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Welcome to The Brief by Kuro House, where we cut through the noise and bring you the sharpest insights from the world of marketing, tech, and brand strategy. Today, we’re diving into streaming-first Super Bowl moves, Netflix’s blockbuster acquisition, a health empire’s bold pivot, Pinterest’s commerce play, and why OpenAI is hiring engineers—not ad sellers—to build its next big business. Let’s get into it.

First up, Oikos is shaking up Super Bowl advertising with a streaming-first strategy. According to Adweek, for its seventh consecutive Super Bowl campaign, Oikos is skipping traditional TV and airing its spot exclusively on Peacock during Super Bowl 60. This pivot reflects the brand’s digital-first approach and the growing fragmentation of Super Bowl viewership. The ad, titled “The Big Hill,” features NFL running back Derrick Henry and comedian Kathryn Hahn, using San Francisco’s iconic hills as a metaphor for both physical and mental strength. Developed with BBDO, the campaign highlights Oikos’ core yogurt cups and its newer protein shakes—each shake packing 30 grams of protein, five grams of prebiotic fiber, and just one gram of sugar. Oikos is doubling down on second-screen experiences and creator partnerships, aiming to amplify earned and shared impressions rather than just counting viewers. With streaming audiences on Peacock up 48% last year, Oikos is betting that targeting younger, mobile-first consumers, plus a robust creator strategy, will drive not just awareness but real sales. As health and wellness brands take center stage during traditional junk food season, Oikos is positioning itself for the long game, focusing on strength and functional nutrition over fleeting trends.

Now, let’s talk about Netflix’s jaw-dropping move to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming and studio assets. In its Q4 2025 earnings report, Netflix revealed it’s amping up its offer to an all-cash deal, valued at $72 billion. This switch from a cash-and-stock deal is designed to speed up the shareholder approval process and provide more certainty for WBD investors. Netflix’s letter to shareholders outlines ambitious plans: leveraging WBD’s intellectual property, expanding HBO Max with personalized, flexible subscriptions, and growing production capacity both in the U.S. and abroad. The numbers are staggering—Netflix now boasts 325 million paid subscribers, up from 302 million last year, and its ad revenue has exploded, reaching $1.5 billion in 2025—more than 2.5 times its 2024 figure. The company expects to double ad revenue again in 2026, targeting $3 billion, thanks to new AI-powered ad formats that bring advertisers closer to content. Netflix’s message to shareholders is clear: combining forces with Warner Bros. will create more opportunities for creators and deliver greater value and choice for consumers. With $45.2 billion in projected 2025 revenue—up 16% year over year—Netflix is positioning itself as the undisputed heavyweight in global entertainment.

Switching gears to the wellness world, Kat Cole’s journey from Hooters hostess to AG1 CEO is a masterclass in brand reinvention, as detailed in her conversation with Adweek’s Ryan Joe. Cole transformed AG1—formerly Athletic Greens—from a single-product DTC business into a multi-product, multi-channel health empire. One of her boldest moves? Rebranding at $160 million in revenue, shifting away from the limiting “Athletic Greens” name to the broader, more inclusive “AG1.” This unlocked new audiences and allowed AG1 to expand into retail and launch products like sleep support, all while maintaining loyalty. Cole also redirected $20 million from marketing into clinical research at UC Davis, betting on scientific credibility over louder ads. The result: a reformulated, clinically validated product that stands out in a saturated market. Her leadership philosophy? Involve the CEO early in creative development, listen closely to frontline teams and customers—especially those who feel excluded—and make calculated, courageous bets when the category becomes a constraint. For AG1, the payoff has been growth, loyalty, and a moat competitors can’t easily cross.

Pinterest is making big moves to cement itself as a shopping powerhouse, as reported by Adweek. The platform just hired Claudine Cheever, Amazon’s former global brand and marketing VP, as its new CMO, and Lee Brown, who’s done stints at DoorDash and Spotify, as chief business officer. Since CEO Bill Ready took the helm in 2022, Pinterest has been on a mission to transform from a digital cork board to a full-scale commerce destination. The platform now boasts 600 million monthly active users and posted a 17% year-over-year revenue gain in Q3, with adjusted EBITDA hitting $306 million. Pinterest’s commerce ambitions are clear: new features like “Shop the Look,” an API for catalog management, and a goal to make every pin shoppable. The company’s R&D investment is hefty—$1.24 billion this year, up from $1.07 billion last year—reflecting its commitment to AI-driven recommendations and ad engagement. To boost its shopping visibility, Pinterest has even partnered with Roku for a streaming series, “Bring My Pinterest to Life,” where influencers turn inspiration into real shopping journeys. With Cheever and Brown on board, Pinterest is poised to deepen its commerce play and compete with the likes of Instagram and TikTok in social shopping.

Finally, let’s talk about OpenAI’s measured approach to building its ad business, as detailed by Digiday. Despite rumors of imminent ad launches, OpenAI’s hiring signals they’re still in the early, foundational phase. Of the seven open advertising-related roles, most are for engineers focused on building the underlying monetization infrastructure—think ad delivery, internal tools, and trust and safety operations—rather than traditional ad sales or account management. The closest to a classic ad revenue role is a strategic global partnership lead, but even that’s about ecosystem design, not agency schmoozing. OpenAI is building the “machine” before worrying about selling what comes out of it, prioritizing brand safety and user experience—especially critical in an AI assistant environment where trust is paramount. CEO Sam Altman once said advertising would be a last resort, but with OpenAI expected to burn through $17 billion in cash in 2026, monetization is now a necessity. Ads will soon be tested in ChatGPT, and as Maor Sadra of INCRMNTAL puts it, “The economics of LLMs just don’t work without some monetization layer—and most users aren’t going to pay.” OpenAI is betting that careful, infrastructure-first development will help it avoid the pitfalls that plagued early ad models elsewhere. For now, the ad business is conceptual, but urgency is mounting. When the switch flips, the industry will be watching closely.

That’s all for today’s Brief. From streaming-first Super Bowl strategies to AI-powered ad futures, the marketing landscape is evolving at lightning speed. Stay curious, keep questioning, and remember: the best marketers don’t just follow trends—they shape them. Thanks for listening, and we’ll see you tomorrow.