America Eagle's Effective Use of TikTok Stars; And the Biggest Ad Ever: Wednesday's First Things First

Welcome to First Things First, Adweek’s daily resource for marketers. We’ll be publishing the content to First Things First on Adweek.com each morning (like this post), but if you prefer that it come straight to your inbox, you can sign up for the email here. American Eagle Highlights Gen Z’s TikTok Talents in First Remotely Produced Campaign [kickout id="1"] Gen Zers are known for taking practical video effects to the next level on TikTok. American Eagle leveraged that savvy in a campaign for its fall collection featuring seven brand ambassadors, including the second-most-followed TikTok influencer Allison Rae and new creators Makayla London and Sumi Oshima, who helped direct, shoot and produce the ad remotely using Zoom. Clever transitions make it look like the stars are passing the phone to one another in the energetic video, which they shot themselves in their homes with remote direction, and even hair and makeup guidance. Creativity within constraints: AE creative director Michael Goldberg said the campaign shows how Gen Zers use everyday tools to develop engaging content. Professor Scott Galloway Discusses the ‘Low Point’ America Is Living Through Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google are set to appear before a House committee in an antitrust probe next Monday. But will it change anything? "In terms of actually getting to the root cause or making any progress, it’ll be more spectacle than historic," said author, entrepreneur and NYU marketing professor Scott Galloway. He said that calling in all four is "reductionist" and a "mistake" and predicts that Facebook will face the greatest scrutiny while the other will come away without much in the way of consequences. However, he also predicted that the ongoing Facebook ad boycott won't have a lasting impact on the platform beyond a symbolic victory because the platform's advertiser base is "self-repairing." The power of the monopoly: Ultimately, Galloway said, the pandemic has helped these Big Tech players more than hurt them. Bud Light Welcomes Baseball Back With a Sweet Serenade Even as the pandemic rages on, the impending return of sports is giving both consumers and brands cause for celebration. A new Bud Light spot shows fans, bored with bread-making, home workouts and other quarantine pastimes, serenading the return of—well, literally any kind of sports, but especially baseball with a variation on "Take Me Out to the Ball Game." Another new spot has a stadium beer vendor cheerfully touting the brands delivery options as he strolls through a neighborhood of sports fans. Watch both here. Pornhub Is Giving Away 1 Billion Ad Impressions for Struggling Small Businesses Adult streaming site Pornhub is putting its quarantine-bored viewers to good use by giving away 1 billion ad impressions to 100 struggling small businesses in cities around the world including florists, barbers, jewelers and more. The sites agency, Officer & Gentleman, is creating 100 ads to accompany the project, dubbed "Pornhub’s Big Package for Small Businesses" Watch: The initiative launched with a (SFW) video highlighting these businesses. A CBD Brand Mowed This 76-Acre Artwork Into a Kansas Wheat Field [kickout id="3"] Installed by a single wheat farmer with the help of maze design firm Precision Mazes, CBD brand Charlotte's Web's latest marketing stunt is both alien and massive—possibly record-breakingly so, with a footprint the size of 57 football fields. The company advertises its natural product through a massive crop circle-like art installation located in a McPherson, Kansas field. Shepard Fairey’s Studio Number One created the original artwork, which first appeared in Charlotte's Web's "Trust the Earth" campaign back in October 2019 in other locations across the U.S. (though not in fields). A push for broader change: The Trust the Earth campaign asks consumers to share hemp-based CBD success stories with legislators. More of Today's Top News & Highlights How CO Bigelow’s Third-Generation Owner Is Bringing the Drugstore Into the Future IAB Unveils the Lineup for Its First Virtual Podcast Upfront To Create Racial Change, Advertising Must ‘Envision a World That Doesn’t Exist’ Arielle Charnas Is Entering DTC With Something Few Brands Have: an Audience Eager to Shop Coca-Cola’s Revenue Dropped 28% Last Quarter, but Believes the Worst Days Are Past CreatorIQ Raises $24 Million to Become ‘Part of Everybody’s Marketing Stack’ As Discrimination Rises, Ad Council Takes Stand Against Coronavirus-Fueled Racism The Ad Council's powerful new PSA, "Fight the Virus. Fight the Bias," addresses discrimination against Asian and Pacific Islander communities by highlighting the stories of Asian Americans who are essential workers, first responders, chefs and more—and who have experienced racial bias. The spot was created by Parks and Recreation producer/screenwriter Alan Yang as part of the organization’s ongoing Love Has No Labels movement, which is dedicated to ending discrimination. [kickout id="2"] More of the Latest It’s a Bird. It’s a Drone. It’s a Hot Air Balloon. No, It’s Kind Snacks’ Latest Stunt Walmart, Target and CVS Join Forces to Find an Alternative to Single-Use Plastic Bags Live Sports Drought Pushes More TV Viewers to Cut the Cord—Permanently Why Workers Walked Out Monday in a Mass Strike for Black Lives Nielsen Is Overhauling Its Digital Measurement Methodology Katie Couric on Changing the World Through Influence and Dedication

First Things First

America Eagle's Effective Use of TikTok Stars; And the Biggest Ad Ever: Wednesday's First Things First

Plus, Professor Scott Galloway talks about America's 'low point' ahead of big tech antitrust hearings

American Eagle Highlights Gen Z’s TikTok Talents in First Remotely Produced Campaign

Jess Zafarris

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American Eagle Highlights Gen Z’s TikTok Talents in First Remotely Produced Campaign

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Jess Zafarris