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There’s a new entrant in the scam hall of fame. The Chengdu Snow Villagea newly opened destination in the suburban Chengdu, Sichuan provinceadvertised a picturesque snow landscape for guests to enjoy during the Lunar New Year celebrations last month. Photos of the event resembled scenes from a Christmas card, featuring thick layers of snow blanketing log cabin roofs. However, unseasonably warm weather meant the main feature was a no-show. Rather than canceling the events, organizers got creative. White sheets were stapled to cabin roofs, white sand and large cotton wool sheets were scattered across the grounds, and soapy foam drifted through the air in a feeble attempt to create a winter wonderland. Photos posted online by disappointed visitors showed the reality: sad wisps of cotton scattered across a greenish-brown field, clinging to the branches of bushes. Chinas tourism industry is really outdoing itself with its creativity! Welcome to Snow Village in Chengdu- where snow is made of cotton balls, the ground is white sand, and the fake waterfalls flow with imagination.1/2 @MM81792127@GundamNorthrop@SolomonYue pic.twitter.com/2fZr2ORrLl— Ava Olivia (@AvaOlivia27) February 18, 2025 The fake wonderland quickly went viral for all the wrong reasons, prompting the Chengdu Culture and Tourism Bureau to launch an investigation into the project. The village later apologized and offered refunds to guests, according to Reuters. In order to create a snowy atmosphere, the tourist village purchased cotton for the snow . . . but it did not achieve the expected effect, leaving a very bad impression on tourists who came to visit, the village shared on its official WeChat account. Following the precedents of previous years, we typically have snow in winter. So we set up this spot for a photo shoot in advance to wait for the snow to come, a Snow Village staff member told the state-run paper Global Times. However, this year, the weather didnt cooperate, and it didnt snow. The Chengdu Snow Village has removed all images of the attraction from its social media pages, and the venue has since closed down. This isnt the first time a tourist attraction in China has been caught misleading visitors. Last year, hidden artificial pipes were discovered at the Yuntai Mountain Waterfall in Henan province, used to boost the waterfall’s flow and maintain its spectacular appearance during the dry season. Just a few weeks ago, an amusement park in Zibo City, Shandong province went viral after internet users realized that its zebras werent actually zebras, but donkeys painted with black and white stripes. A+ for creativity, everyone.
Category:
E-Commerce
Pop quiz: Which two Super Bowl ads were created by Artists Equity Advertising, the commercial creative arm of Ben Affleck and Matt Damons studio Artists Equity? Hint: It was the two starring Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. The big game ads for both Stella Artois and Dunkin were excellent vehicles for both actors. But theyre also the rare occurrence of major advertising investmentwhich goes well beyond the $8 million just for Super Bowl airtimegoing to a boutique creative shop run by Hollywood A-listers. However, this is not a story about Super Bowl ads. Its about Artists Equity’s approach to capitalizing on the increasingly aligned interests of Hollywood and brand marketersand how the company just may have the strategy and talent to capitalize on it. Since Affleck and Damon founded Artists Equity in 2022, the studio has been steadily churning out film and TV work. Releases include Air, the unauthorized story of how Nike landed Michael Jordan; the Cillian Murphy drama Small Things Like These; Doug Limans The Instigators with Apple Films; William Goldenbergs Unstoppable on Prime Video; and Jennifer Lopez Kiss of the Spider Woman. It’s also behind the upcoming Affleck-starring action sequel The Accountant 2. But since Afflecks first spin as a Dunkin spokesperson in 2023anchored by a Super Bowl spot in which when he takes over a Boston-area drive-thruArtists Equity has been building its advertising team with a few different goals in mind. The first is to provide an added revenue stream and creative outlet for the company. Second, give both brands and talent the best experience and results with advertising that also entertains. Its far from the only creative shop with those ambitions. But Affleck is confident that Artists Equity Advertising can carve out its own corner of the commercial world, and has a plan on how to do it. A significant part of that plan is bringing to the ad world the company’s filmmaking prowess and the creator-focused approach it takes with its studio projects. Affleck tells Fast Company that his early commercial experiences as a brand spokesperson felt overly transactional. Like a hired gun, brought in to smile and wave, with no creative input or involvement. As a result, the work was unsatisfying to him, and ultimately not as good for the brands as it could have been. My argument to brands is that there’s a reason why you want to associate this person with the product you’re selling, and the reason is the cultural footprint this person has created, Affleck says. And to me, the obvious take is asking them to come in and be part of the creative process, which means sharing the strategy goals, creative goals, and brand goals. [Image: courtesy Artists Equity Advertising] Glazed ambition The notion of brands involving celebrities or artists in the creative process sounds rather obvious. And it is becoming more common see Bud Lights work with comedian Shane Gillis. But its still more the exception than the rule. Artists Equitys advertising business was largely born out of Afflecks experience with Dunkin. Back in 2022, as a lifelong fan of the brand, Affleck was talking to the company about starring in a Super Bowl ad. At the time, Dunkin had a traditional ad agency working on the spot. But Affleck had an idea. What if he just showed up at a random Massachusetts Dunkin and worked the drive-thru? IT would not only make for a fun spot, but also generate a ton of earned media. The brand was hesitant, but Affleck persisted. The agency was much smaller at the time, and in order to prove it to them, I said we’d shoot the commercial that they originally wanted, but then asked them to let us try to improve that, and also do the commercial that I think would work, he says. The result was a Top 5 Super Bowl ad in 2023 on USA Todays Ad Meter, as well as an 837% increase in social conversations after the Super Bowl, more than any other brand, according to media intelligence firm Meltwater. Dunkin CMO Jill McVicar Nelson says the Artists Equity model allows the company to tap into top talent across creative, production, design, and more, allowing them to deliver beautiful, high-impact work at incredible speed. Because they oversee both creative and production, they move swiftly to finalize assets while maximizing content creation, she says. This means we get a wealth of high-quality assets across all channels, with an exceptional eye for production and design in everything they do. The Super Bowl work continued this year and last, with the DunKings. The line of merch the brand created in 2024in particular the track suitssold out in less than 30 minutes. Its also ed to creating a steady stream of work for the brand, including the recent Sabrina Carpenter spot for her Brown Sugar Shakin Espresso. And a merch collab this month with Juicy Couture that sold out in five minutes. Artists Equity Advertising has their finger on the pulse of culture, and while many may make that claim, they actually walk the walk, says Nelson. They dont just anticipate what consumers will care about; their team is really connected to pop culture through their work across the studio. They bring this unique ability to extend a brands presence beyond traditional paid media, and together, weve created multi-faceted campaigns that go beyond adswhether its a seven-minute short film, buzzy merchandise, custom songs, compelling social content, and more. [Image: courtesy Artists Equity Advertising] A-listers behind the scenes Affleck and Damon are obviously the most visible talent in the companys biggest ads, but Artists Equity Advertising now accounts for nearly a third of the companys 75-person headcounta testament to the smart creative hires the company has made in the past two years. Executive creative director Brandon Piece, was the company’s first advertising hire in 2023. Pierce’s creative pedigree spans legendary shops Wieden+Kennedy, 72andSunny, and Droga5, and before joining Artists Equity Advertising, helped build Hulu’s in-house marketing creative studio. That experience led him to creating Your Attention Please with Craig Robinson, and Amy Schumers writers room on season five of Inside Amy Schumer. Ben is a multi hyphenate creative, obviously on the film side, says Pierce. And I like to call myself a multi-hyphenate creative that has found a way to successfully transition from traditional advertising to longer-form storytelling, stuff that feels like entertainment, even if its for a brand.” Eight months ago, the company brought in Josh Jeffries as president of advertising. Jeffries’ resume is similarly full of agency experience, including time at Deutsch LA, Anomaly, and 72andSunny. Jeffrieswho’s charged with scaling the magic Artists Equity Advertising has been able to conjure over the past few Super Bowlssays the company is being very deliberate in not chasing growth for its own sake, and instead focusing on slowly branching out. “We’re highly selective of who we want to partner with,” Jeffries says, adding the company likely won’t take on more than two more clients beyond Stella and Dunkin in 2025. The agency is working to strike the balance between the work Affleck and Damon do and dont appear in. After seeing the Dunkin work last year, AB InBev got in touch about its Stella Artois brand, with a goal to help shift its image in the U.S. as an upscale beer to more of a quality everyday indulgence. Enter Dave Beckham. David Beckham was already a brand spokesperson, and Damon had worked with AB InBev in the past, so it was a natural fit for a separated-at-birth concept. The Super Bowl spot is the start of a year-long campaign created by the agency, and most of the work was shot at the same time. We want to be cognizant of not having the expectation that Ben and Matt are featured in everything that we do, says Jeffries. It’s a healthy way to start, obviously, because it works quite well. There has to be an authentic connection to the brand and the talent themselves. In addition to the Carpenter spot, this past year included Dunkin ads with Kristen Wiig and Will Arnett. The latter was part of the…ahem… Dunkin Cinematic Universe, with Arnett hiring “Dunkinterns” and gettign creeped out by an Affleck robot. Super Bowl post-game In an industry dominated by public holding company behemoths, it’s the rare advertising shop that isnt pushing to grow as fast and as much as possible. But the strategy for Artists Equity Advertising is about quality over quantity. Not least, Pierce says, because it has a reputation to protect. Pierce says its about keeping the spirit of being a creatively-driven company. Whether it’s a film, a documentary, a commercial, or a billboard, we try to keep that thread through everything that we do here, he says Because ultimately everything we put out in the world has Artists Equity attached to it, so it better be at the level of everything else that we’ve established. Its easy to see what having a film studio as a sibling within the business can do for the advertising side in terms of creative pedigree and access to top tier talent pool. But Affleck says the ad side brings plenty to the film business. Data research, analytics, social media measurement, have all become a part of the overall business. The difficulty around obtaining capital in order to produce something is the principal hurdle, says Affleck. We’ve gotten much deeper into this side of the business because I see all of it as a means by which artists can demonstrate either the value that they’re bringing, or, more effectively exploit the value that they have. Advertising and marketing is an industry obsessed with efficiency and efficacy. Those who trade in brand entertainment aim to bridge the gap between art and commerce in a way that delights audiences and helps lift the brand. Much easier said than done. Within this dynamic, Artists Equity Advertising is a bit rare find. Big stars taking big swings for big brands, but also being in the room from the start to collaborate on strategy and creative. Over the last tw years, the shops growing team has just begun to show how that strategy can pay off for brands and creative partners who embrace the approach. Affleck is excited about the results so far, and the potential in further bridging Hollywood and brandland. This is a world where the lines are just increasingly blurred, says Affleck. I’m interested in how that evolution is taking place, and being part of it.
Category:
E-Commerce
Sales of fully electric car sales In Europe were up 37.3% in January, industry data showed on Tuesday, although the sharp rise was not enough to compensate for a drop in petrol and diesel vehicles, leaving overall sales down by 2.1%. Figures from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) showed that all-electric brand Tesla saw a 45.2% drop in the European Union, Britain and the European Free Trade Area, while sales at its Chinese competitor SAIC Motor, which owns the MG brand, were up 36.8%. Why it’s important The EU executive will present auto sector plans on March 5, following talks with automakers, unions, and interest groups. EU carmakers, which are struggling to compete with Chinese rivals and bracing for U.S. tariffs, are urging the Commission to grant relief from potential fines resulting from CO2 car emission targets that came into effect in January. Some automakers have increased the prices of petrol engine models to encourage EV adoption, but the industry fears that customers will simply buy fewer cars. Electric transport groups, instead, claim that any push to weaken the targets will disrupt investments in EV infrastructure and hamper the bloc’s competitiveness. By the numbers January sales in the EU, Britain and EFTA fell slightly below 1 million cars sold, the lowest volume since August. Registrations at Volkswagen and Renault grew by 5.3% and 5.4% respectively, while they fell by 16% at Stellantis. In the EU, January sales fell by 2.6%, even as the registrations of battery electric (BEV) and hybrid electric (HEV) cars grew by 34% and 18.4% respectively. Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) sales were instead down by 8.5%. Electrified vehicleseither BEV, HEV or PHEVsold in the bloc accounted for 57.2% of passenger car registrations in January, up from 47.4% in the previous year. Among the largest EU markets, Spain sales increased by 5.3%, while in France, Italy, and Germany they dropped by 6.2%, 5.8%, and 2.8%. In Britain they were down 2.5%. Context While battling to bring down high costs in home markets and fighting competition from China, European carmakers are also preparing to face potential import tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump has raised tariffs on aluminium and steel and threatened a 25% tariff on imports from Mexico and Canada, as well as on all autos and semiconductors. Alessandro Parodi, Reuters
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E-Commerce
Toyota announced plans to restructure its board on Tuesday in what it described as an attempt to bring in more diverse views and give a larger roles to auditors.Among six appointments is Christopher Reynolds, now an executive in the automaker’s North American operations. As a lawyer, and son of a Ford worker, he brings experience in human resources and risk management, according to Toyota.The number of women on the 10-person board will grow from one to two with the appointments of Kumi Fujisawa, an independent outsider and entrepreneur, and Hiromi Osada, previously a Toyota auditor. George Olcott, previously an auditor, will also join the board.The number of outside members will rise from four to five.Takanori Azuma, a Toyota Human Resources official, said the new board includes auditors for the first time.The company’s internal controls have come under scrutiny since it admitted to cheating on certification tests for seven vehicle models last year.Azuma said the additions are designed to bring diverse views to its leadership as “weapons for survival” in a changing environment.“It would be a mistake to assume that what we think up internally will be what our customers and people around the world can empathize with,” he said.The maker of the Camry sedan and Lexus luxury models has been trying to transform itself into what it calls “a mobility company” as the auto industry undergoes drastic changes including the arrival of powerful relative newcomers like Tesla and BYD.Chairman Akio Toyoda, from the company’s founding family, and Chief Executive Koji Sato’s positions will remain unchanged.The company will seek approval for the new board at a general shareholders’ meeting later this year. Yuri Kageyama is on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@yurikageyama Yuri Kageyama, AP Business Writer
Category:
E-Commerce
On Monday morning, anonymous hackers played a video on screens throughout the Department of Housing and Urban Development HQ in Washington, D.C. The AI-generated video jankily portrayed President Trump kissing Elon Musks feet, with an overlaid caption reading: Long live the real king. It reportedly played on a loop for five minutes before the baffled building staff eventually scrambled to each floor and turned off the TVs manually. As amusing as it may have been for some to see a high-tech protest depicting a low-status Trump, amusement is all this protest has to offer. Those looking for, or trying to manifest, cracks in the presidents relationship with the worlds richest man still have their work cut out for them. Despite Trumps historically mercurial affinities, and a distaste for being overshadowed, his alliance with Musk appears a lot sturdier than many predicted. The AI-generated video that played at HUD is hardly the first public attempt to drive a wedge between the president and the tech oligarch. Media figures such as Rachel Maddow, politicians including Senator Bernie Sanders, and random social media users have all been part of a sprawling concerted effort to turn Trump against President Musk. Rolling Stone even reported in December on conversations taking place within the Democratic National Committee about party leaders describing Trump as subservient to Musk, in order to activate Trumps ego. Its easy to see why they might have thought this strategy would succeed. During Trumps first term, he quickly soured on the people in his orbit. In 2017 alone, 34% of his top aides either resigned, were fired, or transitioned to different positions; a record amount of turnover for a president in his first year. By the end of that term, among the most influential positions within his administration, the rate of turnover reportedly reached 92%. Beyond past precedent, there were other reasons to believe the relationship would quickly combust. Both men clearly enjoy being the main character of the internet; perhaps the world stage wouldnt be big enough to contain both egos. On top of that, their apparently tight bond got off to a rocky start. After his political pivot to the right, Musk initially threw his weight behind Governor Ron DeSantis in 2022, since Trump would be too old by the end of a second term. Trump, for his part, called Musk a bullshit artist around the same time. Any differences between the two, however, now seem confined to the past. During a joint appearance on Fox Newss Hannity last week, Sean Hannity asked Musk and Trump about the push to break up their partnership. In response, Trump confirmed hes aware of those efforts, saying: Elon called me. He said, You know theyre trying to drive us apart. I said, Absolutely. You know, they said, We have breaking news: Donald Trump has ceded control of the presidency to Elon Musk. President Musk will be attending a Cabinet meeting tonight at 8 oclock. And I sayits just so obvious. Theyre so bad at it. Perhaps it was a calculated move to present a unified front in the face of so much wishful thinking for a falling out. But there are plenty of reasons beyond the Hannity interview to suggest that a divorce wont be coming any time soon. Trump and Musk’s shared vision Trump and Musk appear to be on the same page about how the U.S. should be governed, for one thing. As Musks Department of Government Efficiency decimates headcount in federal offices around the country, he is on the brink of achieving what Trump set out to do in his first term. Soon after taking office in 2017, Trump signed an executive order placing a hiring freeze across the executive branch. It lasted 79 days, during which then-head of the Office of Management and Budget Mick Mulvaney developed a long-term plan for workforce reduction. Trump would go on to spend the rest of his term fuming about the rogue bureaucrats of the so-called Deep State who thwarted some of his plans. Now, Musk is as animated about taking a chainsaw to the federal bureaucracy as he was about doing so upon taking over Twitter. The pair similarly see eye-to-eye on the classic conservative hobbyhorse of deregulation. While Musk has long lamented all the irksome government rules standing in the way of his business plans, Trump bragged in his 2021 farewell address that he had slashed more job-killing regulations than any administration ha[s] ever done before. On top of everything else, Musk and Trump seem equally credulous when it comes to fringe conspiracy theories. Even Musks own AI chatbot Grok admits the X head honcho spreads the most misinformation on that platformalthough it recently blocked some criticism of Musk and Trumpand farfetched concepts like Fort Knoxs supposed missing gold now tend to quickly spread from a Musk tweet to a Trump press conference. Considering both have also professed intense animosity toward legacy media and wokeness, one imagines the two would find plenty to talk about over deskside Diet Cokes in the Oval Office. The money factor Although Tesla stock has dropped 37% from its high in December amid backlash, Musk and his various companies stand to profit immensely from his new government adjacency. DOGE has already made cuts at agencies that oversee some of Musk’s products, for instance, among other potential conflicts of interest. But Trump may stand to benefit even more. Beyond the $277 million Musk contributed to his campaign efforts, what Trump has gained from this symbiotic relationship is a new cudgel against non-compliant members of his party. Back in December, Musk warned Republicans in the House and Senate that he would fund primary challengers against anyone who stood in the way of Trumps agenda. That threat lingered in the air throughout the confirmation hearings for Trumps cabinet, during which any objections to even the most controversial pickslike Robert Kennedy Jr., Pete Hegseth, and Tulsi Gabbardeventually vanished. Musks role in keeping party members in line is not something Trump would lightly sacrifice. Another headline sponge During his first term, Trumps wild-card unpredictability, social media proclivity, and authoritarian-like bearing brought him constant negative press coverage. With a jubilant Elon Musk testing the limits of his newfound power, though, Trump now has a spare lightning rod for bad headlines. Trumps critics and adversaries among the Democrats, opinion columnists, and random social media users now have a second Trumpian figurewith his own unique modus operandito focus their attention on, siphoning ire that might otherwise go solely to Trump. Still, that ire is very much real. Polls in recent weeks have shown Musks popularity plummeting, and Trumps slipping as well. Angry town halls seem to be making some Republicans nervous about how to defend Musk and DOGEs actions to their constituents, while conflicting advice about handling Musks recent ultimatum for federal workersthat they submit five bullets about what they accomplished the previous week or forfeit their jobssuggests fracturing support for DOGE within the administration. But the situation would likely have to deteriorate dramatically further before bringing about a divorceif for no other reason than spite. While the same vanity that allowed Kamala Harris to easily bait Trump into ranting about crowd sizes during their debate last fall does not seem as susceptible to the President Musk taunts, it just might help prolong the president in denying his detractors an outcome they so clearly desire.
Category:
E-Commerce
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