Good morning,

The controversy surrounding Converse’s ad, which some likened to Ku Klux Klan iconography, has followed a familiar pattern. First comes the uproar, then the hasty apology, then the takedown and the promise of remediation.

Unfortunately, Converse is just the latest in a string of brands that have outraged consumers with racially insensitive advertising. So we have to ask: why does this keep happening?

ADWEEK's Robert Klara spoke to an inclusive marketing expert to get some perspective. And Zappi's CMO explains why such a massive global breakdown might happen.

Meanwhile, Alex Cooper’s Unwell is prioritizing YouTube for its fall slate, a move that mirrors a wider industry shift. And Amazon and Meta are locked in an agentic shopping standoff.

Before you dive into the headlines, register for ADWEEK's webinar today at 1pm ET, The Future of Measurement: Creator Spend Needs Media Discipline, to learn why only 1 in 3 pieces of creator content actually builds a brand, according to Kantar, and how to spot the difference before you commit spend.

Refill your coffee and keep scrolling.

Brittaney Kiefer, creative editor

Must Reads

1. Brands Keep Greenlighting Ads That Many Find Racially Insensitive

Besides the Converse controversy, Target recently pulled a Halloween costume that some said resembled the clothing of Jim Crow-era minstrels. Gucci apologized for what became known as the "blackface sweater." American Eagle and Sydney Sweeney were accused of promoting eugenics.

How can big corporations repeatedly sign off on work that ends up offending so many? One reason is a brand’s ignorance of its own customers, says CMO advisor and inclusive marketing strategist Lola Bakare. She shared her takes with Robert Klara.

2. Too Many Cooks Spoiled Converse's Global Ad Rollout

Zappi CMO Nataly Kelly has another answer to the question of how a Converse-like breakdown at this global scale can happen. "When consumer testing data is not connected across borders, and local teams do not have access to audiences outside of their home market, they can easily create global brand risk without realizing it," she writes.

Alex Cooper's Unwell Adds 4 Shows, Prioritizing YouTube for Its Fall Slate

Unwell, the podcast network created by Call Her Daddy host Alex Cooper, is expanding its fall slate with the addition of four shows that are all set to run on YouTube, continuing its push into video-first podcasting. YouTube has become the platform of choice for podcast listening.

The expansion is also the latest sign that Cooper is building Unwell into something closer to a diversified media company than a single podcast brand, Mark Stenberg reports.

Amazon Locks Out Meta's Muse in Agentic Shopping Standoff

Amazon has blocked Meta’s Muse AI agent from shopping on Amazon.com, escalating a fight between two of the biggest players in agentic commerce. The problem, Amazon told ADWEEK, is that it was not made aware in advance that Muse would access its store, nor did the retailer authorize it. Trishla Ostwal has more.

Direct-to-Consumer Brands Rebuild Their Playbooks Around Retailers

After years of trying to grow an audience on their own, direct-to-consumer brands have a new strategy: Get into retailers. The shift reflects a new playbook for emerging brands as well as long-established DTC brands that first had to build niche audiences of customers to justify landing a big distribution deal with the likes of Walmart, Target, and Costco. Lauren Johnson breaks down the new strategy.

The Round Up

Chase brings back Drew Barrymore for a Scream spoof ahead of the movie’s 30th anniversary, (ADWEEK).
Paramount gets a big win for WBD merger after settlement news, (ADWEEK).
CNN’s future will include an editorial oversight board, (NYT).
Is Disney+ adding ads to ad-free tiers? Here’s what’s really happening, (ADWEEK).
From Converse to Ed Sheeran, let’s end these apology tours, says Mark Ritson, (ADWEEK).
Major news networks release joint statement on White House press ban, (ADWEEK).
How Goodwipes made a splash in the bathroom business, (ADWEEK).
The new playbook for sports marketing, (ADWEEK Branded with Spectrum Reach).

1. Brands Keep Greenlighting Ads That Many Find Racially Insensitive

2. Too Many Cooks Spoiled Converse's Global Ad Rollout

3. Alex Cooper's Unwell Adds 4 Shows, Prioritizing YouTube for Its Fall Slate

4. Amazon Locks Out Meta's Muse in Agentic Shopping Standoff

5. Direct-to-Consumer Brands Rebuild Their Playbooks Around Retailers