The Daily Carnage

The savvy marketer's hub for industry news, insights, resources, and culture.

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Instacart is summering like it’s 1999.

The platform’s new campaign is a love letter to 90s childhood summers… and 90s cost of living.

Now, you can get Bagel Bites, Capri Sun, and Kool-Aid at 47.2% off, true to 1999 grocery-store prices.

And with retailer partnerships with Lowe’s, DICK’S, Michaels, and Dollar Tree, Instacart users can pick up tie-dye kits, sprinklers, and s’mores supplies to rekindle the nostalgia.

Whatever Lathers Your Sponge

Last time Sydney Sweeney worked with Dr. Squatch, fans joked (?) that they’d buy her bathwater.

Well, it’s time to pay up.

Dr. Squatch has made Sydney’s Bathwater Bliss: a limited-edition soap made with her actual bath water, plus sand and pine bark extract.

“There’s no playbook for turning Sydney Sweeney’s actual bath water into a bar of soap, but that’s exactly why we did it,” Dr. Squatch’s SVP of global marketing told the NYT.

As for Sydney herself, she calls the obsession “weird in the best way.”

Give Us The Finger

Smart ring maker Oura is flipping off our youth-obsessed culture with a new campaign.

“Give Us the Finger” features real people that actually look their age, like streetball trick shot artist George Papoutsis and lifelong tango dancers Mónica Romero and Omar Ocampo, all wearing an in-your-face Oura Ring.

“We’re here to celebrate something deeper: the joy of growing into yourself,” according to the brand. “We’re inviting you to wear your commitment—to living fully, aging intentionally, and supporting your health through every chapter. Because the goal isn’t to stay young. It’s to stay well.”

Goated

CeraVe has a brand new mascot. TBH, we’re kind of sad to report that it’s not Michael Cera.

Meet “Sarah V.,” the goat character inspired by social users who call the brand the “G.O.A.T.” of skincare.

Created by Ogilvy PR New York, Miss Sarah V. stars in short skits alongside influencers like Delaney Rowe and Keith Lee, interrupting their content with deadpan charm and a bottle of moisturizer.

It’s Gen-Z approved chaos inspired by organic fan commentary. Smooth.

Vegas’ Hottest New Social Club

Game nights are back on.

Uno is launching a new social club campaign this July at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.

The pop-up suite, decked out in Uno’s iconic color palette, will feature themed decor, tournament-style play, and exclusive variations like Uno Show ’Em No Mercy. Fans can win a stay by posting TikToks using a custom Uno Reverse Card filter.

This Vegas activation kicks off a nationwide series of Uno-themed pop-ups at bars and venues, complete with custom drinks, photo ops, and live events. Wild!

A Race to Relish

Oscar Mayer is revving up six of its iconic Wienermobiles on the oval ahead of the Indianapolis 500 with the debut of the “Wienie 500″ this Friday.

Each Wienermobile will represent a different U.S. regional hot dog, from the Chi Dog (Midwest) to the Sonoran Dog (Southwest). It’s the first time in over a decade that all six hot-dog-shaped vehicles have gathered in one place.

The event is part of Oscar Mayer’s partnership with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where the brand has been named the Official Hot Dog of the Indy 500.

Expect custom racing suits, a winner’s trophy in the “Wiener’s Circle,” and a condiment spray celebration, whatever that is.

Stream it on the Fox Sports app and @INDYCARonFOX.

Sick & Tired

Since 2021, Theraflu has advocated that rest during illness should be a right, not a privilege.

Led by brand director Yasmin Gonzales M., the “Right to Rest & Recover” campaign has combined financial support, policy advocacy, and cultural storytelling to address a systemic gap: nearly 27 million U.S. workers lack paid sick time.

What began as a modest $150,000 fund to cover unpaid sick days has grown into a nearly $1 million initiative. Theraflu has partnered with advocacy organizations like A Better Balance and influential voices like Reshma Saujani to amplify the call for change, especially on behalf of working mothers and caregivers.

The campaign also uses creative content—like the “Sick Talk” video series and Spanish-language outreach with journalist Mariana Atencio—to spark conversation and reduce stigma around taking sick leave.

Pucker Up

German bidet brand Bidetlity has launched a visceral campaign with JOAN Berlin that finally answers the question:

How do you visually represent the benefits of a bidet?

With tight close-ups of pursed human lips paired with the tagline “So Clean You Can Kiss It,” of course.

The campaign hits the streets of Berlin and Hamburg with vibrant OOH placements, especially near kink-friendly hotspots, and is sure to get people talking on social.

“This isn’t just about a product,” said Corinna Jaensch, Head of Brand at Bidetlity. “It’s about confronting shame and shifting the culture.”

It’s a Love Story

A lot of Gen Z-ers would rather scroll BookTok for romance fiction than bother with a dating app IRL.

So, Hinge took a page out of their book.

The dating app has launched its second installment of its unique “No Ordinary Love” campaign.

Each week, Hinge publishes a real love story on Substack, featuring real Hinge users and written by contemporary authors like Hunter Harriz and Tomasz Jedrowski.

A limited-edition hardcover anthology of the campaign will be distributed to book clubs in New York and London, with OOH placements and creator partnerships rounding out the push.