ADWEEK

It’s a bird (well duh), it’s a plane, it’s…..Duo. In February, Duolingo's infamous mascot "passed away" following an accident involving a Cybertruck. This would later be one of the biggest and most successful stunts from the brand. Over a series of days, the team dropped clues about what had happened to Duo. The company staged a funeral on TikTok watched by 66 million people; CEO Luis von Ahn read his eulogy on YouTube. Everyone from the World Health Organization to Netflix sent their condolences. Now, the Owl is back and he's living to tell the tale, and the team behind him is also telling their own tale for ADWEEK's April cover. Read the full cover story — https://xmrrwallet.com/cmx.padweek.it/4ihF7M4 💚🍀🥑🍏🦜

#NEW in ADWEEK: Independent creative agency Rethink is formalizing its long-standing design capabilities with the launch of Rethink Design. The new practice—spanning strategy, identity, packaging, and design systems—will operate across the agency’s North American offices and be led by Larissa Marquez, former executive director of operations at Brooklyn design studio Gretel. “I saw an incredible opportunity,” Marquez told me. “Rethink has a strong legacy and reputation, and that was important for me as a next step in my career.” The move signals a broader shift inside the agency. “Design is no longer a subsidiary of advertising. It is a peer of advertising,” said Rethink global CSO Sean McDonald. #agencies #design #exclusive #advertising 🔗 https://xmrrwallet.com/cmx.plnkd.in/gf2aie_d

Within American Eagle’s TikTok post of the campaign, the post contains comments like, “Is that supposed to get women buying your jeans?” and “If not eugenics, why eugenics shaped?” https://xmrrwallet.com/cmx.pbit.ly/44RB1Xq

On Tuesday, Nielsen reported that ad-supported content increased its share of total TV viewing in Q2 2025. According to Nielsen’s Ad Supported Gauge, which provides the broadest view of the portion of television that delivers advertising across broadcast, cable, and streaming, content with ads viewing accounted for 73.6% of overall TV viewing, up +1.2 share points during the second quarter of 2025. https://xmrrwallet.com/cmx.pbit.ly/45cmKDE

American Eagle's "Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans" campaign initially boosted stock by 7% but quickly faced backlash for perceived "pro-eugenics" messaging in a video where Sweeney discusses genes while modeling jeans. https://xmrrwallet.com/cmx.pbit.ly/3ISvoji

A year ago, the news cycle was beginning to fire on all cylinders as the 2024 presidential election was dealt a seismic jolt: Then-President Joe Biden announced he would be stepping down as his party’s presidential candidate, thrusting his vice president, Kamala Harris, into the spotlight. https://xmrrwallet.com/cmx.pbit.ly/4mc3JIe

Google is expanding the capabilities of its experimental AI-powered search tool AI Mode, with a slate of updates it claims will supercharge the back-to-school season for students and teachers. https://xmrrwallet.com/cmx.pbit.ly/4m2G6SE

Procter & Gamble said it expects to see a $1 billion hit during its 2026 fiscal year as a result of the recently imposed tariffs by the administration of President Donald Trump. https://xmrrwallet.com/cmx.pbit.ly/3U2PR7a

Havas posted steady gains in H1 2025 as its AI-first strategy, Converged AI, fueled margin growth and organic revenue acceleration across key markets. https://xmrrwallet.com/cmx.pbit.ly/3U4XN86

Following a celebrity-packed upfront event, Disney has concluded its upfront talks with increased sales in sports and streaming, maintaining overall volume consistent with last year's numbers. The company reported streaming accounted for over 40% of total upfront volume, while sports advertising reached nearly $4 billion, including 69 multi-year deals and significant growth in football programming. https://xmrrwallet.com/cmx.pbit.ly/4lUY1uK