Broken Marketing by Anvara - Week 9

Welcome to Broken Marketing

Welcome to the 9th weekly edition of Broken Marketing by Anvara, where we discuss marketing that breaks.

For those of you that are new here, we’re Nick and Andrei, the co-founders of Anvara. We’ve included you here because one way or another we’re connected. We’re happy to have you a part of the Anvara family. 

Brand Activations Steal the Show at NBA All-Star Weekend

NBA All-Star Weekend may have disappointed on the court, but brands made sure the real action happened off of it. Over three days, San Francisco’s Moscone Center and All-Star Alley transformed into an interactive venue where fans didn’t just watch—they played, won, and engaged with brands. Here are some of our highlights from the weekend:

Google Pixel and Gemini AI were front and center 

Google’s Pixel House felt like stepping into an NBA player’s world. Arcade games, shooting contests, and even a tunnel walk were recorded and ready to share through Pixel phones. Google enhanced the activation by offering information using its Gemini Live AI. This allowed fans to experience something fun while unable to escape the word “Google”, and engaging with the products during their experience. Experiential marketing at its finest.

Courtside with Meta Quest VR

Meta collaborated with Xtadium to take fans courtside wherever they were. Using the Quest headset, users at home and at the event got a 180° view, albeit virtual. Attendees were also able to test the new mixed reality Quest 3S model showcasing Meta’s ability against Apple’s Vision pro. 

Fans who had already spent thousands of dollars on tickets could use the Meta Quest to get an even better view, and wonder why they spent so much on tickets when they can just buy a Meta Quest.

AT&T was the Fan Favorite 

AT&T made sure to put their branding everywhere as they held the fan favorite NBA Dunk Contest. After Mac MaClung’s exciting three-peat, they turned fans into participants, hosting a friendlier version of the dunk contest shown below. AT&T branded highlights flooded social media from players and fans, letting the brand own the moment. 

WNBA’s Newest Team 

The WNBA welcomed their newest The Golden State Valkyries with a home themed museum. Filled with exploration of the Valkyries and other WNBA franchises, the activation had prize earning easter eggs throughout. It also gave fans an opportunity to meet their favorite WNBA players during the event.

Nike+

Naturally, Nike and its sister brands Jordan and Converse were all over the floor, but their activations took center stage. Nike revealed their new Black Label Collection, held a Future’s Game for young players, and Jordan celebrated the moments and people that have shaped their brand. Converse took over the SF skateboarding scene with events and skateable art sculptures celebrating culture.

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These activations remind us that experiences—not ads—create lasting impressions. They let brands tell their story—Meta and Google showed their youthful side, AT&T let fans do the dunking, and Nike reminded us why they are the sports brand. Find ways to put your brand where the people are, let them experience you, and make yourself unforgettable. 

No Lay’s, No Messi

Imagine sitting in your local pub, when Lionel Messi, Thierry Henry, Alexia Putellas, or Luis Suárez walks in — just to see if you have a bag of Lay’s. PepsiCo’s latest “No Lay’s, No Game” campaign had football legends scouring bars in Miami, Barcelona, and beyond. If a pub had Lay’s, they stayed. If not? They walked.

For fans, it was about being in the right place at the right time. People went out in hopes of meeting the players, and videos on the Lay’s social media accounts got tens of millions of views. The promotion turned Lay’s ordinary chip bags into tickets to a fandom. 

The campaign isn’t just about viral moments. It’s about incentive marketing - “associate with my brand, and you win.” McDonald’s Monopoly turned meals into lottery tickets, Taco Bell’s “Steal a Base, Steal a Taco” managed to make baseball more exciting, and Nike’s SNKRS app rewards loyal buyers with exclusive sneakers. All of these promotions incentivize consumers to buy products for the opportunity to win something bigger. 

While we don’t all have Messi on speed dial or the $ to become the official snack of the World Cup like Lay’s, every brand can make their product feel like a golden ticket. Utilizing human capital and creating FOMO doesn’t just sell a product — it sells possibility. The possibility to meet a celebrity, be a part of a community, or own something exclusive makes people want you.

This week’s news

Here’s a brief update on marketing news from this week:

• Trump meets Zelensky for all to see. Last Friday, Trump met with Zelensky in an unusually public fashion. Their Oval Office clash was aired publicly and left many questions on Trump’s next moves in the Ukraine-Russia conflict. Previously, Trump had promised to end the war swiftly, and from Friday it seemed he was intent on bending Zelensky to his will. The U.S. government suspended military aid to Ukraine days after the meeting. For us in media, this was an interesting showdown, as a heated, high-stakes conversation like this would typically happen behind closed doors. Now the public gets to see these talks happen live and all over X.

• Durex hijacks Ikea’s late-night marketing. Last week we talked about IKEA’s Valentine’s Day “U Up?” ad, and Durex seems to have noticed. Durex flipped the “U Up?” script in IKEA’s DM and used the banter to advertise their sex toy products. Quick acting, like McDonald’s vs. Burger King’s online jabs and Oreo’s Super Bowl blackout tweet, capitalize on trending events that generate easy impressions. Brand interactions like these feel more organic to customers and cost less than traditional adverts.

• McDonalds says “Breakfast Comes First”. McDonald’s Oscar after-party ad reminded us we aren’t so different from celebrities. For its 50th-anniversary Egg McMuffin promo, McDonald’s featured celebrity orders like Julia Fox’s choice of a hotcake with 10 syrup packets. As chains like Denny’s and Waffle House add an egg upcharge (eggs are $8.50 a carton), McDonald’s celebrated with $1 offers in their app. The cleverly timed ad reminds customers that McDonald’s will always be the #1 breakfast spot.

• IMDb’s new ‘Kleenex Score.’ Timed to the Oscars, IMDb released a new rating system for their ‘Tearjerker Titles’ collection. The ‘Kleenex Score’ tells you how many tears you should expect to shed when watching. The campaign blends content and commerce—IMDb (owned by Amazon) directs users to purchase Kleenex tissues on Amazon. By tapping into emotional marketing, the brands integrate themselves with how audiences engage with films. And on another note, Amazon seems to own every company these days. (They made an offer to buy Anvara for $50B, but we politely declined.)

That’s all for this week. Happy Wednesday and remember, fortune favors the brave.

What’s Anvara?

Anvara is a first-of-its-kind platform that connects brands with premium real-world advertising opportunities like live event sponsorship, sports marketing, and guerilla marketing. With a focus on innovation, AI, and advanced measurement, Anvara makes it easier for brands to create memorable real-world experiences and measure their ROI. For more information, visit https://www.anvara.com/.

Quote of the week

“When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.” - Henry Ford