Leveraging tech for long-term brand value

This week:

Beyond Static Branding: IPs, World-building and tapping into the sports industry with FOOH

Can you trademark your AI creations?

While most brands are terrified of an AI backlash, the Swiss retail giant Migros leaned all the way in. They took a 200-year-old bread man (the Grittibänz), turned him into a rapping AI mascot named “Gritti,” and watched the internet explode within 48h.

But the move they made after the viral fame is the real kicker: they immediately filed for trademarks on the character for clothes and toys.

They aren’t just selling seasonal bread anymore - they’re trying to turn a public tradition into a private brand asset.

💡 What this signals:

This isn’t just about likes. It’s a test to see if a brand can take a public tradition and turn it into private property just by giving it an AI makeover.

If they pull this off, the rules change: creators would then be able to “own” history simply by being the first to run it through an AI filter.

Project Genie is taking gamification and world-building to the next level

Google just put out their so-called Project Genie, and it’s a total step up from the AI video tools we’ve been seeing lately.

Most AI generators give you a clip to watch - you’re just a spectator. But Genie is what they call a “World Model.” You give it a prompt, a picture or even a sketch, and it builds an environment you can actually play in and walk through in real-time.

It’s clunky and the sessions only last about a minute right now, but it’s a glimpse into a future where content isn’t static anymore.

💡 What this signals:

The distance between having a rough idea and walking inside a playable reality is disappearing. For brands, this means that simply showing people cool still aesthetics won’t be enough anymore.

We are looking at an immersive future, where if your audience can’t inhabit the world you’re building, they probably won’t care.

‼️REMINDER - Last days of Early Bird

💡 Industry Insights

Is sports the new booming industry?!

With the Winter Olympics in full swing and Super Bowl fever reaching its peak, the competition for fan attention is more intense than ever.

Traditional 30-second spots are no longer the only way to win. The real victory is in creating “fan-first” content that lives across digital ecosystems.

Our latest deep dive explores how sports advertising is evolving in 2026. Based on our recent FOOH 2026 Trend Report, we show why Mixed Reality is becoming the ultimate “social object” for fans to share, and break down the strategies helping brands cut through the noise.

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