The billion-dollar cow mascot that survived her own company’s bankruptcy 🐄💰

The playbook for modern brands from an 88-year-old cow mascot that just won't die.

Dec 13 • Stef Hamerlinck

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[Classified] Buckle Up Briefing #11: From brand mascots to brand companions.

A deep dive into live, conversational brand mascots powered by AI.

Dec 1 • Stef Hamerlinck

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November 2025

The AI companions are coming...

As AI companions flood the market, personality becomes the only moat.

Nov 26 • Stef Hamerlinck

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[Classified] The Bucke Up Briefing #10: Characters Are Eating the Internet (And Getting Zillow Listings)

Pillsbury's house is for sale, your dog is now IP, and AI mascots are learning to annoy you on purpose. The character economy just got weird. + a full…

Nov 14 • Stef Hamerlinck

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The AI Bubble Is Real (and That’s a Good Thing)

And what does it mean for brand-building? + My first short film with Marcel.

Nov 11 • Stef Hamerlinck

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[Exclusive screening] Buckle Up Briefing #9: The future of branding keynote.

Exclusive sneak peak at my keynote next Thursday at Tectonic.

Nov 5 • Stef Hamerlinck

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October 2025

[Classified] Buckle Up Briefing #8: 5 brands making real ads with AI today.

Real brands, real AI ads

Oct 21 • Stef Hamerlinck

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🧃 How 7UP killed the one thing that made it unforgettable

The rise and fall of Cool Spot — and what 7UP’s biggest mistake can teach modern brands about standing out in the AI era.

Oct 16 • Stef Hamerlinck

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[Classified] Buckle up briefing #7: A wild ride: new video tutorial and Sora.

How I'm crafting short-form video's with Marcel and myself

Oct 6 • Stef Hamerlinck

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Your brand isn’t IP (yet)

Why the future isn’t just memorability—it’s creating assets your audience lines up for.

Oct 1

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September 2025

[Classified] Buckle up briefing #6: How I created a brand video ad with Gen-AI 🤙

How I created an a brand ad for my wife's new startup with Generative AI.

Sep 22 • Stef Hamerlinck

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How I built a million-dollar mascot in weeks.

From a kitchen-table doodle to a national launch with a prime minister and a superstar DJ — powered by generative AI.

Sep 20 • Stef Hamerlinck

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