Hey all,

You can feel it in the air… summer is starting to pack up its things. While the NYer’s are reveling in the city’s return to a palatable temperature, we’re all certainly trying to squeeze in as many iced coffees, rooftop happy hours, and Summer Friday long weekends before the fall chaos hits. 

In the middle of all that we got some good news!  SourceCode was shortlisted twice for Ragan’s Zenith Awards for our work with Jenius Bank. Not a bad way to start winding down the season. 

As of late, we’ve all been working with clients to develop campaigns that live beyond the launch moment. With an increased focus on ROI and desires to be ‘known for something,’ we’ve taken a look into the campaigns that have staying power. It’s clear…the best ones have a heartbeat. They grow, they shift, and sometimes they wander off in directions you never expected. The real magic is developing them in such a way that there are multiple news moments and yearly relaunch potential.

Shameless Plug: Greg has a new post on optimizing for generative AI and what marketers need to know to keep showing up in search. In case you’re not paying attention, yes your web traffic coming from google searches is taking a nosedive. It is a quick read and could save you from asking “why did our brand disappear online?” Check it out here. 

SourceCode UK is hosting a breakfast on September 23 exploring how brands can see around corners and stay ahead of the curve. Reserve your seat here.

This week we are looking at the American Eagle/Sydney Sweeney disaster, how GEICO scaled its content without losing the magic, and why the next few years of global sports mania in the US could be your brand’s championship season.

With love,

Becky and Greg

Mitigate costly mistakes: Learning from American Eagle’s questionable Sydney Sweeney campaign

TL;DR: American Eagle launched its biggest-ever campaign starring Sydney Sweeney, titled “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.” While it initially sparked excitement and a stock bump, the clever wordplay ignited backlash over “genes vs. jeans,” with critics calling it tone-deaf, eugenics-adjacent, and out of step with inclusive values.

Takeaway: The campaign’s negative response showcases a common issue of agencies and marketers: blindspots in language and cultural nuance. Every campaign (but especially blockbuster ones with such major spend) should have thorough vetting beyond creative cleverness to ensure they align with core values and don’t inadvertently alienate audiences. This means including diverse perspectives in campaign planning rooms, pressure-testing messaging for unintended meanings, and scenario-planning for possible public reaction. In a world where consumers expect inclusivity and cultural sensitivity, brand trust is built on the details. Make sure you’re setting up your creative risks to go viral for the right reasons.

Consider:

• Have you run your messaging through diverse internal and external perspectives to catch potential cultural or linguistic missteps?

• Are you potentially taking a risk that alienates a subset of your audience and conflicts with your brand’s values?

Create localized campaigns: GEICO’s latest marketing effort includes 8 campaigns across 7 different offerings

TL;DR: GEICO just unleashed its biggest creative slate ever: eight distinct campaigns across seven insurance offerings – including auto, home, boat, renters, RV, commercial, and more – with 60 video spots, 54 social ads, 50 audio clips, and around 600 funnel-driving assets using humor and a customer-first lens to personalize messaging.

Takeaway: Gone are the days of the one-size-fits-all ad. While GEICO’s effort is a massive undertaking, their hyper-localized and niched-down approach means that each customer can see themselves represented clearly in an ad and product offering. Instead of generic mass messaging, GEICO tailored each campaign to a specific customer need with “Subconscious News” for young renters and “Nothing Can Stop You” messaging for cyclists. The key lesson here? Scale doesn’t have to dilute specificity. If the storytelling is smart and strategic, each campaign can feel custom made.

Consider:

• How could you break down your customer segments and craft bespoke creative that genuinely speaks to each segment’s unique needs and lifestyles?

• What data, workflows, and testing protocols should you put in place to successfully deliver multiple creative variations across channels and optimize them based on performance?

Look ahead: How major U.S. brands like Kellanova are preparing for the FIFA World Cup and 2028 LA Olympics 

TL;DR: In case you missed it, the next few years are big ones for sports in the U.S. The 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup will be hosted at venues across the country next summer, followed by the 2028 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Major brands are taking note: Kellanova – which includes snack brands like Pringles, Cheez-It, and Pop-Tarts – just teamed up with the U.S. Soccer Federation to become the Official Snack of U.S. Soccer, including its entire snack portfolio.

Takeaway: This move shows how brands can align themselves with cultural momentum to deepen relevance and drive growth. With first-time fandom for soccer (or, football, depending on your location) up more than 400% year-over-year, now’s a great opportunity to capture cultural relevance and ROI. Tapping into the explosive rise in sports fandom during this exciting time helps Kellanova position itself for heightened engagement and brand resonance to build both cultural relevance and portfolio-wide visibility.

Consider:

• How will your brand make the most of these major cultural events? Utilizing culturally resonant themes is a no-brainer move to infuse your brand into the public zeitgeist.

• Are there other emerging fandoms or cultural movements that your brand could engage with authentically? Getting involved and gaining the trust of a fandom early on can reap strong benefits for brands bold enough to do so.

Like what you're reading? Forward this to a friend and have them sign up here!