Ryan Reynolds Gets Paw-litical

In his latest Mint Mobile ad, Ryan Reynolds risks it all by wading into the contentious world of politics. It’s to be expected that a phone carrier would get into lobbying—after all, big wireless carriers do it all the time—but Mint has a particular niche: It’s putting its lobbying power (all $15 of it) behind the mayor of Idyllwild, Calif., a “good, good boy” named Mayor Max.

Watch here, because Max is a very, very good boy and also very handsome.

A new digital film shows girls' real-time reactions to Kamala Harris' swearing in, rich with emotions including awe, relief and joy. The spot was created for the United Nations Foundation-led initiative Girl Up, in partnership with Refinery29 and Ogilvy and with the help of volunteer photographers and cinematographers.

Break out the tissues: The emotional ad came together within hours of the inauguration.

Following the Facebook ad boycott last summer, Adweek spoke with Check My Ads co-founders Claire Atkin and Nandini Jammi about their mission to help brands understand where their advertising dollars are going in order to avoid funding hate sites. After it was revealed earlier this week that activist investors requested Home Depot and Omnicom show proof their ad dollars aren't funding misinformation, we caught up with Atkin to get her expertise on the topic.

Why it's important: Atkin contextualizes the events of the past week and the first steps brands need to take if they haven't begun tracking their ads.

The Super Bowl has long been a television staple, but with the world shifting to streaming, the Big Game is heading that way as well. CBS Sports has the rights to air the game, so it will stream across its many digital properties and Verizon Media mobile platforms. 

Get all the details: This year marks an expansion of the Super Bowl’s streaming availability.

Microsoft’s advertising strategy has long been driven by purpose, with campaigns (and internal practices) from the last few years demonstrating a commitment to inclusion, according to industry experts. The company’s head of multicultural and inclusive advertising, MJ DePalma, shared research and elements from the company’s “Marketing With Purpose Playbook” that reinforces the way that a purpose-centric approach can benefit brands.

Explore the findings: Purpose-driven brands are rewarded with customer loyalty and better financial performance.

More of Today’s Top News & Highlights

The Old Spice Guy, Isaiah Mustafa, is returning for an animated ad targeting UK gamers. The spot, which (unlike his last appearance in a 2020 Old Spice ad from Wieden+Kennedy Portland) was created by agency Isobel, will appear within mobile games and on YouTube.

Burger King and RBI International's Fernando Machado, iRobot's Kiran Smith, Female Founders Fund's Anu Duggal, Roblox's Barbara Messing and Ceremonia's Babba Rivera join the lineup for Challenger Brands, a Brandweek virtual experience on Feb. 22-25. Register today to save on your pass and experience the four-day program of Main Stage sessions, Breakout sessions, Marketer-led Masterclasses and experiences that will arm you with insights, inspiration and connections to succeed in 2021.

Calm and Headspace saw major growth in 2020 with unconventional marketing.

The carrier launches a wine club to remind travelers that flights can be a special experience.

Fallout from Covid-19 has been nine times worse than 9/11, according to trade group AHLA.

Shonda Rhimes' first series for the streaming service will resume production this spring.

Next-gen network coverage will grow this year, but its full potential is a ways off.

A new report from StrategyBox surveyed 100 industry executives.