Upload. Stream. Stardom.

102 degrees of cool, sweat first, cereal later, and more

Author

The Swipe
February 12, 2025

Welcome back to your daily marketing swipe file. The best ads, served fresh daily, and as tasty as your favorite slice of pepperoni pizza. 🍕 Let’s dig in.

Midnight deadline: hours left to invest in the biggest disruption to IP since Disney. 🚀

Today’s the last day for investors to get a piece of some of the biggest names in entertainment.

Elf Labs secured 100+ historic trademarks for legendary characters like Cinderella & Snow White, and are giving investors a rare opportunity to tap into the $2T entertainment & merchandising market.

Not only have they signed new global licensing deals across toys, apparel, and food—they’re also using patented AI, AR & VR tech to bring these characters to life on a revolutionary new platform. Think next-gen immersive entertainment and AI powered talking toys. 

But here’s the catch—only limited shares remain.

Cinderella’s magic ended at midnight—don’t let yours.

*This is sponsored content

'Upload. Stream. Stardom.' - SoundCloud

  • What’s happening: A series of posters featuring artists like Post Malone and Lil Nas X, highlighting their journey from SoundCloud discovery to global stardom.

  • Why it’s awesome: This ad celebrates the platform as a launching pad for talent. It's inspiring, showcasing underdogs turned icons, and makes you wonder if your next favorite artist is uploading their track right now. Perfect for the dreamers.

'102 degrees of cool' - Coca-Cola (with McDonald's collaboration)

  • What’s happening: This billboard features a digital thermometer integrated into the design, showing “102° reasons to refresh yourself” with a Coca-Cola visual. It's an instant relief message for those sweltering in the heat.

  • Why it’s awesome: It blends smart tech and marketing, creating a moment of connection with passersby suffering in the sun. The live temperature display screams, 'We know you're hot. Grab a Coke.' It’s like the ad itself is sweating alongside you—brilliantly simple.

'Sweat first, cereal later' - Gymshark x Surreal Protein Cereal

  • What’s happening: This duo campaign contrasts 'Break Sweat' (featuring a Gymshark athlete mid-workout) with 'Breakfast' (Surreal’s protein-packed cereal). Together, they cover your fitness and foodie cravings.

  • Why it’s awesome: It hits two birds with one stone—fitness and fun. The dripping sweat paired with a cartoon cereal box makes it hilarious yet motivating. Whether you're burning calories or fueling up, this ad knows how to keep you in the zone.

90,082 founders, investors and leaders read this.

Founders and leaders that read Open Source CEO end up with 2.3x the cerebral horsepower of those that don’t.

Ok, we cannot actually prove that, but we think it’s about right. What we do know is that 90k+ readers from Google, TikTok, OpenAI and Deel love our deep dive business content. Subscribe here to see what it’s all about.

*This is sponsored content

'No sugar, no guilt, no worries' - DASH Water

  • What’s happening: If you’ve seen Coca-Cola’s collaboration with McDonald’s, above you need to see what DASH did. DASH’s witty billboard overlays its guilt-free drink ad over Coca-Cola’s, creating a playful juxtaposition. Its tagline highlights zero sugar, sweeteners, and guilt.

  • Why it’s awesome: It’s bold, cheeky, and competitive. The placement directly challenges a sugary giant, claiming the guilt-free high ground with effortless confidence. The ad is the definition of 'hydrate and throw shade.'

'Guaranteed to outlive you' - Zippo

  • What’s happening: The ad humorously promises durability, suggesting that a $3.95 lighter will last 35 years or more. If it doesn’t? They’ll fix it for free.

  • Why it’s awesome: The ad oozes old-school charm and reliability with a dash of humor. It's not just selling a product; it’s selling peace of mind, making you wonder if your lighter might even make it to your will.

P.S. Want to collaborate?

Here are some ways.

  1. Share today’s news with someone would would dig it. It really helps us to grow.

  2. Let’s partner up. Looking for some ad inventory? Cool, we’ve got some.

  3. Deeper integrations. If it’s some longer form storytelling you are after, reply to this email and we can get the ball rolling.

That’s a wrap! We hope these bold, fun, and inspiring ads gave you your daily dose of creative energy. See you soon for some more best-in-class marketing goodies!

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