-Even the morning shows are getting in on the Super Bowl. This Sunday before the start of the big game, NBC’s Today will debut a new PSA featuring the show’s anchors to encourage girls throughout the country to pursue their interests in STEM programs. The spot, a part of the national “She Can STEM” campaign, was created by Deloitte Digital in collaboration with the Ad Council and IF/THEN, an initiative of Lyda Hill Philanthropies.
The spot features anchors Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, Al Roker, Craig Melvin and Carson Daly. In an on-set daydream, the anchors are back in school as students in a 1970s classroom talking about what they hope to be when they grow up (Roker wants to be a meteor). In the dream, female classmates name cool STEM-based careers from today. The PSA also features STEM role models Tiffany Kelly, Mitu Khandaker and Karina Popovich who are part of the AAAS IF/THEN Ambassadors Program to encourage more young women to explore careers in STEM. The PSA ends with “STEM has come a long way. She Can STEM.” and directs audiences to SheCanSTEM.com.
-Adweek remembers Ira Madris, a legend of McCann’s “Mad Men” era who in 1971 worked alongside copywriter Ilon Specht to create L’Oreal’s “Because I’m Worth It” campaign, which continues to this day. Madris died on Feb. 7 at age 80.
-Adweek’s Profiles at Black Creativity highlights Steve Jones, who founded pocstock, a platform created to showcase images highlighting people of color.
–Rania Robinson, CEO and partner of Quiet Storm, writes about why the chief diversity officer role might be seen as a dead-end job.
-British retailer Bensons for Beds has handed its eight-figure media planning and buying contract to the7stars.
–Mike Diva talked with Adweek about directing Doja Cat’s “Get Into It (Yuh)” video.
-Sports publisher Bleacher Report revealed a deck of suggested logos in a tweet for the Super Bowl 56, offering the NFL something like a free design consultation.
-There are only a couple days left to check out Adweek’s Super Bowl coverage before the big game, including roundups of regional ads and buzzy stunts.