Broken Marketing by Anvara - Week 10

Welcome to Broken Marketing

Welcome to the 10th 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. 

Probably Not the First Time You’ve Seen Kim K’s Ass

Kim Kardashian knows how to get people talking—and that’s what she did for Skims’ latest swimwear collection. Skims put a 60-foot-long Kim Kardashian balloon in the middle of Times Square, a $1.5 million stunt engineered by Merry Wonderer.

The head-turning activation featured Kim in nothing but a bikini, towering over one of the busiest intersections in the world. Times Square sees over 300,000 people a day. Thousands stopped to take selfies, and millions more saw it online. And because Skims put its branded deck on the base, every viral pic became free advertising.

While most brands drop a similar price tag on forgettable IG ads, Skims made sure everyone—online and IRL—knew who they were. 

The stunt turned Times Square into a visual experience that got people talking. People had to share their take, and whether it was good or bad, the result was the same—Skims owned the conversation.

Nobody is remembered for being ordinary and advertising is no exception. While digital ads are forgettable, Skims created a spectacle you can’t skip through—and certainly can’t forget. In today’s world, attention is an invaluable currency, so dare to be the marketing that breaks. Most brands play it safe. The best ones make people talk, so make yourself unforgettable.

LOVB x Tiffany & Co: Women’s Sports Are Hot

League One Volleyball (LOVB) just landed a big partnership. The women’s indoor league is in their first official season and has partnered with Tiffany & Co. to make their inaugural trophy. The luxury brand is behind some of the most iconic trophies in sports—the Super Bowl, FIFA Club World Cup, NWSL—and their latest creation signals that LOVB is next up.

A youth-to-pro league, the trophy was created with LOVB’s junior athletes’ ideas in mind—soliciting sketches and videos from young players. Before the LOVB Finals, the trophy will go on tour, stopping in key cities like Atlanta, Madison, Omaha, and Houston. More than a showcase, the trip is an activation to engage fans and sponsors with the league to build momentum for the Finals—strengthening brand loyalty. It’s also a brand awareness play for Tiffany that will engage the LOVB fan base.

And it should be. Women’s sports are a rapidly growing market—just look at the numbers. Last year’s Women’s March Madness final was the most watched U.S. basketball game in 5 years, including NBA games. The WNBA’s LA Sparks recently signed a record $8 million jersey deal. And now, Tiffany & Co. is investing in the future of Women’s volleyball. 

The game isn’t changing—it already has. Groups like LOVB are the next major leagues, and constant viewership and sponsorship records mean brands can reach new audiences. And grassroots efforts like LOVB’s create meaningful connections between brands and people. So if brands aren’t paying attention, they’re already behind. If you’re looking to tap into the growing women’s sports marketing scene, go to Anvara to find opportunities.

This week’s news

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

• Tesla’s Top Down Issues. Tesla’s brand value is falling - and sales declined over 60% in France, Germany, and Spain according to the Financial Times. The drop is largely attributed to a lack of new models in Europe since 2021 and Elon Musk’s controversial persona. More than most CEOs, Elon Musk is the face of his companies Tesla, SpaceX, and X, and how people view him directly impacts his brands. 55% of voters think Musk has too much political power, and this distrust in Musk directly correlates with decreasing brand value domestically and internationally. X is seeing the same issues. We wonder if stakeholders will put pressure on Musk if this trajectory continues.

• Qatar Airways introduces its first AI ambassador. Meta has been generating AI profiles on its networks, and now brands are following suit. @SamaOnTheMove is the airline’s AI Instagram account that acts as an influencer without the price tag of a real creator. The account gained over 10 million views in a month with features from real airline ambassadors like Novak Djokovic. “Sama” has received mixed reviews so far, but as brands look to diversify their image with AI, we expect to see more AI ambassadors in the future. Are we going to have AI friends soon and watch AI actors instead of people? I don’t know.

• Target is feeling the heat after cutting key DEI policies. Trump recently removed DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) policies in the federal workforce, and companies like Amazon, Walmart, and Target have followed suit. In retaliation, over 110,000 people have pledged to boycott Target for 40 days, led by civil rights leaders. The retailer, once known for championing diversity, is now under fire for what some see as a betrayal. This is poor timing for Target due to tariffs and their projected sales growth of just 1% this year. The pressure is fueling boycotters' messages and reminds us the power of the people.

• Major League Soccer is planning big moves. The MLS increased its attendance by 5% and sponsorship deals by 13% last year, and new CMO Radhika Duggal is trying to ride the momentum. Duggal understands that although MLS doesn’t have the prestige of leagues like La Liga and EPL, it can create its own identity. The U.S. is co-hosting the 2026 World Cup, Apple TV is pushing MLS content, and legendary players are retiring in the MLS (Messi’s arrival created a 1700% price increase in Inter Miami tickets). With a full-funnel marketing approach, Duggal and Co. want to make these opportunities more than just a moment for the MLS—they want to create a new era of American soccer.

• UGC is a moneymaker for content creators. You may have seen the logo of gambling site Stake across viral videos lately. Companies like Stake are using UGC content to advertise their brands. Rather than paying for Meta ads, companies commission creators who use their logo in videos, paying out based on the number of views. This medium allows companies to spend less on ads while reaching millions on social media while increasing creators’ monetization.

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

“Find what you love and let it kill you.” - Charles Bukowski