🤖 AI is playing a bigger role at the 2026 Olympics.

🛍️ TikTok Shop halts plan to end independent shipping for U.S. sellers after backlash.

🛒 Ebay to acquire Depop from Etsy.

🚫 Russia blocks access to WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram.

👀 Manscaped is auctioning off Stavros Halkias’ hairball monster from the Super Bowl ad.

🧬 Meta’s Project Lazarus would resurrect the dead.

📎 How the viral “Staples Baddie” is turning a struggling retailer into a Gen‑Z obsession.

Research using fMRI brain scans reveals the key elements that make people actually like (not just tolerate) video ads.

At the heart of likability is emotional engagement. Ads that start with a compelling emotional scene trigger the brain’s emotional centers early and make people more invested in what comes next.

Successful ads typically pair that emotional start with a logical ending that clearly presents the product or solution.

Another key factor is the multimodal experience, like the use of dynamic visuals, meaningful dialogue and voice-overs, and music or sound effects that reinforce the narrative.

Here’s a little cheat sheet:

• 🎬 Emotional opening that hooks interest
• 🧠 Logical conclusion that provides a solution or payoff
• 💬 Dialogues and narration (text + voice)
• 👀 Engaging visuals with movement and variation
• 🔊 Sound and music that support emotion

Check out the research from Science Says.

Norbert is a lead-gen / email discovery tool that helps you find your prospect’s email address by entering a their name and company domain.

It verifies those addresses in real time to reduce bounce rates and protect sender reputation. There’s also data enrichment, like job titles and company information, which helps you personalize outreach.

You get the first 50 leads for free.

“The Daily Carnage was the newsletter that brought us the most meaningful demo clicks and new trials.” — Digital Summit

“Open rate was nearly 50% and CTR was relatively high, especially considering this newsletter’s audience was likely being exposed to our event for the first time.” — Adweek

Hop on our 2026 sponsorship calendar to get your content in front of 25,000 marketers.

Book a $99 Classified ad instantly, or ask us about our custom sponsorship packages tailored to your campaign objectives.

Another day, another jingle for ya.

Frosted Flakes is teaming up with rapper J.I.D. in a new campaign that reimagines the classic ‘90s “Hey Tony” jingle (sorry that’s in your head until EOD now) into a full-length hype song. And yes, it all comes with a limited-edition cereal box and merch.

The track will debut at the “Day Ones” Bowl Game on February 22, where J.I.D will perform live and community youth teams will compete in 7×7 football, with donations from Kellogg’s Mission Tiger™ supporting local sports programs.

Kellogg’s, 1982