This week’s Brand Brief has a bit of everything: Spots featuring real employees, musical icons, vain mythological creatures, potty humor and Kevin Bacon with an unusual, but healthy, name change. Let’s get into it …Domino’s The QSR pizza purveyor released Lindsay’s Best Idea, the first of a series of comedic mockumentary-style spots featuring real employees including the brand’s VP of marketing, Lindsay Hettling, global CMO Kate Trumbull and CFO Sandeep Reddy. The spots by WorkInProgress center on Hettling’s “risky” idea to sell its Parmesan Stuffed Crust pizza for $9.99 until July 26.Rocket The real estate company also released a new national campaign featuring 11 of its real team members sharing their personal reflections on the pride, connection and optimism of helping customers achieve “the American dream” of home ownership to mark America’s 250th anniversary. The sentimental and visually striking campaign will be supported by individual profiles and social content spotlighting the home ownership journey of each participant. KFC AustraliaFrom real employees to fictional ones: The QSR brand’s Australian wing (get it?) partnered with agency Special to release the delightfully weird Go Full Chicken, featuring one of its “cooks” performing a flawless ice skating routine with a fried chicken drumstick to a reimagined version of Rick Astley’s classic “Never Gonna Give You Up.” Directed by Stefan Hunt from Exit, the work is meant to convey the brand team’s “obsessive commitment to doing things properly.”Humane World for AnimalsWe understand the hypocrisy of segueing from fried chicken to beans, but trust us it’s worth it: Actor and activist Kevin Bacon hams it up in a new Beansday campaign for the nonprofit organization — changing his name to “Kevin Bean” to promote an initiative encouraging people to swap meat for beans every Wednesday, a weekly practice the org says could create meaningful change for animals, our planet and our health. The campaign, created by FlyteVu and shot on “Bean’s” 40-acre farm, launched on social media with the PSA, which will be supported by a designated hub in which participants can commit to the practice and find plant-based recipes. PaneraOffering a bit of both meat and veggie options, comedian Jake Shane stars in Pass the Panera, a hilarious mockumentary from 72andSunny for the chain promoting its Mix and Match Meal in which he and the spot’s director struggle with “creative differences” as he simultaneously struggles with being tempted to eat the product. T.J. MaxxThe retailer unveiled its new Never Uniform, Always You brand platform and integrated campaign with a spot so quietly surprising it’ll make you do a double-take. Press releases use the word iconic a lot — as this one did as well when describing its cast of dynamic women, which includes actress, producer and show creator Mindy Kaling, Olympic rugby star Ilona Maher and pianist Chloe Flower. But the word truly lived up to its name when Diana Ross — a true icon and entertainment legend who rarely, if ever, graces the advertising world — shows up onscreen to drive home the brand’s message of celebrating self-assured and fashionable women with unique (and affordable) style. The campaign, developed in partnership with Ogilvy, is running across broadcast, streaming, digital and social. Absolut VodkaSpeaking of bonafide icons, the vodka brand tapped none other than Madonna for its latest campaign, aptly titled Absolut Icon, inspired by its classic campaign by Andy Warhol. Created in partnership with Special Offer, the campaign is timed around the pop legend’s new album release, Confessions II, and features her wearing the purple corset bodysuit originally worn during her 2006 Grammy Awards performance and in her “Sorry” music video. The campaign, which launched during the week she surprised fans with a performance in Times Square for Pride, will also include a charitable donation to an LGBTQ+ organization, activations in bars, nightclubs and nightlife venues and reportedly more surprises.(Photo credit: Absolut, used with permission)E.l.f. BeautyIconic in its own way, the beauty brand tapped BigFoot to introduce its new line of haircare products, E.l.f. Hair, with What the h.e.l.f.?, a fun spot featuring the normally reclusive sasquatch feeling itself a little too much and ready for its closeup after trying the offerings. The brand is also launching the product on Roblox. Tito’s VodkaThe vodka brand introduced its new 100ml bottles and 4-pack offering with a fun spot featuring five spry centenarians, which they’ve deemed “the only influencers qualified for the job.” Created in partnership with Bandolier Media and The Bear, the quintet share life advice and some quick-witted quips amassed over their 100-plus years while brandishing the travel-sized bottles. The campaign is running across the brand’s paid media channels and socials, which will also include additional videos, content and in-store retail elements.You can watch it here.Dos EquisThe latest chapter of the beer brand’s escapades with its “Most Interesting Man” finds him “discovering” Grammy and Latin-Grammy nominated Mexican band Fuerza Regida in a fictional timeline. The spot, created in partnership with the community, weaves in real archival footage from the band, which has partnered with the brand for a full campaign that will include a series of films, a co-branded collection drop, concert ticket giveaways and exclusive VIP experiences. The campaign builds on the brand’s resurrection of the character earlier this year.WaymoThe self-driving car and ride-hailing service released its first national brand campaign focusing not on the product itself but in building human trust in the cars enough to fully embrace them. Created in-house, the spot cleverly points out how car crashes are often attributed to textbook human conditions such as distraction, emotions, fatigue and inebriation as a segue to position the cars as a safer choice. The brand intentionally launched the spot during the FIFA World Cup to capitalize on the audience and opportunity to peel tournament-going customers from its competitors. Monday.comThe project management software released The aSaaSination, a quirky short film set at a fictional corporation where an exec’s eagerness to incorporate AI into the company’s operations in an attempt to jump on the bandwagon without understanding the human aspect of the company’s functions go predictably haywire. Directed by Shannon Murphy of Smuggler, the cinematic spot is the latest to make a considerate argument touting the best of both worlds in the wake of corporations controversially slashing workforces to increase investments in the tech. AnuaThe Korean beauty brand released Gonna Be Glowin, a new global campaign as part of its ongoing collaboration with the Netflix smash KPop Demon Hunters. Created by BBH Singapore, the campaign touts the brand’s limited-edition skincare collection and retail activations.The Lad Collective“Wildlife Warrior” and Dancing with the Stars winner Robert Irwin stars in the Australian bedding brand’s latest campaign, in which he intensely and comically observes the disturbing ritual of single men admitting to changing their bed sheets only four times a year. The brand hopes to disrupt the $25 billion U.S. bedding market with the campaign, which encourages single men to change their sheets more regularly to change their sleeping habits, their lives and ostensibly their single status somewhere down the line.Microsoft 365The tech giant’s new campaign for its Copilot tool Pete centers on how the AI companion helps a small town auto shop owner adapt his business to rising costs of materials to stay reasonably priced for his customers. The campaign is one of a series created by Panay Films. ToppsScene-stealing Toy Story and Inside Out actor Tony Hale’s latest role is “dad” in a spot for the collectible card brand’s Topps Chrome Disney collection in which he and his daughter unlock beloved character Stitch through collecting the cards. The live-action and animation/visual effects combined with Hale’s natural skill for being silly in a highly entertaining way make an otherwise regular ad fun to watch. CoterieThe baby care brand released a cheeky new campaign to challenge the “glossy, curated image of parenthood” with The Diaper of Parents Who’ve Seen Some Sh*t. The spot, which spotlights a few scenarios in which a severely poop-filled diaper can ruin the vibes, including a vintage onesie passed on by a beloved matriarch and a long flight. The spot was reportedly rejected by half of the major networks it attempted to buy media time in. Pull-UpsWhile we’re on this not-so-delicate subject, we close with an animated entry from the training pants brand featuring spokes characters and “emotional sidekicks” Terd and Yureen bringing the emotional potty-training journey to life.