The news: In November, many advertisers made the decision to ditch their investments in X (formerly Twitter) after its owner, Elon Musk, issued a series of antisemitic tweets on the platform. In response, Musk declared, “If somebody is going to try to blackmail me with advertising, blackmail me with money, go fuck yourself.” Then, yesterday, Musk took the stage at the Cannes Lions festival in a bid to smooth things over with a crowd of the biggest players in the advertising world.

Big picture: At Cannes Lions, which gathers the strongest voices in marketing, Musk was interviewed by Mark Read, CEO of WPP, the largest advertising holding company. Musk made a few attempts to walk back his harsh words from seven months earlier, claiming that he believes in “freedom of choice” for advertisers and gave a lackluster pitch for advertising on Twitter as a way to reach influential users. Not once, however, did the ad-focused conversation touch on Musk’s axing of Tesla’s entire marketing team just two months ago.

Why it matters: Musk’s public personality, characterized by his signature blasé machismo, has historically served as Tesla’s main promotional tool. But, as of late, the brand hasn’t been maturing along with the rest of the EV market, and Musk’s negligent attitude toward advertising might be to blame. His half-hearted apology at Cannes demonstrates that advertisers still hold plenty of power, but Musk hasn’t seemed to recognize that for his own brand just yet.

The news: Ralph Lauren unveiled its ninth spin at designing Team USA’s parade looks for the upcoming Olympic Games Paris 2024, and the outfits include a . . . surprising detail: blue jeans. American athletes will enter the opening parade in a preppy wool blazer paired with a classic straight-leg jean, and they’ll exit the closing ceremony in white jeans and a white moto-inspired jacket. 

Big picture: While denim seems (to put it lightly) a bit casual for the world’s preeminent display of athletic ability, maybe we shouldn’t be too shocked that Ralph Lauren went in this direction, given this year’s meteoric rise of the Americana aesthetic. Jeans are always “in” in the U.S., but phenomena such as Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter album have made the Old Western, jean-forward look one of the year’s hottest trends.

Why it matters: Other brands, like Louis Vuitton, have embraced the all-American look in new collections, reimagining and recontextualizing the staples of American fashion. But Ralph Lauren’s parade outfits may be teetering on the edge between embracing heritage and descending into straight-up corniness. Reactions to the outfits on social media have been largely negative, with some comparing them to the Glee team’s uniforms and Will Ferrell’s costume in Talladega Nights. 

The news: On Sunday, Marvel Comics got its first new logo in more than two decades. But if the rebrand looks familiar, that’s because it, um, is. The design, which features the word “Marvel” in a red box followed by “Comics” sandwiched between two white lines, is virtually indistinguishable from the Marvel Studios and Marvel Animations logos. 

Big picture: In the days of yore (the ‘90s), Marvel Comics had its own distinctly cool logo. It spelled out “Marvel” over an MTV-style M, with “Comics” scrawled out in yellow type like a comic book speech bubble. But as Marvel expanded from a comic book publisher to an entertainment giant, its identity has pivoted from a charming, if somewhat nerdy, brand to a more ubiquitous, minimalist one. 

Why it matters: In Marvel’s quest to merge all of its divisions into one unified, MCU-esque mass of “brand cohesion,” it’s losing the unique and nostalgic touches that many of its fans love. The Marvel Studios brand has been in a yearslong stagnant period under the pressure of constant growth. By continuously aiming for greater mass-market appeal, it’s inevitably shedding some of the flair that once set it apart and earned its most loyal supporters. 

The news: There’s a new TikTok star on the rise: cottage cheese. The curd-based snack has been blowing up as a topping, mix-in, and protein booster, and now, cottage cheese companies are cashing in on this unforeseen turn of events. The California-based brand Good Culture just debuted a TikTokified campaign to capture the food’s young fanbase. 

Big picture: Designed by the New York ad agency &Walsh, the new campaign riffs on all the unexpected ways that consumers are enjoying cottage cheese. It demonstrates TikTok’s current unmatched power to elevate even the most basic of pantry staples into the next status-signaling must-have.

Why it matters: Many companies with a Gen Z and Gen Alpha audience are increasingly choosing to center their branding around TikTok—not only by posting content to the platform, but also by tailoring their campaigns to TikTokified aesthetics. Elements including ultra-vibrant color palettes, Zoomer lingo, and short-form videos are all designed to mimic the TikTok experience. Other brands, such as the water enhancer Mio, have revamped their entire visual identity to ride the colorful TikTok wave.