What does it cost to stand out from your competition? Depending on who you ask – and when you ask – this answer will vary considerably. This week we saw several brands making strong (and expensive) plans to differentiate themselves from the rest, by demonstrating where they stand on issues ranging from gay rights to the World Cup, and even the American Dream. We also finally have a sense of what it will cost for brands to extend this competition onto Instagram. A hint: too rich for most of us.

OkCupid Says No To Mozilla
In a rather bold move, OkCupid did more than just speak out against the anti-gay sentiments of Mozilla’s (now former) CEO, Brendan Eich – they blocked all traffic coming to OKCupid through Mozilla from accessing their site and directed these would-be visitors to a landing page explaining why. While OkCupid isn’t taking full credit for Eich’s resignation, such a strong stance – one that would have actually impacted their own short-term traffic and revenue goals by prohibiting paying customers from using the service – is uncommon for companies – but hopefully will be a trend that continues.
[Mashable]

Pepsi vs. Coke Duking It Out At The World Cup
You would expect to see ether Coke or Pepsi completely dominating an event as renowned as The World Cup. But this year, the two brands are going head to head. While Coke is putting major money behind a complex, documentary-style content strategy as an official event sponsor, Pepsi has focused on a celeb-filled story set in the streets of Rio. Which approach will be more successful? With a couple more months to go until The World Cup kicks off in Brazil, we’ll need to wait a bit more time – and see a few more tactics – before we can truly tell.
[Ad Week]

The Upside vs. Poolside American Dream
When GM-owned brand Cadillac unveiled their new car ad to promote the Electric Coupe, most people were too caught up in outrage over the promotion of workaholic/materialistic values to notice any details about the vehicle. Ford took this opportunity to present their vision – incorporating a similar narrative with a message that couldn’t be more different – to promote their own hybrid car. Even if you aren’t in the market for an electric car, seeing how each organization presents their brand – as a reflection of their respective target consumers – is a fascinating comparison.
[Toronto Star]

So You Want To Advertise on Instagram
When Instagram changed their terms of service last year, there was a considerable amount of outrage from users – with a large number of previously-committed fans of the platform shutting down their accounts in protest. The reason? Potential advertising plans in the works that could spell drastic changes for one of the fastest-growing social networks. Now we have a new look at what these ads could look like – and how much they will cost. With estimates ranging from the mid-six figures to upwards of $1 million in some cases, it’s unlikely that we’re going to see a flood of Instagram advertisers in the near future.
[Ad Age]