Our Sales Leads column covers the latest initiatives from brands and media agencies. View past columns in the archives here.
CHECK OUT: Is the ‘World Cup effect’ increasing or limiting Hispanic advertising?
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Lilly
Eli Lilly and Company announced that basketball legend and cultural icon Shaquille O’Neal is sharing his personal experience with moderate obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), including candid insight into his diagnosis and treatment journey with Zepbound® (tirzepatide). After years of dismissing fatigue, loud snoring, and difficulty focusing as normal parts of his life, O’Neal learned they were actually symptoms of moderate-to-severe OSA. Moderate-to-severe OSA is a serious but often overlooked condition that affects approximately 24 million adults in the US, many with obesity. Most cases of moderate-to-severe OSA remain undiagnosed and untreated. Now, he’s partnering with Lilly to raise awareness of the condition and encourage others to talk to their doctor.O’Neal notes that Lilly is doing a national campaign, Watch This, “that gives people a behind-the-scenes look at what living with moderate-to-severe OSA is really like – the stuff you don’t usually see on TV. I’m also going to be out in communities, meeting people face-to-face, because sometimes the best way to get someone to recognize the symptoms of OSA is to show up and have a real conversation.”
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HP
Hewlett-Packard (HP) appointed Publicis Media to handle its global media account, ending its 17-year relationship with Omnicom Media Group, Adweek reports. The move follows a closed pitch between the two ad networks, which concluded earlier this spring. Omnicom has been working with HP since 2009, when PHD won the brand’s global traditional media business. In 2017, PHD added global digital media duties to its remit. Then, in 2024, it retained the business again, leading strategy, planning, and buying, while HP managed the bulk of its digital media in-house. The laptop, printer, and computer accessories manufacturer spent $194 million on media globally in 2023, investing 69% in digital channels, according to COMvergence.
CHECK OUT: Portada Interview with Karolina Tuszewicka: Executive Director, Head of Media – NA & LATAM, HP -
Pepsi® Global
Pepsi® Global launched Pepsi “House of Treats”, a new crafted beverages platform designed to deliver experience-first drinks across key Away From Home channels this year. Tapping into consumer demand for beverage customisation, flavour exploration and “treatanomics”, the platform offers multisensorial beverages exclusively through select PepsiCo entertainment and hospitality partners. Bringing these experiences to cinemas, stadiums, restaurants and live events, Pepsi “House of Treats” is designed for effortless customisation at scale and built for rapid speed of service and seamless integration into existing operations. As a core pillar of PepsiCo’s Meaningful Food and Drink Experience strategy, it allows high-volume venues such as sports stadiums, restaurant chains and theatre networks to serve visually striking drinks without compromising taste or operational efficiency, while enhancing how fans engage with live entertainment, from sports to music, and reflecting a broader cultural shift toward experience-first consumption.
The platform launched its first experience earlier this month in the United Kingdom at a Pepsi MAX™ SXSW London activity. Additional markets scheduled to go live later this year include Poland, Romania and the Czech Republic, alongside expansion across additional UK venues and PepsiCo pourer properties. “The role of beverages is evolving from functional refreshment into a much more experiential and culturally-relevant occasion,” said Eugene Willemsen, Chief Executive Officer of International Beverages, PepsiCo. “Consumers are increasingly seeking personalised, elevated experiences that feel memorable and worth sharing. Pepsi ”House of Treats” is designed to meet that shift. Bringing together flavour, customisation and our broader portfolio in a single scalable platform for Away From Home environments, it gives our partners a simple way to unlock premium growth and operational efficiency while delivering standout experiences that drive stronger engagement and repeat demand.”
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Kiko Milano
Italian cosmetics and skincare brand KIKO Milano has unveiled a new global brand campaign starring Madonna, introducing the music icon as its first-ever global brand ambassador. The campaign highlights Kiko’s commitment to creating Italian-engineered formulas, with trend-led products accessible to everyone. The “Kiko Show” brand campaign launched globally, beginning in the U.S. at Macy’s, with three stores in Herald Square, Manhasset, and Tyson’s Corner Center. The cinematic launch of “The Kiko Show” invites the world to step into a new era with a single, provocative question: “Have you met Kiko?” The campaign captures Madonna moving against mesmerizing LED walls, shifting through high-performance beauty personas, all delivered with a sharp, bold message of empowerment.
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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Milestone Brands – Dulce Vida Tequila
Dulce Vida Tequila, a pioneer in organic tequila, unveiled a new creative campaign alongside redesigned packaging for its core tequila pack, marking the first major evolution of the brand’s bottle design since its founding in 2009. Launching this month across television, streaming, digital, social media, out-of-home and print, “For Those Who Know” rewards consumers who look beyond celebrity labels, dubious ingredients and inflated price tags, helping them become experts at discovering exceptional, high-quality tequila. Together, the national “For Those Who Know” campaign and redesigned bottles reflect the premium quality inside every bottle, placing Dulce Vida’s USDA-certified organic credentials and 100% Blue Weber agave at the forefront. Dulce Vida champions authentic craftsmanship and promises no hidden ingredients for consumers who know quality starts and ends with agave. Dulce Vida Tequila is a part of the family of Milestone Brands LLC, a premium spirits company based in Austin, Texas that was founded in 2016 by two local entrepreneurs and veterans of the beverage and spirits industry, Eric Dopkins, former CEO of Deep Eddy Vodka and Chad Auler, creator of Savvy Vodka and co-founder of Deep Eddy Vodka. As a national spirits supplier, acquirer, innovator and marketer of alcohol beverage brands, Milestone’s portfolio also includes Empress 1908 Gin, Campo Bravo Tequila, Naranja Orange Liqueur and American Born Whiskey. -
Ollie’s
Ollie’s Bargain Outlet, an off-price retailer of brand-name household products. is entering its 36th state with the Grand Opening of its first store in New Mexico, located in Clovis. “As America’s fastest-growing retailer of closeouts and excess inventory, Ollie’s sells brand-name merchandise at prices up to 70% below the fancy stores every day,” according to the press release. Shoppers of every age will find an ever-changing assortment of deals across a wide range of categories including housewares, food, bed and bath, health and beauty, books, toys, lawn and garden, seasonal décor, and so much more. “Our first location in New Mexico represents the next big step in our westward expansion,” said Eric van der Valk, President and CEO of Ollie’s. “We are beyond excited to enter our 36th state and bring Good Stuff Cheap® to the people of Clovis and beyond. With Real Brands, Real Bargains® in every aisle, you really need to see it to believe it. Come join us at the Grand Opening and see what all the fuss is about. You won’t be disappointed.” As of May 2, 2026, Ollie’s operated 672 stores in 35 states -
Bet 365
UK-based online sports betting company bet 365 has launched a formal review of its global media planning and buying account, Campaign reports. The incumbent agency is Republic of Media, which has held the account since 2012 and brokered major sports sponsorships. This media review follows a recent creative agency review, where Bet365 appointed the WPP network, VML, as its first-ever creative agency of record in the U.S. and Canada to roll out its “Winning is Everything” campaign. bet365 is currently live across 17 US states, meaning our sportsbook product is available to millions of Americans in our licensed states! -
Ecuador Tourism
Ecuador’s Secretary of Tourism launched Ecuador 2026, an international tourism campaign that uses football as a platform to promote the country to audiences worldwide during one of the sport’s most visible moments. The initiative is aimed at a group of internationally recognized football players who will not be participating in this summer’s major international tournament. Through personalized billboards and messages displayed in the cities where these players live and play, Ecuador invites them to consider the country as a destination during their time off. While the messages are addressed to the players themselves, the campaign is also designed to reach the millions of fans who encounter the billboards in those same cities. By leveraging the visibility of global football stars, Ecuador 2026 seeks to position the country as a destination for international travelers, showcasing its unique combination of biodiversity, culture, gastronomy, and natural attractions.
“Ecuador is a country where travelers can experience volcanoes, beaches, the Amazon rainforest, historic cities, and the Galápagos Islands within a single journey,” said Ecuador’s Secretary of Tourism. “Through this campaign, we wanted to use football’s global reach to introduce Ecuador to new audiences and invite visitors to discover everything our country has to offer.” -
Sewell-Mercedes Benz of Selma
Sewell Automotive Companies acquired Mercedes-Benz of Selma effective June 1, 2026, and the dealership will begin operating as Sewell Mercedes-Benz of Selma on June 2. Sewell is a family-owned dealership group with a 115-year history of providing exceptional customer service at dealerships throughout Texas. Mercedes-Benz of Selma originally opened in 2020 and is located at the intersection of Interstate 35 and Corporate Drive. The dealership offers new and pre-owned Mercedes-Benz vehicles, Mercedes-Benz vehicle service, and Sprinter cargo van inventory. This will be the second Mercedes-Benz franchise for Sewell, which also owns and operates Mercedes-Benz of West Houston, located at Interstate 10 and Highway 6. Since 2016, Sewell has owned and operated Mercedes-Benz of West Houston, now celebrating a decade since its construction. “To be able to expand our partnership with Mercedes-Benz beyond Houston and into the greater San Antonio area is an incredible opportunity. This acquisition is part of an exciting period of growth for our organization,” said Carl Sewell III, Co-CEO at Sewell. Today, across 22 dealerships and 10 Collision Centers, Sewell represents Audi, BMW, Buick, Cadillac, GMC, INEOS Grenadier, INFINITI, Land Rover, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, MINI, and Subaru, with locations in Austin, Boerne, Dallas, Fort Worth, Grapevine, Houston, McKinney, Plano, San Antonio, Selma, and Sugar Land.
