ADWEEK Advantage is part of a series where every month, our top editors interpret what happened in each vertical, and what it means for the future.
Brands are trading in their traditional campaign tentpoles for a new creative playbook: world-building.
That pivot played out on the international stage last month during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where companies like McDonald’s and Nike built immersive, expansive brand worlds instead of hinging their efforts around a single blockbuster ad.
For its biggest-ever World Cup campaign and largest marketing effort of the year, spanning more than 110 countries, McDonald’s moved “from polished ads to creating an ecosystem [that spans] creators, fans, and experiences,” global chief marketing officer Morgan Flatley told ADWEEK.
