlessly scrolling. We've got the five need-to-know marketing and branding stories and we deliver them fast. Buckle up.
Speaker 2:Fasten your seatbelts.
Speaker 1:Because staying ahead means you've got to be informed, like right now. We've dug through it all to bring you the intel that truly matters. So what do you say? We jump right in.
Speaker 2:Let's get to it.
Speaker 1:All right, Counting down number five.
Speaker 2:The gaming world is buzzing.
Speaker 1:I've heard. I've heard.
Speaker 2:And it's all about Grand Theft Auto VI.
Speaker 1:Of course it is Everybody's waiting for that.
Speaker 2:The CEO of Take-Two Interactive. They've come out and said that their marketing push all their big efforts for this massively anticipated game is going to ramp it up way closer to the release date.
Speaker 1:Talk about playing the long game. The anticipation is, it's palpable.
Speaker 2:You can feel it.
Speaker 1:And you know, it's not just the gamers who are on the edge of their seats. Industry analysts, as reported by Sky News, they're saying some rival gaming companies. Industry analysts as reported by Sky News they're saying some rival gaming companies. They could really struggle, really face challenges if they don't time things right around this behemoth of a release.
Speaker 2:This is going to be huge, Huge.
Speaker 1:I mean Forbes. They even came out with a bold prediction. They're saying this game it could have a $100 price tag, Wow, and gamers will reportedly buy it without even thinking twice.
Speaker 2:That's crazy.
Speaker 1:I know. What does that tell you about brand loyalty in the gaming world?
Speaker 2:It's strong.
Speaker 1:It's huge. Okay, shifting gears.
Speaker 2:Now Number four we are seeing some major advancements in the world of social media advertising Interesting, especially with AI, artificial intelligence.
Speaker 1:AI is everywhere these days.
Speaker 2:It really is, and Meta. They've been super aggressive about rolling out all these new AI powered tools and features, all designed to make ad campaigns work better for businesses.
Speaker 1:Well, that's what it's all about.
Speaker 2:It is.
Speaker 1:Performance Marketing World, they did a whole piece on how Meta is explaining the ins and outs of their AI, how it actually works, you know, to get better results for advertisers. And PR Daily, they reported on the official launch of Meta AI and AI Studio in Indonesia.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah.
Speaker 1:So that's a clear sign that they're really pushing AI. They see it as the key connection between brands and you.
Speaker 2:I see what they're doing.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and LinkedIn. They don't want to be left behind. Search Engine Land covered how they're jumping into the AI game too. They've got their own set of AI and automation tools to boost ad performance on their platform.
Speaker 2:Got to keep up.
Speaker 1:You got to keep up. And this is interesting Business Insider said they've actually appointed RGA as their lead creative agency. That's a power move, clearly designed to amp up their whole advertising game.
Speaker 2:That's a big deal.
Speaker 1:It is. It makes you wonder, right, how fast are these AI tools going to completely change how ads are made and how they target us?
Speaker 2:It's moving fast.
Speaker 1:It's moving fast. All right, cranking up the energy here.
Speaker 2:Number three Get ready for some interesting partnerships and some clever marketing stunts.
Speaker 1:I love a good stunt.
Speaker 2:McDonald's. They're tapping into the huge gaming market with a brand new Minecraft meal. I saw that, Complete with digital adventures right in the game. Search Engine Journal had the scoop on that one.
Speaker 1:It's a smart move.
Speaker 2:It is. And then there's the ordinary, you know the skincare brand.
Speaker 1:The minimalist one right.
Speaker 2:That's the one. They got everybody talking.
Speaker 1:I heard about this.
Speaker 2:The business of fashion. They highlighted how The Ordinary started selling cartons of eggs.
Speaker 1:Eggs, you're not yoking.
Speaker 2:You got it, but it was brilliant.
Speaker 1:So random.
Speaker 2:Right, it cut through all the noise. It did the Street and Digiday. They both talked about how this stunt generated so much buzz and it really showed you can leverage what's happening in culture to get your brand noticed.
Speaker 1:Definitely. And then you've got Coca-Cola.
Speaker 2:Ah, the classics.
Speaker 1:They're refreshing, they're iconic. I mean, everybody knows it the Share a Coke campaign.
Speaker 2:I love that campaign.
Speaker 1:It's a good one, and they announced that they're going to focus on digital experiences this time around to better connect with Gen Z. You know it shows you even the biggest brands out there. They're always looking for new ways to stay relevant.
Speaker 2:They have to.
Speaker 1:They do. It makes you wonder what's the next surprise tactic we're going to see.
Speaker 2:Who knows, got to stay tuned.
Speaker 1:All right, we're down to the wire now.
Speaker 2:Number two Okay, this next one has big implications for how brands reach you online.
Speaker 1:I'm listening.
Speaker 2:Search Engine Land reported that Google settled a huge advertising dispute.
Speaker 1:How huge are we talking?
Speaker 2:A hundred million dollars.
Speaker 1:Wow.
Speaker 2:Seeking Alpha covered it too, and it's a big reminder that the world of digital advertising it's complicated.
Speaker 1:It's a jungle out there.
Speaker 2:It can be and there were definitely pitfalls, for sure. And speaking of digital advertising, both Search Engine Land and a report from Bain Company, they're both saying zero-click searches are becoming more and more important. Zero-click yeah, it's where you get your answer, right there on the search results page. You don't even have to click through.
Speaker 1:Oh, I see.
Speaker 2:And that's having a big impact on how marketers think about SEO. You know Google's AI it's getting so good at giving you those direct answers. Search Engine Journal pointed out that a lot of B2B marketers they're worried about losing control and losing that organic traffic If nobody's clicking through. Exactly so Search Engine Land. They're saying that, understanding this shift, understanding AI visibility, it's becoming crucial for brands that want to connect with you through search.
Speaker 1:It's a whole new ballgame.
Speaker 2:It is.
Speaker 1:All right, drumroll please. We've made it to the grand finale the number one marketing and branding story-making headlines right now.
Speaker 2:The story that just keeps on giving the integration of AI across the entire marketing landscape.
Speaker 1:AI is everywhere.
Speaker 2:It really is, and it's only going to get bigger. Market. us Scoop reported that the number of brands using AI for video creation has skyrocketed.
Speaker 1:That makes sense. Video is king.
Speaker 2:Right and Wistia's 2025 state of video report. They're saying that adoption rate has more than doubled in just the past year. It's moving fast, fast. And AI is not some far-off fantasy anymore, it's here.
Speaker 1:It's happening now.
Speaker 2:And it's changing everything how we make ads, how we run campaigns, even how we create content. Wow, digiday talked to an executive at NVIDIA. He was saying CMOs, chief marketing officers, they're using AI to really stretch their ad budgets and get the most bang to their buck. So it's pretty clear You've got to understand AI, you've got to use it. It's not optional anymore If you're a brand that wants to innovate and really connect with people in a meaningful way.
Speaker 1:It's the future.
Speaker 2:It is.
Speaker 1:And there you have it the fast five, the top stories that are shaping marketing and branding right now.
Speaker 2:From the gaming world waiting for GTAA to the incredible impact of AI, things are definitely changing fast.
Speaker 1:And these changes. They mean that marketers and brands, they have to stay flexible, they got to be creative and they got to stay informed. Understanding these trends is the key to building strong connections with you, the audience Absolutely. Make sure you follow the Brand Builder Lab newsletter on LinkedIn. You'll get more analysis and insights there.
Speaker 2:And for your daily dose of inspiration and all the latest news from the world of branding, don't forget to follow.
Speaker 1:Thanks for joining us here at the Brand Builder Lab. We'll catch you next time with even more insights to help you navigate this exciting and ever-changing world of brands. See you next time, bye, bye.
