The Brief: Tailgate Trolling and Beast City -

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW THIS WEEK

Happy New Year, dear readers! We’re launching our 2026 coverage with hot takes on hot topics in experiential marketing covering tailgate trolling, Blizzard Brew and Starbucks in Beast City.

WENDY’S FEEDS FALCONS FANS AND RUFFLES FEATHERS IN ATLANTA

Wendy’s wasted no time kicking off 2026 in signature form with some subtle(ish) trolling, and you know we had to dig in. On Jan. 4 at the Atlanta Falcons vs. New Orleans Saints game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the brand hosted a sampling experience just outside of the venue in a bid to promote its Chicken Tendys—and ruffle Chick-Fil-A’s feathers.

Here’s the deal: Chick-Fil-A is an in-stadium vendor, but closes shop every Sunday. So “instead of watching fans go hungry,” Wendy’s rolled into ATL with a tailgate truck and free Chicken Tendys, Hot & Crispy Fries, sauces and exclusive gameday swag, and the public lined up to score the bites and merch. Messaging on the exterior of the truck read “Our Chikin Doesn’t Skip Gameday.” How deliciously salty. (Agencies: TMA; VML; Ketchum)

Photo: Courtesy of Wendy’s

STARBUCKS ARRIVES IN ‘BEAST CITY’ TO FUEL UP REALITY SHOW CONTESTANTS

The lines between reality tv and experiential marketing will continue to blur on Jan. 7, when season two of “Beast Games,” a competition show created by MrBeast, the creator behind the most-subscribed-to YouTube channel in the world, premieres on Prime Video.

Dubbed “Beast Games: Strong vs. Smart,” the second season features 100 of the smartest and 100 of the strongest people in the world duking it out in a range of brains vs. brawn challenges for a chance to take home the $5 million grand prize. Naturally, brands have been quick to latch on.

Like Starbucks, which, thanks to a partnership with MrBeast, helped power contestants through season two’s challenges via an on-site presence within Beast City, the arenas and filming sites located in Las Vegas, NV, and Pitt County, NC, where the competition took place. This year, contestants had complimentary access to a pop-up Starbucks that served food and beverages 24/7.

Meanwhile, the brand also had an on-screen presence, and is currently engaging fans of the show in its coffeehouses around the U.S. with a new limited-time Cannon Ball beverage.

Photos: Courtesy of Starbucks

BLIZZARD’S OMINOUS FLEET OF HEARSES WHEELS AROUND L.A. LANDMARKS

The reckoning is near. At least that’s the message Blizzard Entertainment sent just ahead of The Game Awards. On Dec. 11, the Diablo publisher rolled out a foreboding procession of hearses carrying the character Mephisto (Lord of Hatred), which made stops at iconic Los Angeles locations to visually spread the word about the so-called reckoning before arriving at their final destination, the awards show.

The activation was strategically designed to contrast the city’s bright and sunny atmosphere with an eerie and ominous spectacle that featured a purposely “ritualistic pacing” during one of the gaming industry’s biggest nights. Rest in peace, competitors. (Agencies: GUT Los Angeles, lead agency; Thinkingbox, production)

Photo/Video: Courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment

THIS LIMITED-EDITION BEER IS MADE FROM STADIUM SNOW

Following the multi-year extension of its Buffalo Bills sponsorship, Bud Light commemorated the partnership with a new beer product built just for the team’s diehard fans, aka the Bills Mafia. Enter: Blizzard Brew, a limited-edition beer made with snow shoveled directly from Highmark Stadium during the first storm of the winter.

The product, which was created in Anheuser-Busch’s brewery in Baldwinsville, NY, is available in 16-ounce cans with custom packaging, and was released at select retailers and fan gathering spots across Buffalo just in time for the Bills’ final home game on Jan. 4. During the matchup, Bills legend Andre Reed joined the team and Bud Light on-site to celebrate the Blizzard Brew and the power of fandom. Cheers to that.

Photo/Video: Courtesy of Anheuser-Busch

SPORTS FANS CAN BOOK EXPERIENCES WITH OLYMPICS LEGENDS THIS WINTER

It’s just T-minus 32 days until the 2026 Winter Olympics officially kick off in Italy, and Airbnb will be keeping fans hyped throughout February and March with a lineup of experiences hosted by active and retired Olympians and Paralympians. Whether its cooking, hitting the slopes, enjoying a spa day or scoring tickets to an exclusive event with a sports legend, consumers in seven countries will have a chance to book a rare experience with one of 26 participating athletes.

Among opportunities to choose from: shopping in Milan with Gus Kenworthy, watching the figure skating finals with Nathan Chen, getting pampered at the spa with Dorothea Wierer, and enjoying a dinner and craft night experience with Dani Aravich. Let the games begin.

Photos: Courtesy of Airbnb