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Welcome to the second day of Brandweek!

Yesterday, leaders from Crocs, Mattel, General Mills, and LA28 discussed how they’re staying ahead of consumer trends and connecting with customers. We have the latest from Brandweek in our top stories of the day.

It may seem hard to believe, but the 2028 Olympics are almost here, at least for marketers. A top exec from the organizing committee for LA28 laid out what marketers need to know about the upcoming games and their audience.

Plus, Mattel broke news at Brandweek about a new licensing partnership with BBC Studios and Bluey.

We also have a recap of everything you may have missed during the Emmy Awards.

1. LA28 Looks to Bring Golden Opportunity to Brands With New Offerings, Massive Viewership

At Brandweek, Janet Evans, chief athlete officer for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, said that LA28 is already shaping up to be a massive sports moment for brands. In one example, LA28 is offering venue naming rights for the first time.

The reach of the 2028 Olympics encompasses 14 million tickets, 15,000 athletes representing their countries, 11,000 hours of content, and 5 billion viewers worldwide.

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2. Mattel Partners With Bluey as It Shifts From Toy Maker to Building Fandom

Also at Brandweek, Mattel announced it is bringing the hit animated series Bluey to five of its biggest brands as part of a licensing partnership with BBC Studios, writes Brittaney Kiefer.

Bluey characters will appear on Mattel’s products as part of the brand's shift from being a toy maker to an entertainment company.

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3. Retail Giant Simon Bets on Real-World Connection to Ignite Mall Culture

Malls are so back, says a new campaign from the largest owner of shopping malls in the U.S.

Simon has launched one of its largest national campaigns to promote 200 malls and premium outlets, reports Brittaney. Set to The Temper Trap and Lost Frequencies’ 2008 track, “Sweet Disposition,” the ad shows how malls are a third space for people.

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4. Mariska Hargitay Wins, Brands Got Involved Early, and More Emmys Takeaways

Mariska Hargitay was the star of NBC and Peacock’s broadcast of the Emmy Awards, writes Mark Mwachiro.

United Airlines and Marriott were integrated into Hargitay’s opening number, and Apple TV swept the awards with Widow’s Bay and Pluribus.

Hargitay also brought Taylor Swift into a Law & Order-themed skit. The skit is full of Easter eggs that certainly tease something new coming from Swift, right?

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5. Anthropic's Dario Amodei and Nvidia's Jensen Huang Take Their AI Safety Fight to Dreamforce

The opening keynote at Salesforce’s Dreamforce event turned into a public airing of the debate over the pace of AI development, writes Trishla Ostwal.

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei is urging to slow the development, while Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is pushing for more speed.

For Salesforce, there’s a benefit to slowing down to catch up with competitors, said Salesforce president Patrick Stokes.

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• Teachers are models for JCPenney’s fall campaign, (ADWEEK).
  
  
• At Brandweek, Spotify’s creative lab chief lobbies for sounds over screens, (ADWEEK).
  
  
• And CNN’s podcast Engagement Party shows how the network is leaning into culture and creators, (ADWEEK).
  
  
• Big Brothers Big Sisters announces new sports mentoring program, (ADWEEK).
  
  
• Patrick Dempsey is the new face of Guardant Health, (ADWEEK). 
  
  
• Plot launches feature to match brands with creators, (ADWEEK). 
  
  
• Heatmap plans triple-digit growth, (ADWEEK). 
  
  
• How Papa John’s wins attention, (ADWEEK). 
  
  
• Nara Smith’s campaign for Bobbie rejects things made from scratch, (ADWEEK). 
  
  
• Meta launches subscription offering, (Hollywood Reporter). 
  
  
• How Pinterest tapped into disconnection, (ADWEEK). 
  
  
• Profound raises $180 million in Series D funding, (TechCrunch). 
  
  
• Inside Snap’s community-driven marketing, (ADWEEK). 

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