Our Sales Leads column discusses the latest brand and media agency initiatives. View past columns in the archives here.
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General Mills Expands in the Fresh Pet Food Market
General Mills today announced two new launches within its North American Pet segment, featuring initiatives from Blue Buffalo and Edgard & Cooper, designed to meet evolving pet parent preferences and accelerate the company’s growth in pet feeding.
Blue Buffalo is entering the fresh pet food market with the national launch of “Love Made Fresh,” offering pet parents more ways to love and care for their pets like family. Using its trusted nutritional philosophy and superior ingredients, Blue Buffalo will meet the growing trend of pet parents seeking fresh pet food, as well as a preference for mixing fresh food with kibble and other formats. Arriving in stores nationwide later this year, this new, fresh pet food portfolio reflects General Mills’ commitment to meet the evolving expectations of pet parents and unlock growth in a dynamic $3 billion fresh pet food sub-category. With this launch, Blue Buffalo will become the largest U.S. pet food brand to offer solutions across dry, wet, and fresh feeding options.
Following its April 2024 acquisition of Edgard & Cooper, a leading European premium pet food brand, General Mills will launch the brand in the U.S. this July through an exclusive retail partnership with PetSmart, a leading omnichannel pet retailer. This U.S. launch will feature Edgard & Cooper’s fresh take on pet nutrition, with recipes made with real, recognizable ingredients like fresh chicken, venison, and duck, combined with nutritious fruits and vegetables. The range spanning dry food, wet food, and treats is designed to support dogs of all breeds and life stages. The national PetSmart launch will leverage Edgard & Cooper’s digital-first, social-led marketing approach — a proven driver of its rapid growth in Europe — and further PetSmart’s position in the super-premium segment.
“Tis new, fresh pet food portfolio reflects General Mills’ commitment to meet the evolving expectations of pet parents and unlock growth in a dynamic US $3 billion fresh pet food sub-category.”
“Pet parents are redefining how they feed and treat their pets, and at General Mills, we’re listening and continuing to bring trusted, high-quality natural solutions to a rapidly evolving marketplace,” said Liz Mascolo, segment president, North America Pet, General Mills. “These moves position us to lead in both scale and innovation across the pet food aisle, with offerings that appeal to the fastest growing demographic in the category — young pet parents.” These investments align with General Mills’ Accelerate strategy, combining brand leadership with relentless innovation and consumer-centric insights to drive long-term growth.
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Nike – Skims
Nike’s launch of a new women’s activewear brand in the U.S. through a partnership with Kim Kardashian-owned shapewear label Skims has been delayed, an Air Jordan maker’s spokesperson told Reuters. The partnership, which was announced in February, is part of new CEO Elliott Hill’s plan to turn the struggling company around and broaden its product offerings to compete with brands such as Roger Federer-backed On and Deckers’ Hoka. However, the two sides have delayed the launch as they work to perfect the product, the Nike spokesperson said. Bloomberg News first reported the delay. While the two companies did not explain the delay due to the current uncertainty surrounding tariffs and overall consumer weakness, it might have played a role in the decision. Skims, which was launched in 2019, has seen growing demand for its premium bras, loungewear, and shapewear. The new brand is set to be called NikeSKIMS, and is expected to include training apparel, footwear, and accessories for women. The partnership with Skims has been applauded by investors and analysts, who hope it will help Nike catch up after falling behind in the women’s activewear market, where Lululemon and Gap’s Athleta have emerged as leaders.
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Choose Chicago
Choose Chicago announced the global launch of a new marketing campaign to position Chicago as a premier international destination for leisure travel, meetings, and events. The new “Never Done. Never Outdone.” campaign was informed and influenced by a year-plus-long brand strategy effort consisting of over 300 community and industry listening sessions, focus groups, sentiment surveys, social listening research, and brand showcases. The “Never Done. Never Outdone.” campaign was officially revealed to the international audience at IPW, (the U.S. Travel Association’s IPW 2025). The launch includes the release of a campaign video featuring Grammy- Award winning poet and artist and local Chicagoan J. Ivy. The campaign will run in key local, regional, national, and international markets, targeting both leisure travelers and meeting and event planners. Advertising will begin locally to build campaign engagement and civic pride, then expand to other markets to help drive future leisure and business travel to Chicago.
Chicago residents can expect to see “Never Done. Never Outdone.” advertisements on city information panels and highlighted in social media activations in the coming weeks. Nationally, Choose Chicago prioritizes ad placements based on historical seasonal demand from top inbound leisure markets, including Atlanta, Los Angeles, Miami, and New York City. Internationally, ad placements and spend will also be primarily allocated to key leisure markets based on demand, including Brazil, Canada, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. Choose Chicago will continue to engage members and community partners in the campaign efforts to infuse reasons why Chicago is “Never Done. Never Outdone.” into content and events.
“‘Never Done. Never Done.’ reflects a mindset that’s deeply original, bold, open-minded, and grounded in community — values that are central to who we are and how we show up,” said Lisa Nucci, Chief Marketing Officer at Choose Chicago. “As a life-long Chicagoan, it has been an honor to work on this project and inspiring to see the way our partners in the tourism and hospitality industry and the civic sector have been so involved and invested from day one. Through hundreds of hours of listening sessions, preview events, and informal conversations, one thing was consistently apparent to me: Chicagoans truly love their city. That love and civic pride is really at the heart of ‘Never Done. Never Outdone.'”
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Lala
Creative agency Bakery released its first campaign for the dairy brand Lala, Mediapost reports. The 30-second spot “LALA How You Wanna” highlights Latin American heritage. The campaign is rolling out in major national markets appearing on social, digital, and CTV. KEN Media handledmedia planning and buying.
Find out about Portada Live events planned for 2025. Portada Live events are highly curated events. Their agenda is designed to maximize knowledge-sharing and networking between top brand marketing, media agencies, and media executives. To learn about thought leadership and networking solutions at Portada Live and Portada digital media offerings, please contact Sales Director Irma Gutierrez at [email protected].
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Jeep®
The Jeep® brand is teaming up again with Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment for the launch of a new Jurassic era: the theatrical release of the latest action-packed cinematic event, “Jurassic World Rebirth.” For over three decades, the Jurassic World films have thrilled fans worldwide, earning more than $6 billion globally. “Jurassic World Rebirth” arrives in theaters everywhere July 2. The campaign will include a long-form spot running across the Jeep brand’s social media channels. A 30-second version will run across broadcast (Tier I), along with an adaptation for Tier II, special behind-the-scenes footage running on the brand’s social media channels, dealer point-of-sale kits, and out-of-home elements.The film’s global press tour kicked off in Mexico City at CCXP with a Jeep Wrangler 4xe on stage. The Jeep Wrangler will be on the red carpet at the U.S. premiere of the movie in New York on June 23. “Our long-standing partnership with Universal Pictures takes two iconic brands steeped in adventure, excitement, and possibility, the Jeep brand and the Jurassic film franchise,” said Olivier Francois, global CMO, Stellantis. “The inspiration for our film was taking the Jeep Trail Rated criteria — including maneuverability, water fording, traction, articulation, and ground clearance — and playfully added a sixth criteria to make the Jeep Wrangler Jurassic Trail Rated, meaning it has all of the capability to navigate the Jurassic world.” “Just like the Jurassic films, the Jeep brand is a total legend,” said Bob Broderdorf, Jeep CEO. “When dinosaurs are on the loose and adventure calls, you need serious capability—and let’s be real, nothing handles ferocious frontiers quite like a Jeep 4×4 because nothing else is Jurassic rated.” The commercial features the Jeep Wrangler being adventure tested in the wild by a driver sent to navigate a Velociraptor, Tyrannosaurus, Spinosaurus, Compsognathus, Titanosaurus, Quetzalcoatlus and a baby Aquilops. The commercial features seven dinosaur species, the highest volume and widest array of dinosaurs that viewers have ever seen in a Jeep co-branded Jurassic film spot. The commercial was directed by Jeff Tomsic with the production company Community Films. The Jeep brand campaign was created in partnership with Chicago-based advertising agency Highdive.
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Humana
Humana Inc., a leading health and well-being company, is expanding its commitment to senior wellness with the launch of Invite, a new campaign designed to encourage older adults of all fitness levels to stay active, connected and engaged, starting with the fastest-growing sport in America: pickleball. “With Invite, we’re not just celebrating the incredible athletes already on the court – we’re encouraging everyone to take that first step toward active aging,” said Jennifer Ilecki, Chief Marketing Officer at Humana. As part of the campaign, Humana debuted a new television spot leading up to the Carvana PPA Tour event in San Clemente, California. The spot – airing on multiple networks, including ESPN2, CBS Sports, FS1, FS2, and the Tennis Channel – features senior pickleball athletes extending an open invitation to others to join the fun, stay social, and support their physical and mental well-being. “Pickleball is more than a game – it’s a gateway to better health, new friendships, and joyful movement at any age,” said Jennifer Ilecki, Chief Marketing Officer at Humana. “With Invite, we’re not just celebrating the incredible athletes already on the court – we’re encouraging everyone to take that first step toward active aging. We’re extending a warm, inclusive invitation to older adults everywhere to get involved and embrace living life to the fullest.”
Humana is also launching a media campaign with social media, print and digital to complement the new TV spot, inviting older adults to “get in the game” by inspiring movement, connection and community. As part of the company’s commitment to expanding access to the sport and encouraging older adults to stay active and socially engaged, Humana is offering complimentary pickleball paddles, while supplies last. Humana’s partnerships with leading pickleball organizations complement its longstanding sponsorship of the National Senior Games as well as the National Mall of Pickleball, a landmark event on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., that brings together players of all backgrounds for a celebration of health and community.
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e.l.f
e.l.f. announced its foundational partnership in the launch of Sunnie, a first-of-its-kind media, experiential, and lifestyle brand created to support, inspire, and champion the next generation of women as a full ecosystem and community. The founding principle is that teens and young women need tools, not rules, to succeed without the pressure of having everything all figured out. As Sunnie’s partner, e.l.f. is proud to support the Reese Witherspoon-founded Hello Sunshine in building a highly inclusive online and offline experience that champions curiosity, celebration, and connection. Sunnie offers a safe space for young women to nurture themselves and one another on their terms. It’s a movement rooted in a belief that confidence is a muscle, community is a fuel and joy is a form of rebellion. “At e.l.f., we use our platform to create pathways for growth for the next generations. Our stars align with Sunnie’s mission to help young women star in their own stories,” said Kory Marchisotto, Chief Marketing Officer, e.l.f. Beauty. “We are joining forces to create cultural change and give rising stars what they’ve been missing to reach their highest potential: tools, support and space to shine.” To ground the platform in real insights, Sunnie commissioned a research report in partnership with Etre and Ypulse – The Gen Z Rewrite – surveying 1,000 girls ages 13-18. Sunnie is a direct response to the learnings, prioritizing a content, community and experiential platform designed to deliver the positivity, inclusivity and accessibility these young women need versus performative marketing. The data found that 92% of 13- to 18-year-olds appreciate brands that encourage them to define success in their own way.
“We couldn’t be more proud to have e.l.f. as a foundational partner in bringing Sunnie to life,” said Hello Sunshine’s Head of Direct-to-Consumer, Maureen Polo. “Sunnie is built to fuel connection, creativity, and confidence—and e.l.f.’s fearless approach to disrupting norms and celebrating self-expression makes them an ideal partner in this mission. Together, we’re creating a cultural force that meets young women where they are and empowers them to shine on their own terms.”
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C4 Energy®
As temperatures rise and summer sports kick into high gear, Nutrabolt, owner of C4 Energy®, is proud to further its mission of fueling performance at every level. Through its new C4 Local Legends initiative, C4 is committing $400,000 to support sports leagues, clubs, and teams nationwide this summer, providing athletes of all skill levels the opportunity to play, train, and celebrate alongside C4 superstar athletes, including Saquon Barkley, Bijan Robinson, and CJ Stroud“. At C4, we believe greatness isn’t limited to pros and podiums. It also lives in pickup games, summer leagues, and early morning sessions when no one’s watching,” said Craig Lyon, SVP of Brand Marketing at Nutrabolt. “From dedicated amateurs to elite athletes like Saquon Barkley, our mission is to fuel performance at every level. This initiative is about providing meaningful support to local legends, ensuring everyone has the opportunity to perform at their best all summer long.”
Just in time for warmer weather, C4 is also dropping a new, limited-edition flavor: Classic Lemonade Performance Energy Drink. This crisp, nostalgic twist on a summertime favorite is packed with 200mg of caffeine, clinically studied CarnoSyn® Beta-Alanine, and zero sugar or carbs, engineered to help athletes of all kinds squeeze the most out of every rep. Like all C4 products, Classic Lemonade is NSF Certified for Sport and meets the highest standards for quality, safety, and performance, making it a trusted choice for both competitive athletes and everyday achievers. With powerful energy and bold flavor, C4 helps you go all in, all summer long. To learn more and nominate a deserving team, visit https://nutrabolt.grin.live/loc4llegends. C4 Performance Energy Classic Lemonade launched exclusively on www.c4energy.com on June 20, priced at $27.99 per case. It will be available at national retailers, including Amazon, starting July 7.
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Stripes Beauty
Stripes Beauty, a pro-aging beauty and wellness brand founded by Naomi Watts, is turning up the heat with the launch of its most powerful and visible campaign to date: Hotter Than Ever. At the heart of the campaign is the Hotter Than Ever Manifesto, a bold cultural call to action that reframes midlife not as a crisis, but as a reawakening. The manifesto declares that midlife isn’t an ending or a dry spell – it’s the moment women step into their fullest potential: vibrant, visible, and unapologetically alive. The brand calls on women to own their power—and on society at large to join in celebrating a time when women should be anything but sidelined.
To bring this message to life, Stripes is launching its first-ever guerrilla marketing campaign, activating three high-traffic locations across SoHo from June 17-24. The campaign features six large-scale posters, with images from Ben Watts, designed to spark conversation, drive awareness, and redefine what it means to thrive in midlife. To complement the OOH campaign, Stripes is offering a limited-edition “Hotter Than Ever” hat as a gift with any $100+ purchase, encouraging women to wear their boldness with pride. “We’re flipping the script on what aging looks and feels like,” said Naomi Watts, Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Stripes Beauty. “Hotter Than Ever is more than a campaign – it’s a cultural movement. With this launch, we’re taking the conversation to the streets, putting our manifesto front and center, and showing up for women in a way that’s unapologetic, visible, and fun.”
Key campaign highlights include:
- OOH Campaign in SoHo (June 17-24): Featuring six large-scale posters across three prime NYC locations.
- Summer Sampling + Pop-Up Series: Exclusive activations in the Hamptons in partnership with SoulCycle and more…
- Limited-Time Only Hats: Gift with purchase of $100+ on StripesBeauty.com for a limited time only
- “Hotter Than Ever” Spotlight: Featuring 10 inspiring women redefining midlife, sharing personal stories that embody the campaign ethos across Stripes’ digital platforms.
- Influencer / KOL Engagement: Top influencers, menopause experts and women thriving in midlife to participate in cultural call to action with social content.
