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Welcome to The Brief by Kuro House, your daily dose of marketing intelligence, where we go deep on the freshest and most fascinating stories shaping the industry. Today, we’re talking about AI shaking up ad tech, Super Bowl ad showdowns, and how brands are weaving culture, cinema, and sport into their campaigns. Let’s dig into what’s making headlines and why it matters.
First up, Amazon is making a major move in ad tech that could reshape how AI is used in advertising. According to Adweek, Amazon has launched the open beta of its Amazon Ads Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server, which acts as a bridge between AI agents and Amazon’s ad systems. Previously, if you wanted to connect an AI agent to Amazon Ads, you had to build a custom integration for every workflow—tedious, slow, and prone to errors. Now, thanks to the MCP server, advertisers and ad tech partners can hook their AI agents into Amazon’s ad software in minutes using a shared protocol. This protocol translates natural language prompts into structured API calls, essentially serving as a universal translator between AI and Amazon’s APIs. Built on an open standard originally developed by Anthropic, the MCP server lets agents handle everything from campaign setup and budget adjustments to pulling complex reports. One of the most impressive features is the “tool for common actions,” which bundles multi-step processes into single conversational prompts—think creating a campaign or generating a path-to-conversion report, all in one go. This not only cuts down on the reasoning overload for AI agents but also reduces the risk of them making mistakes, like using outdated APIs or writing unnecessary code. Amazon’s Paula Despins, VP of ads measurement, says this will let agents focus on what matters, not the basics. The move follows a closed beta last year and signals a broader industry trend toward standardized, agent-led automation. With Amazon’s ad business growing 24% year over year, and CEO Andy Jassy hinting at even more agentic commerce to come, this is a development marketers and technologists will want to watch closely.
Switching gears to the Super Bowl, e.l.f. Cosmetics is back with another bold, culturally resonant campaign. Adweek reports that e.l.f. will air a two-minute, telenovela-style ad starring Melissa McCarthy exclusively on Peacock. In the spot, McCarthy, panicking about not speaking Spanish ahead of Bad Bunny’s halftime show, crashes her car and finds herself in a melodramatic telenovela called “Melísa.” With the help of actor Nicholas Gonzalez and e.l.f.’s Glow Revolver Lip Oil—because “you need juicy lips so you can ‘rrrrr’ those Rs”—she embarks on a hilarious journey to master Spanish, all while being taunted by telenovela royalty Itatí Cantoral. The ad is shot using authentic soap opera techniques, with hyper-saturated color and 30 frames per second, and is packed with cultural references, from the iconic plastic chair to a sombrero shaped like Bad Bunny’s pava. Beyond the ad, e.l.f. is partnering with Duolingo to offer loyalty members a free two-week Super subscription to learn Spanish. This is e.l.f.’s fourth telenovela campaign, building on previous collaborations with Latin music stars and miniseries in Mexico. CMO Kory Marchisotto says the goal is to be funny and celebrate the Latin community, a group that’s been integral to e.l.f.’s journey. By targeting the 50% of Super Bowl viewers who are female and often overlooked by traditional ads, e.l.f. positions itself as a champion of the underserved. This year, they’re joined by other beauty brands like Eos and Dove, signaling a broader shift in Super Bowl advertising.
Speaking of Super Bowl firsts, Kinder Bueno is making its Big Game debut with a space-themed spot that leans into both pop culture and brand recognition. As reported by Adweek, the 30-second ad features a spacecraft called the KNDR, which spirals through an asteroid field. When the copilot exclaims, “No bueno!” the pilot, holding a Kinder Bueno bar, counters with “Kinder Bueno!”—a clever play on the English-Spanish phrase that’s become a part of American slang. The spot features actor William Fichtner and reality star Paige DeSorbo at mission control, and even extraterrestrials who decide to spare Earth because it’s the home of Kinder Bueno bars. Ferrero North America’s CMO Chad Stubbs says the campaign aims to capitalize on the underdeveloped U.S. market for Kinder, despite the brand’s global dominance. With $600 million in North American sales and a significant investment in innovation and manufacturing, this Super Bowl ad marks a pivotal moment for Ferrero’s North American ambitions. The campaign’s playful tone and space motif also nod to classic Super Bowl spots, from FedEx’s moon office to Volkswagen’s Darth Vader kid, making it a memorable entry in this year’s ad lineup.
Meanwhile, Starbucks is taking a cinematic approach to its Super Bowl presence, even as it skips an in-game spot. According to Adweek, Starbucks will air a beautiful film titled “The Coffee Run” during the Olympic opening ceremony and before and after the Super Bowl broadcast. Created by Anomaly LA, the ad was shot at a real Starbucks in the Austrian Alps and follows a delivery driver making repeated coffee runs to Team U.S.A. Olympic and Paralympic athletes atop a ski slope. The ad features real athletes like Amber Glenn and Elana Meyers Taylor, and a genuine Starbucks barista. The art direction, inspired by 1960s and ’70s Italian cinema, uses a film-out process to add texture and grain, while the soundtrack—Burt Bacharach’s “South American Getaway”—ties back to the brand’s roots. Starbucks CBO Tressie Lieberman says this campaign supports the company’s “Back to Starbucks” turnaround strategy, which aims to enhance in-store experience and rekindle brand love. With Starbucks seeing U.S. same-store sales growth for the first time in years and a global app membership of 35 million, the brand is leveraging the Olympics-Super Bowl crossover to maximize visibility and cultural relevance. The campaign will also be supported by social media, partnerships with Olympians, and possibly more on-the-ground activations at the Milan roastery during the Winter Games.
Finally, a quick but important update from the world of media: Savannah Guthrie’s mother, Nancy, has been reported missing from her Arizona home, as covered by Adweek. Nancy Guthrie, 84, was last seen Saturday night in the Catalina Foothills near Tucson. The home is being treated as a crime scene, and law enforcement has mobilized search and rescue teams, including volunteers, dogs, drones, and helicopters. Sheriff Chris Nanos of Pima County noted that the situation is “concerning,” and detectives suspect possible foul play rather than a case of a senior wandering off. Nancy does not have cognitive issues but does have physical ailments and is currently without crucial medication. Savannah Guthrie, in a statement, thanked everyone for their support and urged anyone with information to contact the Pima County Sheriff’s Department at 520-351-4900. Our thoughts are with the Guthrie family during this difficult time.
That’s it for today’s Brief. From Amazon’s AI-powered ad revolution to Super Bowl spots that blend humor, culture, and cinematic flair, it’s clear that marketing is evolving faster than ever—embracing technology, storytelling, and inclusivity in new and meaningful ways. Stay sharp, stay curious, and join us tomorrow for more insights that keep you ahead of the curve. Thanks for listening to The Brief by Kuro House.
