Variety on Instagram: "Variety’s #PowerOfWomen honorees — Sydney Sweeney, Wanda Sykes, Nicole Scherzinger, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kate Hudson, and Aly Raisman, recipient of the Variety Courage Award — pose together at the event in LA ❤️ Variety Power of Women presented by @LifetimeTV"

This ad hit people hard, and honestly, I get why. When so many people are cutting back, it comes across as tone-deaf. What most people don’t realize is that holiday campaigns like this are planned months in advance. By spring, brands are already pitching Christmas because the last two months of the year can make up 30-40% of annual sales. Teams get so focused on numbers that they lose sight of the consumer sentiment when the ad finally drops. It doesn’t excuse the message, but it does explain ho