Starting 2025 Strong: Rain, Resilience, and Riga
I kicked off 2025 in London with a rainy New Year’s Day walk in Regent’s Park. It’s my tradition to start the year with a long walk and a coffee, so I piled on my waterproof gear (yes, I looked ridiculous) and went anyway. It felt amazing—a reminder to push through the gloomy weather (literal or metaphorical) and focus on what makes you feel good.
I’m also excited to share that I’ll be speaking at TechChill in Riga, Latvia, from February 5-7 on “Storytelling in a Crisis.” I’ve become a crisis management expert in my career, navigating a major brand through the Boston Marathon bombing, plus activist group attacks, viral online and in-store incidents, lawsuits, negative press, and more. It’s a topic close to my heart, and I can’t wait to connect with the amazing community there.
On the marketing front, this week’s stories include the top campaigns of 2024, how CMOs are tackling 2025, and clever New Year’s resolutions-themed campaigns. Plus, we’ll look at PayPal’s Honey controversy, Kristin Juszczyk’s viral DIY brand, and cheeky launches from MAC and Marks & Spencer.
Let’s dive in!
This Week’s Marketing Stories
A curated mix of insights and trends, each with an actionable takeaway to inspire your brand storytelling.
1. Chipotle and Strava Expand Their Global Fitness Challenge
Chipotle is doubling down on its partnership with Strava, launching a global challenge where participants compete for free meals while tracking their workouts.
Key takeaway: Pairing delicious rewards with consumer behaviors – like fitness goals in January – creates meaningful engagement. It’s also great to see the results of last year’s partnership and to understand why both companies wanted to make it bigger and better for 2025. Read more
2. CMOs on the Biggest Marketing Challenges for 2025
From evolving consumer habits to navigating AI and platform shifts, top CMOs share their biggest hurdles and strategies for the year ahead.
Key takeaway: Staying agile, experimenting with new platforms, and deeply understanding your audience will be key to success. Read more
3. Dove Fights Toxic Beauty Standards with Its ‘New Year, Unresolved’ Campaign
Dove is challenging traditional resolution culture with a body confidence initiative that encourages consumers to reject toxic beauty standards.
Key takeaway: Purpose-driven marketing and storytelling resonates when it aligns with long-term brand values and societal shifts. With Dove’s latest initiative, I like how they are bringing in experts to teach women how to change their lives versus simply just talk about it. It’s also nice to see how the lessons incorporate stories from real women so that women know they are not alone. Read more
4. Kristin Juszczyk Turns DIY NFL Fashion Into a Business
After going viral for custom NFL-inspired fashion, Kristin Juszczyk is launching Off Season – a new apparel brand in partnership with entrepreneur Emma Grede. If you’re not familiar with Emma Grede, she is an inspiring CEO who also helped found Kardashian brands Good American and SKIMS.
Key takeaway: Turning organic social buzz into a full-fledged brand is all about timing, authenticity, and knowing your audience. Plus, partnering with an incredible CEO with a track record in building these businesses doesn’t hurt. Read more
5. Lidl’s Advent Calendar Drives Massive Customer Engagement
Lidl’s Christmas campaign attracted over 1 million daily participants and drove strong customer engagement via discounts, donations, and community initiatives. The campaign is a calendar on the company’s website to share daily offers, recipes, plus when specific toys and gifts will be in store.
Key takeaway: Interactive campaigns tied to seasonal moments can strengthen customer loyalty. Read more
6. MAC Is “Leaking Nudes” – The Makeup Kind
MAC Cosmetics is teasing its latest nude makeup collection with cryptic social media posts in the style of “sensitive content” warnings (a tactic most commonly used for graphic content on news outlets), plus an exclusive Close Friends campaign on Instagram.
Key takeaway: Going cheeky may not be for everyone – re: the faux nudes. It works for MAC because “nude” shades are a makeup trend. Think about your brand’s ethos and how playful, intrigue-driven marketing campaigns can build anticipation and social engagement. Read more
7. Marks & Spencer’s Valentine’s Day Chocolate Shapes Spark Social Media Buzz
The British retailer has once again leaned into cheeky humor with suggestive Valentine’s Day chocolates that have customers talking (and blushing).
Key takeaway: M&S definitely took a risk here – as it is a grocery store for families. While I’m sure this has sparked complaints, it seems to be generating more in terms of humor and viral potential to make this seasonal product launch more memorable. Read more
8. PayPal Accused of Fraud Over Honey Coupon Finder
A new lawsuit alleges that PayPal’s Honey extension is secretly diverting affiliate commissions away from influencers and content creators.
Key takeaway: Transparency is everything. Brands that rely on partnerships need to prioritize trust and fair compensation. Affiliate commissions represent a big portion of income for influencers with highly engaged audiences – so file this as one to watch. Read more
9. RXBar Blocks “New Year, New You” Ads (Literally)
RXBar is touring New York with a B.S. Blocker Truck—physically blocking toxic ads themed around New Year’s resolutions.
Key takeaway: Bold, values-driven campaigns that challenge industry norms can earn consumer trust and media attention. Read more
10. The Best Marketing Campaigns of 2024 (And What We Can Learn)
From Liquid Death’s unconventional partnerships to Chili’s retro gaming revival, these campaigns stood out by capturing cultural moments, tapping into nostalgia, and making bold creative choices.
Key takeaway: Success in 2025 means balancing brand-building and storytelling with cultural relevance. Read more
11. Zocdoc Turns Healthcare Frustrations into Comedy Gold
Zocdoc’s latest campaign uses humor to highlight the chaos of healthcare, turning common pain points into relatable, lighthearted ads.
Key takeaway: Finding humor in everyday frustrations can make for a great brand story that is more approachable and memorable. Read more
Super Useful Links
Adobe’s 2025 Creative Trends Report – A deep dive into the design trends shaping the creative industry this year. Read here
My Stories
Boston Guide Update
I just refreshed my Boston guide on The SavvyBostonian with my latest recommendations across the city. If you’re visiting, check it out! Read here
New Brand Storytelling Case Study: Amazon’s Holiday Campaign
Amazon turned five-star customer reviews into dramatic monologues featuring Adam Driver. A brilliant example of how to translate customer reviews into brand storytelling. Read more
Unlock More of My Stories
🌍 Website: JessicaGioglio.com
Your one-stop shop for all my books, speaking engagements, and blog posts on marketing and storytelling.
📚 Books:
- The Power of Visual Storytelling: Learn how to shape a visual story around your brand using images, videos, GIFs, infographics, and more. Get your copy here.
- The Laws of Brand Storytelling: The definitive guide to using storytelling to win over customers’ hearts, minds, and loyalty. Grab it here.
📱 Social Media:
Let’s connect and keep the conversation going!
Until Next Time
Thank you for being part of this journey. Whether you’re here for marketing trends, storytelling inspiration, or both, I’m so grateful to have you along for the ride.
Keep telling the stories that matter,
Jessica