Our Favorite Launch Campaigns of 2025, So Far...

You can let out a sigh of relief, no it isn’t late enough in the year for a year-end wrap up of campaigns that we loved. But why wait until the end of the year to give credit where credit is due, and to give you a spark of creativity before planning your holiday campaigns?

Here are some incredibly smart & strategic brand campaigns launched this year that you should make note of…

1. Alix Earle & Pantene

Tiktok influencer sensation Alix Earle posted a video a few months back admitting that she was actually a much bigger fan of Pantene’s old formulas than the ones currently on shelves. The video went viral, echoing the cries of thousands of other customers who missed Pantene’s old formulations.

Not only did Pantene hear the frustrations of their customers, but they strategically teamed up with Alix Earle to re-launch their previous formulations - speaking to not only her audience, but their customers around the globe who missed their original formulations.

This campaign proved the importance of taking note of your customer’s feedback and adjusting accordingly in order to gain their loyalty. Pantene proved that they listen to what their customers have to say and hear them loud & clear when it comes to which products they would rather purchase.

They turned what could’ve been a PR nightmare - one of the biggest influencers in the world critiquing their product - into a viral campaign that made customers feel heard, seen, and validated.

2. Kristin Juszcyk & Emma Grede Launch Off Season

Personally, this was the launch of the year for me. I have been an avid follower of Kristin since she started posting videos customizing NFL gear into on-trend pieces to wear not only her own husband’s football games, but for other celebrity admirers to wear to the fields as well.

There are a few reasons that this collaboration was incredibly strategic and smart. The first being that it made what felt like extremely custom pieces accessible to thousands of sports fanatics around the country. And the second being that the timing of the launch perfectly coincided with the huge boom of the female demographic engaging with NFL teams, following the Travis Kelce & Taylor Swift phenomenon.

Not only did this collaboration make high-end, on-trend pieces that could be worn on Sunday, or any other day of the week, accessible to the general public, but it engaged the very large new demographic of women who have a newfound interest in sports teams and want quality pieces to wear to games or to a friend’s Sunday Night football barbecue.

Launching this line in collaboration with Emma Grede was such a smart move on both ends, as Emma’s portfolio of companies are not only incredibly successful, but are the perfect accessory to the clothes that Off Season will be selling. Think about it - throw on your favorite pair of Good American Jeans, a long-sleeve body suit from Skims, and a custom Eagles Jacket from Off Season (Go Birds!)

Kristin’s virality customizing NFL creations, mixed with Emma’s network for licensing and collaborations, is truly a match made in heaven.

3. Billie’s Scratch & Sniff Billboards

Talk about in-person engagement or activations - it doesn’t get much smarter than this. Billie, the popular razor and shaving accessories brand, launched a collection of billboards around major cities, which were literally a scratch & sniff opportunity to fall in love with the scent of their products.

Not only is this unique because of its unexpected nature, but also because so many beauty brands struggle with how to engage the customers five senses when it comes to print, & digital. Scent is such a powerful tool - it triggers your memory, it transports you places, and when done correctly, it becomes ingrained in your memory - or added to your wish list.

Not only are these in-person activations a great way for new customers to engage with the brand, but it creates a truly unique brand experience, which is the first step in acquiring a new customer, and building brand loyalty.

4. Cocokind’s Real Customers Brand Trip

While big beauty brands are notorious for planning expensive, lavish brand trips for influencers, Cocokind decided to flip the script and instead spent its brand trip budget on inviting loyal customers to experience the brand in person.

The extravagance of these brand trips often sparks virality and engagement on social media, using influencers as a vessel to reach large audiences in hopes of customer acquisition.

What Cocokind did showed how much they truly value the customers they already have, and how well they take care of their community. While it may not be the most effective strategy for customer acquisition, I personally believe this is a great way to engage quality over quantity when it comes to brand growth. This strategy helps you acquire a customer with a much longer lifespan, who isn’t just going to purchase from you once, but wants to become part of a community that obviously values its members more than being ‘just another customer.’

5. Rare Beauty x Tajin

This was a fun collaboration that I thought warranted some attention. As a Tajin fanatic, I thought this collection was strategic in understated ways. While Tajin is a seasoning most popular in Hispanic households, it’s also a flavor of the Summer, shared on the rims of margarita glasses around the globe. It evokes meaningful memories of mom’s cooking or a getaway with the girlfriends. Not to mention, the colors in this lip & cheek duo are the perfect combination for a summer-to-fall transition.

Whether or not this spicy collaboration was a subtle nod to Selena’s Hispanic heritage, the collaboration was a huge success, quickly selling out of their lip & cheek duo just days after launching.

What other spicy spells does Selena have up her sleeve? (Yes, that’s a Wizards of Waverly Place reference)

Whether these campaigns are new to your radar, or gave new perspective on the strategy behind building a campaign - I hope they sparked some fun ideas for Q4, and we can’t wait to add to this list as the year comes to an end.

Need help executing creative campaigns that kill it this holiday season? Reach out for a free discovery call now!