Watch Mark Ritson share his 10 global marketing moments of 2025

Rather than focusing on novelty or virality alone, the video revisits moments that had a material impact on business performance, category thinking or marketing practice. These include brand strategy pivots, media investment decisions and examples of disciplined, long-term thinking in contrast to short-termism.

For marketers navigating tighter budgets and greater scrutiny, the summary offers a structured way to assess what really moved the needle.

These are the biggest marketing moments of the year:

 Omnicom’s merger and brand consolidation. The merger of Omnicom and IPG created the world’s largest advertising agency, a major paradigm shift in the sector. Mark Ritson likens the process to the ruthless efficiency of the brown rat (you will need to watch), arguing that while some brands were consolidated, more cuts are likely necessary for true efficiency. 

Tylenol crisis and the power of doing nothing. Amid governmental allegations that Tylenol could be linked to autism, Tylenol’s management adopted a “Fabian” strategy: they responded minimally, refusing to legitimize unfounded claims or provoke political escalation. 

Tesla’s fighter brand mishap. Tesla’s launch of a stripped-down, cheaper Model 3 in Europe was an attempt to fight off aggressive competition from Chinese brands, notably BYD. However, this “fighter brand” strategy is risky and rarely succeeds. 

American Eagle’s controversial Sydney Sweeney campaign. A new campaign featuring Sydney Sweeney stirred debate over perceived white supremacy dog whistles, though this was not American Eagle’s intent. The controversy highlighted the idea of polysemy in advertising – different people drawing different meanings. 

Amazon’s victory with old ads. Amazon’s decision to rerun a successful 2023 Christmas ad in 2025, instead of creating new work, demonstrated that long-running, familiar campaigns can outperform new ones in both sales and brand-building metrics. 

Cracker Barrel’s rebranding disaster. In an effort to modernize, Cracker Barrel undertook a drastic rebrand, only to face intense backlash from its loyal customer base – amplified when even President Trump chimed in. The company reversed course, restoring the old logo, but not before same-store sales dropped. 

Starbucks’ new (sensible) brand positioning. Starbucks finally ditched its famously vague and overblown mission statements, under the guidance of new CEO Brian Nichol. The company now promises simply to serve the world’s finest coffee with a moment of connection. 

New leadership directions at Unilever and Nestlé. Two of the world’s largest FMCG companies saw dramatic changes at the top. Unilever’s Fernando Fernandez focused heavily on influencers and digital comms – arguably missing bigger strategic needs – while Nestlé’s Philip Navratil implemented bold measures, including major layoffs, increased ad spend and robust brand consolidation. 

Meta’s (Facebook/Instagram) scam ads. An exposé revealed that Meta earns billions – an estimated 10% of its advertising revenue – from fraudulent ads, such as deepfake celebrity scams. Internal restrictions make it nearly impossible for Meta teams to meaningfully police fraud and industry response has been surprisingly muted. 

Shrinkflation and the rise of “maximinflation”. Instances like Dunkin Donuts giving less product when customers ask for no ice, or Milka shrinking chocolate bars while simultaneously raising prices, reflect a broader industry trend: “maximinflation” (raising price and shrinking size at once). Consumer sensitivity to these changes is growing, especially in markets like Germany, where backlash affects sales.

Did Mark miss any moments? Be sure to let him know on LinkedIn.