The Laughing Cow Stops Cheesin'
For the first time in more than 100 years, The Laughing Cow cheese has removed the smile from its iconic mascot. Select packs in more than 4,700 US stores featured a serious-faced cow with the message “We need to talk” and a QR code leading to a mystery website. The brand then teased the change across social media, giving shoppers plenty to speculate about.
Crucially, The Laughing Cow didn’t explain what had happened. It said the reason would be revealed when it was ready, turning a familiar piece of packaging into a mystery that people wanted to solve. Changing such a recognisable brand asset was enough to grab attention, while keeping the answer under wraps gave the campaign a reason to keep people talking.
Read the article
KFC Hatches a New Gameshow
KFC has taken its Believe in Chicken platform to YouTube with Don’t Crack, its first-ever gameshow. Thirty self-confessed “Believers” face four increasingly ridiculous tests for the chance to win £50,000 and be crowned KFC’s Ultimate Believer.
After two years of building a bizarre world around Believe in Chicken, KFC has now brought its fan community into it. Rather than making another advert about the brand, Don’t Crack gives its biggest fans a starring role, turning the audience from people watching the campaign into the campaign itself.
Read the article
Sweden Appeals to the Antisocial
Visit Sweden has launched The Introvert Travel Agency - a real travel service designed around people who want less social pressure and more control over their holiday. It offers curated trips including peaceful nature stays, island escapes and self-guided city experiences, with an online booking service and physical pop-ups.
The idea comes from a clear audience insight: 48% of UK respondents identify as introverted, while 72% say social situations can be draining. Rather than simply telling introverts that Sweden is a good place to visit, Visit Sweden has built the travel experience around what they actually want - space, independence and freedom.
Read the article
Aldi Bags a New Fashion Statement
Forgot your bag for life? Aldi says wear it. Its Swag For Life Jacket is a waterproof bomber that folds down into a reusable shopping bag in 10 seconds. The idea tackles a familiar problem: 46% of Brits regularly forget their bags for life, while 85% have a “bag of bags” at home.
It’s a ridiculous solution, but an oddly practical one. Instead of telling shoppers not to forget their bags, by wearing it, Aldi has made the bag impossible to forget. As a limited-edition giveaway, it’s full of the novelty and scarcity to get people talking.
CALM Turns a Statistic into Poetry
For National Poetry Day, CALM and Ogilvy Health created Life Lines - a poetry anthology exploring pressure, isolation, stress and trauma. Every poem is 14 lines long, reflecting the 14 men estimated to die by suicide in the UK each day, with space for readers to add their own words.
The idea was then taken into OOH, with the poems appearing across train stations, tube stops and pubs, as well as on digital screens. Rather than asking men to seek out a conversation about mental health, the campaign puts the words in front of them in places they already are, turning a stark statistic into something personal, tangible and harder to ignore.
Dogs Trust Makes Signs Worth Sniffing Out
Dogs Trust has created Walkies Warning Signs to flag seasonal hazards such as acorns, conkers and toxic mushrooms. Placed at dogs’ eye level and scented to attract their attention, the signs are designed to make dogs stop and investigate, prompting owners to notice the warning too.
It’s a simple example of designing media around how the audience actually behaves. Instead of putting another warning sign in front of dog owners, Dogs Trust made one their dogs would notice first, turning the message into part of the walk itself.
A Spoiler Worth Knowing
The Alberta Cancer Foundation and Alberta Society of Radiologists have used the familiar language of movie spoilers to address a much more serious fear: finding out what a mammogram might reveal. Life-Saving Spoilers brings the campaign into cinemas and streaming platforms, using the idea of a spoiler to encourage women not to put off cancer screening.
Using a light, familiar movie convention alongside a sensitive subject makes the message feel unexpected without making light of the issue. It reframes the fear of knowing the result as a reason to get screened.
IKEA Makes Storage Sexy
IKEA has turned its PAX wardrobes into the unlikely stars of a dating show. Storage Is Sexy, hosted by Charley Marlowe, sees three singles judge potential partners by their wardrobes - from how they organise them to what their storage says about them.
Instead of interrupting the entertainment with a product pitch, IKEA makes the product part of the plot. PAX’s features become talking points, giving viewers a reason to care about the wardrobe beyond what it looks like in a showroom.
ASICS Puts Human Movement on the Endangered List
ASICS has turned a nature documentary on its head with Human Nature, a 10-minute film narrated by Sigourney Weaver that treats human movement like an endangered species. Drawing on research across 34,000 people in 31 countries, it classifies humans as Active, At Risk or Endangered depending on how much we move.
By turning its research into the creative idea, ASICS gives itself a much bigger role than simply selling sportswear. The campaign positions the brand as a champion for human movement, with a memorable way to make its purpose impossible to ignore.
The Ministry of Justine Puts Everyday Skills on Trial
The Ministry of Justice’s You’ve Got the Makings of a Magistrate challenges the idea that you need legal expertise or a particular background to become a magistrate. In the 30-second film, Tala prepares for her interview while her boyfriend quizzes her on the role, with everyday moments revealing her skills in judgement, empathy, listening and teamwork.
By showing these qualities in ordinary life, the campaign makes magistracy feel more accessible, helping potential applicants see that they may already have what the role requires.
Instagram Wants to Tell You What to Post
Instagram’s new AI assistant analyses what’s working on your account and suggests what to make next, from content ideas and hooks to captions and trending audio.
Meta Puts AI to Work for Small Business
Meta’s Muse AI agent can now connect with tools like Shopify, Canva and Instagram to help small businesses handle marketing, sales and operations. Give it a goal, and Muse gets to work - bringing the idea of the AI assistant closer to an AI employee.
Shopify says AI shoppers are spending more
Shopify is going all-in on AI, with tools that can search catalogues, build carts and complete purchases. AI-driven orders and traffic to Shopify stores have reportedly tripled year-on-year, with AI-assisted shoppers now spending more.
Meta Streamlines Creator Collabs
Meta’s new Creator Marketing Hub brings creator discovery, messaging and partnership ad tools under one roof, with AI helping brands find relevant creators and content faster.
Let’s keep in touch.
↓ Follow us on Linkedin and Instagram
