Hot Take: 5 Marketing Campaigns We’re Loving Right Now

Let’s face it—most marketing campaigns fade into the scroll. But every so often, a few break through the noise and make us stop, smile, or instantly send them on to the group chat. Whether it’s a heartwarming moment, a clever pop culture hijack, or a wonderfully weird product drop, the best campaigns of 2025 (so far!) are all about tapping into culture, building real community, and when it fits, embracing a little chaos.

From oat milk blind taste tests to Coachella pop-ups, these are the brand moments we can’t stop talking about in the office.

The vibe: Authentic. Uplifting. Inclusive.

Sephora’s collaboration with Love on the Spectrum star Tanner Smith is a refreshing reminder of what true representation looks like. Known for his advocacy around autism awareness, Tanner brings warmth, honesty and a whole lot of heart to this campaign.

In a candid video, we see him picking out skincare and lip gloss for his mum and sisters—sharing not just beauty picks, but also his personal experiences as an autistic individual. Tanner’s message is simple and powerful: “Autistic people want to be loved and included and have purpose just like everyone else.”

The campaign dropped on Autism Awareness Day (great timing) and has already clocked over 850K likes on TikTok and 250K on Instagram—proving just how much people are craving authenticity in the beauty space.

Why it works:

• Perfect alignment with Sephora’s mission to “champion a world of inspiration and inclusion.”
• Breaks stereotypes without feeling forced or performative.
• Sparks wider conversations around beauty and belonging.

What we can learn: 

Authenticity always lands. By letting Tanner lead the narrative in his own voice, Sephora created a campaign that feels deeply human, and strengthened its connection to a broader, more inclusive community.

The vibe: Surreal. Timely. Hilarious.

IKEA India’s latest campaign proves the brand’s knack for cultural relevance—this time with a brilliantly strange nod to Apple’s hit series Severance. Dropped the same day as the Season 2 finale, the ad introduced the Mittzon office furniture line with an uncanny twist: a hyper-minimalist acoustic divider, billed as “For work that is mysterious and important.” Sound familiar?

With a stroke of visual genius, the ad recreated the Severance cubicle layout entirely with IKEA products, pulling viewers straight into the sterile world of Lumon Industries. The tagline, “Innie or outie, everyone deserves privacy,” is a direct reference to the show’s iconic split identities—and fans instantly picked up on the homage.

Why it works:

• Taps directly into Severance fan culture and finale-day buzz.
• Seamlessly connects IKEA’s clean, modular design with the show’s look and feel.
• Feels timely, tongue-in-cheek, and highly shareable—thanks to pitch-perfect timing.

What we can learn: 

The best campaigns don’t just react to culture—they anticipate it. By nailing the timing and tone, and releasing the ad just as Severance fans were fully tuned in, IKEA turned a clever reference into a viral hit.

The vibe: Chaotic. Meme-forward. So Duolingo.

In a gloriously unhinged stunt, Duolingo “killed off” its iconic green owl mascot, Duo, in a series of over-the-top videos complete with slow-mo drama and melodramatic music. Fans lost it—memes, conspiracies, and grief posts flooded the internet. The language-learning app leaned into the madness with fake obituaries, cryptic messages, and cheeky quips like, “Duo probably died waiting for you to do your lesson.”

Was it a rebrand? A resurrection? The mystery only fuelled more memes.

The drama peaked when Dua Lipa—part of Duo lore—joined in on X with “’Til death duo part,” sending the post viral with over 144M views. Then came the twist: Duolingo launched a “Bring Back Duo” challenge, urging users to earn 50 billion XP to resurrect Duo. Suddenly, the chaos had a purpose—and people rushed to their lessons.

Why it works:

• Goes viral through absurdity, fuelling fan-generated content.
• Leverages Gen Z’s love for weird humour, unpredictability, and internet chaos.
• Seamlessly connects the stunt back to actual product engagement.

What we can learn: 

When your brand has a strong, consistent voice, you earn the right to go off-script. Duolingo’s long-term commitment to its weird, lovable online persona gave them the space to pull off something this wild—and it paid off, turning one very fake death into real user engagement.

The vibe: Influencer-core. Aesthetic. Desert glam.

Hailey Bieber’s Rhode Skin made a stylish return to Coachella this year, teaming up with Kendall Jenner’s 818 Tequila for a pop-up activation that ticked all the right boxes for the festival crowd: low-effort, high-reward, and made for the feed.

Here’s how it worked: festival-goers stepped up to the photo booth at the 818 Outpost, dropped in a Rhode-branded coin, posed for a glowing selfie, and walked away with two coveted keepsakes: a Rhode lip tint and a mini bottle of 818. Simple. Perfectly executed.

The booth was social-ready, and the results were immediate. Within hours, everyone’s feeds were filled with glossed lips and tiny tequila bottles. What could’ve been just another giveaway turned into a cultural moment—fun, photogenic, and on-brand with Coachella’s curated aesthetic.

Why it works:

• The combined star power of Bieber and Jenner made it viral, while staying authentic to both brands.
• Lip tint and tequila were a perfect fit for festival-goers–exactly what they  wanted to capture and share.
• The feed-first design of the activation made it a campaign in itself—visually striking, easy to capture, and tailor-made for influencers.

What we can learn:
When your activation doubles as both a product and content moment, it’s set for success. Rhode x 818 nailed the formula: meet your target audience where they are, deliver an experience that’s impossible to resist, and make it shareable.

The vibe: Confident. Cheeky. Taste-first.

Oatly flipped the script on its skeptics with “Do the Blind Taste”—a stripped-back campaign that puts their oat milk to the ultimate test: a blind one.

Real people, blindfolded, taste-tested Oatly’s oat milk with zero brand bias. Their raw, often shocked reactions? Captured and turned into billboards and digital ads. Quotes like “I love Oatly in coffee if I don’t know it’s Oatly,” paired with a link to dotheblindtastetest.com, dared viewers to test their taste buds for themselves.

The site then invites visitors to grab their own official Oatly blind taste testing kit: a pack of Oatly Barista. A clever nudge to buy the product and experience it firsthand.

It’s classic Oatly: minimal design, maximum attitude. No influencers. No gimmicks. Just actual taste as the hook. This campaign takes social proof and turns it into something fresh and fun, while staying true to Oatly’s bold, taste-first personality.

Why it works:

• Simple, interactive, and easy for others to replicate—great for brand engagement.
• Real reactions from real people act as powerful social proof for product quality.
• A seamless call-to-action directs audiences straight to the campaign site, encouraging them to try the product.

What we can learn: 

Sometimes, less really is more. Oatly proves that by focusing on the product, real feedback, and a dash of attitude—reminding everyone what they’re about, and letting the taste do all the talking.

The brands that stand out in 2025 aren’t playing it safe. Whether it’s championing real inclusion or faking the death of your beloved mascot, they’re leaning into what makes them unique, taking smart risks (grounded in a deep understanding of their audience), and creating moments that stick.

Because in a world full of noise, it’s about saying something that matters. That’s what it takes to move the needle—and the culture.

Ready to build a digital presence people remember?
At Propeller, we help brands turn bold thinking into real-world results. Let’s create something worth talking about.