Brands are marking this year's April 20 -- aka 4/20 -- with cannabis-themed campaigns, such as a special Zippo collection and Bic's "Slow Burn Sessions" YouTube series starring Snoop Dogg, Martha Stewart and Willie Nelson. Jimmy John's is selling a "Deliciously Dope Dime Bag" combo meal while Popeyes' "Munchies Menu" offers fan favorite meals for just $4.20.

GSD&M, with Spark Foundry, created a "Big Flex" campaign for Southwest Airlines that's running across linear, streaming and cable TV, supported by audio and social content. A series of spots show travelers benefiting from the airline's flexible perks, such as changing flights without fees or taking extra luggage for free.

Maximum Effort created a "Dave vs. Busta" campaign for Dave & Buster's that hypes a showdown between Lil Dicky, aka Dave Burd, and Busta Rhymes to determine which half of the brand's name will be kept during a promotional event that slashes 50% off the chain's menu for rewards members. A humorous 60-second spot, running across connected TV, digital and social, shows Busta Rhymes preparing to take down a clueless Lil Dicky.

Marketers should get in now on streaming platforms like Vizio, Amazon Prime and Netflix, writes Noble People Group Media Director Danny Weisman. All of the platforms have access to significant first-party data and large customer bases.

Publishers are testing a new TikTok feature that would allow them to add links to organic videos, with the hopes of getting their social media audiences to their websites. However, many are cautious of how well the feature would accomplish this goal, since the platform is designed to keep people in the app.

Executive suites are being reshaped by the rise of new IT-centered roles like chief metaverse officer and chief artificial intelligence officer, but the impact and necessity of these roles vary across organizations, writes Sandy Carter, chief operating officer at Unstoppable Domains. The best person to oversee emerging technology may already be in the C-suite, and careful consideration is needed to align new CxO roles with organizational goals, Carter writes.

Hershey's 2023 Halloween campaign used Chalice Custom Algorithms to avoid redundant ad placement and target lagging markets. The results gave Hershey leverage when negotiating with retail companies, and executive Vinny Rinaldi says the candy maker is "100% MFA-free on The Trade Desk."