Observed Signal · Mar 16, 2026 · Creative Campaign · Source: Adweek · Impact: 1/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Top 7 Cinematic Ads from the 2026 Oscars
Adweek highlights seven cinematic commercials that aired during the 98th Academy Awards, spotlighting creative spots from Coinbase, Burger King, Mazda, Disney Cruise Line, Credit One Bank, Panera Bread, and a L’Oréal tie-in for The Devil Wears Prada 2. Ads leaned into themes of aspiration and transformation: Coinbase’s “Your Way Out” (by Isle of Any) features a non-playable character escaping a video game; Burger King’s spot repositions the brand and features company executives onstage; Mazda released five genre short films for the all-new CX-5 directed by Paul Hunter and shot by cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema; Disney Cruise Line and Panera ran emotionally driven vignettes; Credit One Bank’s spot (by Deutsch) emphasizes accessible credit perks; and 20th Century Studios teamed with L’Oréal and Maximum Effort to tease the film sequel during the broadcast.
Creative showcase of high-profile Oscars ad spots; notable for brand storytelling but limited operational impact on AdTech platforms or measurement.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- The commercials ran during the 98th Academy Awards (the 2026 Oscars).
- Coinbase ran an Oscars ad titled “Your Way Out,” created by Isle of Any, featuring a non-playable character leaving a video game to encourage breaking from familiar financial systems.
- Burger King’s ad “There’s a New King, and It’s You” referenced seven decades of brand history and featured U.S. and Canada president Tom Curtis and CMO Joel Yashinsky.
- Mazda promoted the all-new CX-5 with “5 Sides of the All-New CX-5,” five short films directed by Paul Hunter, shot by Academy Award–winning cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema, and starring Jessamie Waldon Day.
- 20th Century Studios partnered with L’Oréal and Maximum Effort to run a spot tied to The Devil Wears Prada 2, featuring L’Oréal brand ambassadors Kendall Jenner and Simone Ashley.
Connected Companies & Entities
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Top 10 Ad Campaigns: Playful, Cultural, and Celebrity-Driven!
Adweek’s roundup highlights ten notable ad campaigns emphasizing playful self-awareness and brand storytelling. Burger King retired its long-standing King mascot in an Oscars debut where U.S. & Canada president Tom Curtis hands the crown to customers; CMO Joel Yashinsky framed the shift as positioning the brand as inclusive. Uber ran a meta St. Patrick’s Day spot called “Irish Xit.” Other launches include Ugg’s return of the Fluff Yeah sandal, JCPenney’s Texas runway featuring local residents, Hotels.com’s literalist spots, a Beats x Nike co-branded earbud spot with LeBron James, Sprite’s global “It’s That Fresh” platform, Patrón’s cinematic short directed by Guillermo del Toro, and Colgate’s emotional Millennial‑caregiver creative. McDonald’s “Big Arch” burger ad was named Adweek’s Most Effective Ad of the Week, performing 136% above the Quick Serve category average for March 10–16.
Six Ads Vie for 2026 Outstanding Commercial Emmy
The Television Academy shortlisted six commercials for the Outstanding Commercial category at the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards. The nominees include Levi’s “Backstory” (TBWA\Chiat Day), Adidas’ five-minute World Cup spot “Backyard Legends” (Lola USA) starring Timothée Chalamet, two Apple ads (“A Critter Carol” by TBWA\Media Arts Lab and an in‑house spot “I’m Not Remarkable”), Nike’s “Why Do It” (Wieden+Kennedy) and Coinbase’s “Your Way Out” (Isle of Any), which recently won the Film Craft Grand Prix at Cannes Lions. The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards are scheduled to air on NBC and Peacock on Sept. 14, 2026. The article was published by Adweek on 2026-07-09 and was written by Brittaney Kiefer.
Ads of the Week: 9 Standout Brand Campaigns
Adweek highlights nine notable ad campaigns and brand activations, led by celebrity-driven spots and creative stunts. Major items include Dua Lipa (with a George Clooney cameo) as Nespresso’s new global brand ambassador in a refreshed visual campaign; Sydney Sweeney’s sequel spot for American Eagle; Megan Fox starring in Dr. Squatch’s comedic deodorant campaign; Hudson Williams featured in Peloton’s new fitness spot alongside instructors Tunde Oyeneyin and Adrian Williams; and Dove’s vending-machine installation at London’s Waterloo Station exposing algorithmic beauty pressures. Liquid Death collaborated with Pop-Tarts for a limited-edition iced tea, Kotex released a word-of-mouth focused spot, and OFFF Barcelona rolled out promotional creative. Intuit TurboTax’s ad (debuted Jan. 26) was named Most Effective Ad of the Week, measured as 66% more effective than the Financial Services category average during April 8–14 and aired most frequently on AMC.
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