Hey Fam!

With basically one working week left in the year…we’re focused on battoning down the hatches. A few last-minute pitches, projects, and planning have us sprinting to the finish line (not to mention some boozy ice skating next week!). While the industry was rattled by the Edelman news and the Omnicom/IPG merger, we’re really excited about where we stand heading into 2025. We believe creative storytellers, strategic thinkers, and subject matter experts are the way forward in comms. As we’ve seen, bigger isn’t always better. 

Shameless Plug(s) – Tired of being sold everything on Linkedin? Us too. Our Sr. Director of Digital Marketing Georg Loewen recently penned a piece on how to leverage the platform without adding to the noise we all already experience.

Also – have you seen our 2025 Marketing Trends & Strategies report ? Check it out here!

This week, we’re highlighting some campaigns that captured our attention during BF/CM, some learnings from Wicked’s brand collaborations, and how Zevia took a swipe at Coke with some smart creative. 

Happy holidays!

Greg & Becky

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Own the biggest sales holiday: How some of this year’s Black Friday/Cyber Monday campaigns stood out

TL;DR: This year, US consumers spent a record-breaking $41.1 billion in online sales over five days of shopping deals. With such a saturated holiday, companies needed to get creative to grab attention and Email Love identified the campaigns that stood out from thousands of others this season.

Takeaway: The common denominator with the campaigns Email Love identified is that they’re all uniquely different. Sure, they still advertise their major BFCM deals like every other company, but they all have a little extra spark that gets viewers to stop. Footwear brand Kuru featured an emoji math formula in their preview text. Geeky gift retailer Bespoke Post used the binary code that translates to “Shop” as their subject line. Instead of sending a “One Last Chance!” email, bedding company Miracle Made framed their sale as “ending early due to high demand.” All ways of doing the same action as everyone else, but with a unique, eye-catching delivery.

Consider:

• Major sales holidays can be crowded… so what do you have to lose? Now’s a great time to try out that kooky, crazy message to try and break through the noise. You probably know exactly how other brands are going to position their sales messages, so plan around it and push the boundaries.
• A key element of these campaigns is that they stand out but fit in context. Bespoke Post’s binary code subject line grabs the attention of thoughtful, geeky viewers – exactly who they’re looking to attract. What would attract the attention of your ideal customer (not the masses)?

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Take every opportunity: What we can learn from Wicked’s over-the-top brand collaborations

TL;DR: First there was Barbie, now there’s Wicked. The new trend in entertainment industry marketing is seeking out every brand collaboration possible to achieve full worldwide domination.

Takeaway: While many marketing campaigns hinge on hitting niche target audiences, this trendy marketing formula embraces, in the words of a certain pink-laden witch, being popular. One can only imagine what the budget behind these massive splash campaigns is, but at its core, it’s all about infiltrating every medium possible to reach audiences. But does anyone really want a Barbie-themed hair scrunchie or a Wicked-coded 40oz water bottle? Maybe. Or maybe it’s just manufactured FOMO that gets people buying and interested in the source material. It’s certainly a choice… but with Wicked now becoming the highest grossing movie based on a Broadway musical at the domestic box office, it might be a worthwhile strategy.

Consider:

• We can’t all be Wicked or Barbie, but we can still maximize our budgets in unique ways. If the niche approach hasn’t been working for you, consider how you can copy these huge spray campaigns. How can you make sure that people see your brand everywhere?
• These entertainment campaigns are not only unique because of their scale, but also because of outlandish collaborations with other brands. Which other brands could your company collaborate with that are a bit outside-the-box?

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Craft a responsive holiday campaign: A better-for-you soda brand is taking a swipe at Coca-Cola’s AI-generated nostalgia

TL;DR: Healthier alternative soda Zevia debuted a new ad campaign that takes a jab at Coca-Cola’s latest AI-generated holiday campaign. In the campaign, Zevia focuses on linking the off-putting qualities of AI images with Coke’s artificial ingredients.

Takeaway: One competitor’s misstep is another’s opportunity, it seems. Coke has long dominated the seasonal soda push with its iconic marketing featuring its red delivery trucks and cute polar bears. But this year, when it referenced its past nostalgic ads with AI-generated visuals, viewers felt it was too “soulless.” Zevia’s ability to jump on the backlash and coopt it into its own holiday campaign is smart and shows the advantage to having a smaller, more agile brand. Plus the messaging linking “artificial creativity” with “artificial ingredients” is a solid move, especially in a time when consumers are increasingly skeptical of AI and heavily processed food.

Consider:

• While major corporations can often dominate the conversation, there’s a major advantage to being a smaller brand – namely, being able to act quicker. If you’re a smaller brand, use this to your advantage! As a thought-starter, ask yourself what your bigger rivals can’t do because of their size.
• When your competitors misstep, you can provide a better alternative. But you should be cautious not to come off as too celebratory of their mistake. Zevia toes the line well here, and you can too. How can you offer an alternative to your competitors’ approach that responds to audience concerns?

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