The Daily Carnage

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

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In Defense of Color

In Defense of Color

A mysterious creative collective called Ghost is behind a new billboard campaign to protect the local art scene in Charlotte, North Carolina from “beige.”

That’s the message that began appearing on cryptic billboards across the city—before revealing their true purpose: saving local arts nonprofits like ArtPop from financial ruin.

The campaign, backed by Adams Outdoor Advertising, drives people to saveartfromdeath.com, urging support for struggling creative organizations.

The message is simple but powerful: without art, Charlotte becomes a colorless void. It’s a bold move, but as ArtPop’s founder puts it, “It’s Hail Mary time.” The campaign runs through April.

CPK Takes Midlife

CPK Takes Midlife

Lordy lordy, look who’s 40.

California Pizza Kitchen is faking a flashy, hypebeast-inspired rebrand to celebrate its 40th anniversary.

The temporary makeover, featuring a sleek chrome logo and edgy slogans like “DEVOUR THE DOUBTERS,” sparked some confusion and curiosity from everyone, including Little Caesars, which commented “Bestie what’s happening.”

The campaign is designed to parody the trend of extreme corporate rebrands, and so far it’s generated 21 million social impressions.

Bateman’s Batman

Bateman’s Batman

State Farm’s latest campaign, “Batman vs. Bateman,” stars Jason Bateman as a bumbling Batman alongside famous Gotham villains and cameos from SZA, Kai Cenat, and Jordan the Stallion.

The spot takes viewers on a wild ride through Gotham, where Bateman’s antics ensue.

Directed by Bryan Buckley and created by Highdive in collaboration with Warner Bros., no expense was spared for authentic visuals to capture Gotham’s dark mood.

Get a Whiff of This

Get a Whiff of This

Whole-body deodorant brand Sure is sure getting fresh in their latest campaign in the UK.

In partnership with AMV BBDO, they’ve rolled out a giant, scented billboard in Camden—where you can literally stop and smell the “naughty bits.”

They’re encouraging passersby to get up close and personal with a giant butt (among other body parts) to test out their new product.

The 48-sheet billboard is scented with oils and is, as you might expect, inspiring some amusing public reactions.

Ordinary Eggs

Ordinary Eggs

The Ordinary, the no-frills skincare brand, just entered the egg business.

With NYC egg prices cracking $10 a dozen due to a bird-flu outbreak, The Ordinary swooped in for one weekend, selling “ordinarily priced” eggs at its Manhattan stores for a couple of bucks less than Trader Joe’s.

Some called it genius marketing; others cried PR stunt, especially since they tagged MSCHF, the kings of viral chaos.

And let’s not forget—they’re a vegan brand. Was this a yolk or a true attempt to help? Either way, they got exactly what they wanted: everyone’s attention, sunny side up.

Beige AF

Beige AF

If you’re having oatmeal for breakfast today, scroll along.

Quaker Oats’ latest U.K. campaign, “Deliciously Ugly,” is saying the quiet part out loud: Oatmeal is kind of… unappetizing.

Created by Uncommon, the OOH ads feature intentionally unattractive, unretouched images of gloppy oatmeal with headlines like “Beige AF” and “Hot Mess.”

The campaign leans into British slang and humor, positioning Quaker’s oats as lovable despite their “fugly” appearance.

It builds on the brand’s earlier stunt—the viral “Porridge Dress” at London Fashion Week.

Across 40 ad placements, the campaign is a playful and refreshing answer to over-polished food imagery.

Mr. Peanut Goes Hollywood

Mr. Peanut Goes Hollywood

Mr. Peanut is making his feature film debut in Netflix’s upcoming sci-fi, “The Electric State,” premiering March 14.

The film stars Millie Bobby Brown, Chris Pratt, and Woody Harrelson—who lends his voice to the dapper mascot. In the film’s post-apocalyptic world, Mr. Peanut takes on a new role as the heroic leader of the robots.

Planters and BBDO MW teamed up with Netflix to launch a campaign to tie Mr. Peanut’s on-screen persona to the brand’s long-running “Ahh, nuts” platform.

The campaign, which will air across multiple platforms, reimagines Mr. Peanut’s origins, featuring nostalgic ads and The Cranberries’ Dreams as the soundtrack.

The Planters NutMobile even makes a cameo in the movie.

The Drink of Champions

The Drink of Champions

Hot off its highly ranked Super Bowl ad, Liquid Death has signed a multi-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles—meaning its iced teas will now be available at Lincoln Financial Field.

CEO Mike Cessario, a Philly native, joked that the Eagles might be tapping into Liquid Death’s mojo for a repeat victory in 2026.

As the team’s Official Iced Tea Partner, Liquid Death will have stadium signage, social media integration, and a sweepstakes offering fans tickets, autographed swag, and an exclusive concert.

The brand has also launched the Liquid Death Pro Driver team, awarding $30,000 sponsorships to three NASCAR fans who chugged iced tea in 18 seconds.

Razor Sharp Tactic

Razor Sharp Tactic

Razor brand Nimbi was struggling on TikTok, where the word “razor” isn’t exactly rewarded by the algorithm.

So, Nimbi turned to an unlikely alternative. OnlyFans. There are a lot fewer content restrictions over there, so Nimbi can offer shaving tips and tutorials and other SFW, educational brand content without getting shadowbanned.

The strategy has worked—Nimbi is now Erewhon’s top personal care seller.

This move follows a pattern of brands and creators shifting to NSFW platforms when facing limitations elsewhere—similar to how some firearm content moved to Pornhub after YouTube crackdowns.

While OnlyFans’ business tools are still developing, its revenue potential is considerable. Something to think about.

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