advertising – Tech News

Ikea throws shade at Tesla with “safe and affordable” flying car

Ikea's marketing departments already have a reputation for ingenious quick thinking. We recently saw it jump on 2026's Wicker trend faster than you can say "Alexander Skarsgård". But Ikea Taiwan's response to the Tesla Roadster concept's flying abilities is as impressive as the car's own 0.9-second 0-60mph record. Its answer for a Tesla Roadster Rocket Edition setup suitable for any home is to combine a 4-piece $12.99 Ikea Lillabo toy car set with a Brokglim bath towel. "Real life, baby," it says in the Instagram post above, echoing Tesla's caption in its own post below, before adding "Safe, affordable."
https://www.creativebloq.com/news/ikea-throws-shade-at-tesla-with-safe-and-affordable-flying-car

OpenAI is sticking more ads in ChatGPT

The company first brought ads to ChatGPT in February. Until now, ChatGPT’s ads only showed a company’s name, logo, and a link to its product in a “sponsored” section beneath your chat. OpenAI’s visual ad format will similarly remain separate from the image you generate and will “not influence the answers ChatGPT provides.” Ads won’t appear if you subscribe to ChatGPT’s Plus, Pro, or Enterprise plans.
https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/1004655/openai-chatgpt-visual-ads

Converse forced to remove ad over racist allegations

Converse has been forced to remove an ad after receiving heated criticism online, with claims that the design evoked extreme racist imagery. While harmless in theory, the misplaced lighting and composition were enough to spark outrage among critics who called the advert "disgusting" and "abhorrent". The advert in question stars K-Pop artist Karina holding a pair of Converse Chuck 70 X trainers. Lighting on her white skirt makes a sharp triangular shape thanks to a projection of the Chuck Taylor star logo, which critics claimed resembled hoods worn by the KKK.
https://www.creativebloq.com/design/advertising/converse-forced-to-remove-ad-over-racist-allegations

Ads are coming to Apple Maps, as Apple expands its business offerings

Apple on Tuesday announced that it will begin to allow advertisers to target customers on Apple Maps, starting in the U.S. and Canada later this summer. The ads will be available to any size business that has a physical location and has already created a business listing on Apple Maps. Users, meanwhile, will see the ads appear next to relevant search results.
https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/24/apple-maps-ads-apple-business/

I’m Seeing Ads in ChatGPT, and OpenAI Broke Its Promise. Here’s What They Look Like

Ads have officially arrived, at least in my ChatGPT account. They're larger than expected, and often not relevant to the conversation.
https://www.pcmag.com/news/im-seeing-ads-in-chatgpt-openai-broke-its-promise-what-they-look-like

Super Bowl LX ads: all AI everything

Last year’s Super Bowl featured a Google Gemini ad that fumbled a Gouda cheese stat, and this year’s game is already slated to include an ad for Anthropic’s AI platform that takes jabs at its competitors, namely OpenAI. AI-generated ads could make an appearance, too.
https://www.theverge.com/entertainment/874504/super-bowl-lx-ads-big-game

Dr Pepper’s new ad just won the internet

After dropping an absolute earworm of a jingle on TikTok, fans begged Dr P's bigwigs to turn Romeo's catchy tune into a real ad campaign. Co-produced by creative agency Deutsch, the Dr Pepper Baby ad features glossy product shots of the beverage alongside Romeo's iconic vocals (with a little more musical production than the original viral video). Tasteful, playful and oh so catchy, the ad is a perfect example of how brands can leverage virality without bordering into the realms of cringe.
https://www.creativebloq.com/design/advertising/dr-peppers-new-ad-just-won-the-internet