Our Sales Leads column covers the latest initiatives from brands and media agencies. View past columns in the archives here.
CHECK OUT: 2026 World Cup So Far: 9 Critical Marketing Insights
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Farmers Insurance
Farmers Insurance Logo. (PRNewsFoto/Farmers Insurance) Farmers Insurance has officially announced the appointment of Havas Media as its new U.S. Media Agency of Record (AOR) following a highly competitive, formal evaluation process. The strategic selection marks a pivotal milestone in the insurance provider’s complete operational overhaul of its marketing and media ecosystem. Under this new mandate, Havas Media will assume responsibility for all national, regional, and localized media operations for Farmers Insurance. The network is tasked with engineering an integrated, data-driven strategy encompassing media planning, advanced audience targeting, and cross-channel media buying spanning traditional, digital, social, and emerging platforms. The alignment with Havas Media directly supports a broader brand transformation designed to modernize how the insurer connects with contemporary consumers. This evolution includes the recent appointment of Dentsu Creative as Creative AOR and the nationwide rollout of a refreshed, high-contrast visual identity anchored by a distinctive pink color palette and a simplified, intuitive customer experience. Havas Media will play a critical role in scaling the company’s new national campaign, structured around the newly introduced brand platform, “Honesty Is Our Policy.” By deploying advanced analytics, Havas Media aims to deliver highly optimized, transparent, and high-impact media deployments that underscore the insurer’s core messaging of clarity and transparency.
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Neutrogena®
Neutrogena® announced Break the Rules, a new brand mission built to help consumers move past beauty’s noise and embrace real, science-backed solutions. Break the Rules’ first major creative moment centers on retinol, one of skincare’s most searched-for ingredients with 60,000 average monthly searches1. Social listening data captured via Pulsar found nearly 17,000 posts from U.S. consumers about retinol across TikTok and Instagram between January and May 2026, consistently surfacing the same consumer conflict: people want retinol’s proven results but feel they must trade that effectiveness for irritation. The new Neutrogena® retinol campaign, featuring Neutrogena® Rapid Wrinkle Repair® Retinol Regenerating Cream, was developed to speak directly to that tension. Neutrogena® has been advancing retinol science since first launching a retinol face cream in the U.S. mass market in 1997. Neutrogena® Rapid Wrinkle Repair® Retinol Regenerating Cream with hyaluronic acid improves the look of fine lines, dullness, wrinkles & dark spots.The new retinol creative begun rolling out on July 15 and will run nationally across TV and digital channels, including Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. In the months ahead, Break the Rules will continue to unfold across creator partnerships and experiential activations, including Lollapalooza, where Neutrogena® will help festivalgoers refresh in between sets with hydrating skincare alongside sunscreen stations across the festival grounds.
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Great Wolf Resorts
Tux Creative House won the creative/production Agency of Record for Great Wolf Resorts following a competitive pitch.
The company, which claims the largest indoor water park, has 23 locations across North America. New work is tentatively expected in the first quarter of 2027. The projected media spend is US $43M, according to COMvergence.
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Toyota
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oyota is introducing a new family of all-electric vehicles – the Toyota bZ, bZ Woodland and C-HR – giving Hispanic drivers more choice, credibility and confidence when they are ready to consider electric. The campaign is rooted in the understanding that many Hispanic consumers were not waiting to be convinced about electric vehicles; they were simply waiting for Toyota electric options they could trust. When it’s Toyota, going electric is an easy decision. At the heart of the campaign is a 30-second hero spot titled, “They’re Here,” that brings the consumer decision-making process to life by visualizing what happens inside the mind when doubt turns into certainty. The spot uses animated neuron graphics as a metaphor for the internal debate many consumers experience when considering new technology. At first, the neurons fire with questions and hesitation but once Toyota’s all-electric lineup enters the picture, everything clicks. It transforms confidence into motion, showing how a trusted brand can simplify what might otherwise feel like a complicated choice. The result is a spot that positions Toyota’s all-electric family of vehicles not as a risky leap, but as the natural decision from a brand that Latinos already trust. Along with the hero spot, two additional 15-second spots were created, “Test Drive” and “Tough Call,” all designed to show why choosing a Toyota battery electric vehicle is an easy call.The Toyota All-Electric Family Hispanic campaign is extending across linear TV, digital video, digital content, programmatic, in cinema, and paid social. Digital content/video partnership highlights include Canela, Complex, Fandom, Peacock, Roku, Televisa Univision, YouTube, and more. The all-electric family will join the soccer action via live streaming and digital video across Telemundo and Peacock during the World Cup tournament, along with sponsorships of the Latin Grammy Awards and the HOLA Mexico Film Festival. Audio includes Spotify and a 3D audio experience with Pandora. Paid social will run across Meta, Pinterest, and TikTok.
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Skechers
Horizon Global, a joint venture between Havas Media Network and Horizon Media, announced a new partnership with Skechers, the global Fortune 500 brand in footwear and apparel, as it continues to accelerate growth and deepen connections with consumers around the world. Under the new remit, Horizon Global will support Skechers across Latin America, Scandinavia, Japan, the Philippines, Germany, Spain, Portugal, and 14 Central and Eastern European markets. The partnership reflects Skechers’ commitment to driving stronger business performance through a modern, globally connected media and technology approach that delivers relevance and impact at the local level. As brands navigate a rapidly evolving consumer landscape, the demand for more agile, accountable and adaptable agency models continues to grow. Launched in September 2025, Horizon Global was created to meet that need, combining global scale with local expertise and a flexible operating model designed to help ambitious brands move faster, optimize investment, and unlock growth in an increasingly AI-driven marketplace. Skechers now joins Horizon Global’s expanding portfolio of clients, including SharkNinja.
LEARN ABOUT PORTADA EVENTS SCHEDULED FOR 2026. Portada events are highly curated events. Their agenda is designed to maximize knowledge-sharing and networking among top brand marketers, media agencies, and media executives. Coming up:
Portada Chicago, March 17, (check out recap article!)
Portada Live, CDMX, Abril 16 (check out recap here!)
Portada Los Angeles, June 4
Portada Live, NYC, September 17
Portada Next, CDMX, October 21
To learn more about thought leadership and networking solutions for the events above, please contact Marcos Baer at [email protected].
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Junkless®
JUNKLESS®, the makers of award-winning JUNKLESS Chewy Granola Bars and newly launched JUNKLESS Protein Bars, announced they’re teaming up with brand partner and NIL pioneer, Livvy “Olivia Dunne” and The Livvy Fund on a national contest that will award one female college athlete with an official, paid NIL brand deal through the JUNKLESS Athlete Collective, with Dunne selecting the winner. This program puts meaningful support and a genuine platform behind the winner. Being part of the JUNKLESS ambassador program will give these athletes incredible exposure and will help them build their own personal brand and create a launchpad they may leverage for future brand deals. The grand prize includes $4,500 in cash, a semester’s supply of JUNKLESS for the winner and her team, the official title of JUNKLESS Athlete, and monthly content features across the brand’s social platforms from late September through December. Nine additional finalists each receive $1,000 and product.-
Kawner
Trevelino/Keller, an integrated PR+Mkt+Creative agency, announced its client relationship with Kawneer, an American manufacturer of aluminum systems for commercial construction use. Founded in 1906, Kawneer is a pioneer in architectural aluminum systems, with a legacy of innovation that continues to shape how buildings perform, endure, and inspire. For 120 years, the company has pushed the boundaries of façade design, developing high-performing solutions that meet engineering requirements and current building design trends.Kawneer’s portfolio includes curtain wall, window wall, storefront framing, doors and entrances, windows, interior framing, and overhead glazing. These systems are designed to deliver durability, resilience, and high performance across a range of environments, including government, education, healthcare, and sports facilities.
“We selected Trevelino/Keller for their proven expertise within the built environment sector, as well as their exceptional depth, versatility, and strategic insights for operating in today’s evolving landscape,” explains Kimberly Ferro, Commercial Vice President at Kawneer. “They will help us drive brand awareness and expand market visibility, building upon our 120-year legacy of reliability, dedication, and industry leadership.”
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Supercuts
Supercuts launched “Confidence Without Compromise,” a new creative effort and brand refresh built on a simple truth: a super cut at an exceptional price is something to confidently brag about. The work rolls out across streaming, social and digital channels nationwide. The creative, developed in partnership with The Infinite Agency, stemmed from a cultural insight. People don’t expect a quick, convenient cut to be something you’d brag about until they sit in the chair and leave with a stylist-recommended look that turns heads. The confidence that radiates from Supercuts guests when sharp style meets an honest price is proof that value and quality aren’t a trade-off. With “Confidence Without Compromise,” Supercuts is turning that pride into a rally cry, loud enough for guests to feel it together.
Alongside the launch, Supercuts is rolling out a broader brand refresh, including a redesigned website and new visual identity, extending to in-salon materials, franchise marketing and recruitment in the coming months. “Confidence Without Compromise” is live now across paid, social and owned channels. For more information or to find a location, visit www.supercuts.com. -
Minties® FreshBites™
Minties® FreshBites™, a line of chewy dog dental treats, announced Minterventions™, a nationwide campaign addressing the daily pet parent struggle: bad dog breath. Unlike traditional once-a-day dental bones that rely on a single mechanism, Minties FreshBites deploy a signature blend of five natural breath fresheners—alfalfa, peppermint, fennel, dill, and parsley—that can be offered throughout the day for a long-lasting chew, so nothing gets between you and your dog’s closest moments.
Developed in partnership with independent creative agency TiNY, the creative minds behind Minties’ “Dog Breath Is Over” campaign, Minterventions expands that platform into a playful, real-world experience designed to celebrate the everyday moments that bring dogs and their owners closer together. -
MIKE AND IKE®
MIKE AND IKE®, unveiled “We Got’chew™,” a new long-term brand platform and national marketing campaign that introduces Mike and Ike as character personalities for the first time. The initiative marks a major evolution for the brand, transforming its iconic candy beans into character personalities and creating new opportunities to connect with consumers through humor and entertainment. “We Got’chew™” positions MIKE AND IKE® as the candy companion for life’s everyday little dramas. Through humor-driven storytelling and relatable scenarios, the campaign is designed to deepen connections with longtime fans while introducing the brand to a new generation of candy lovers. With this launch, MIKE AND IKE® is evolving beyond product-focused messaging to create deeper emotional connections through storytelling and humor. To launch the campaign, MIKE AND IKE® partnered with six-time Emmy nominated actor and comedian Kenan Thompson, the longest-tenured cast member in Saturday Night Live history, to direct creative featuring the brand’s characters. The work marks Thompson’s commercial directorial debut and includes four hero spots, behind-the-scenes content and social extensions that expand the world of Mike and Ike beyond the campaign launch. For the first time in the brand’s history, Mike and Ike are introduced as on-screen character personalities, bringing a new dimension to the MIKE AND IKE® brand world. Across four hero spots, social-first content and digital extensions, Mike and Ike help consumers “chew through” life’s relatable everyday moments, from being left on read to workplace stress and social awkwardness. Additional content and activations will roll out throughout the year as part of the “We Got’chew™” platform.
“For decades, consumers have known MIKE AND IKE® for bold fruity flavor and chewy fun,” said Meenakshi Trehan, Chief Growth Officer for MIKE AND IKE®. “With We Got’chew™, we’re building a bigger brand world around those product truths. By bringing Mike and Ike to life, we’re creating memorable characters that can connect with consumers through humor, personality and the everyday moments we all experience.” Produced by Kenan Thompson and John Ryan Jr.’s production company, Artists for Artists (AFA), in association with Promethean Pictures, founded by Keith Black, the campaign blends comedy, branded entertainment and digital-first storytelling. The new brand campaign and platform were created in partnership with the MIKE AND IKE® brand’s advertising agency, Curiosity.
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