Ads built around authentic human stories and perseverance outperformed technology-focused spots during the packed advertising window of the 2026 Winter Olympics and Super Bowl. System1, a marketing effectiveness platform, analyzed campaigns from those events and found emotionally resonant content connected best with global audiences.

Tech-heavy efforts fell flat. Spots referencing AI scored an average of 2.1 Stars. The data points to a simple formula for marketers: prioritize human warmth, consistent brand building and relatable characters over spectacle.

Saint Elmo’s kicked off ‘Balls for Balls,’ urging young men to get testicular cancer screenings by tying check-ups to football fandom. The campaign aims to make preventative health feel approachable.

Pringles rolled out its pan-European ‘Pass the Pringles’ platform this month. The integrated push spans 14 markets with TV, digital and out-of-home elements.

AMV BBDO teamed up with the UK’s Department of Health and Social Care on a national drive for the NHS Quit Smoking app and Personal Quit Plan. It frames digital tools as a straightforward path to kicking the habit.

WPP signed on with NOC*NSF to boost the TeamNL brand before the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. The partnership supports goals to lift sports participation throughout the Netherlands.

Ogilvy Mexico landed Harley-Davidson de México as a key client. The agency will handle creativity and communications nationwide via its Ogilvy One division.

Just Eat Takeaway.com picked VCCP as its global creative agency after a four-way pitch. The Amsterdam-based delivery giant drops McCann to gear up for its next brand phase.

Terry Hines & Associates, an entertainment agency network, bought creative studio Modern Logic. The deal broadens its services in branding, entertainment and culture.

Unilever inked a five-year deal with Google Cloud to speed up its shift to AI, data and marketing tech. Executives called it a major step in business transformation.

Happydemics, which measures brand lift and ad performance, linked up with Vistar Media. The partnership, tied to T-Mobile Advertising Solutions, standardizes metrics for digital out-of-home campaigns.

LePub named Sven Huberts Global President as it pushes international expansion. The Amsterdam-founded network, started in 2020, now runs 10 hubs in nine markets, including new outposts in London, New York and Bogotá.

Dentsu Group Inc. revealed a new global management setup effective March 27, 2026. Leaders say it sharpens execution and fuels growth worldwide.

BBH London hired Giulia Ferrarezi as Creative Director. Her role bolsters expertise in art direction and out-of-home projects.

Omnicom greenlit a $5 billion stock buyback program. The move fits its broader capital strategy.

Cannes Lions tapped France as the 2026 Creative Country of the Year. The honor salutes sustained creativity that sparks progress.

INGO, a boutique creative network, set up a hub at WPP’s Amsterdam campus. It also named Lucy Tone-McGurk as its first Global Chief Client Officer to solidify European operations.