It’s Kahlunkin’ (Brandgenuity, Wieden+Kennedy London)
Salma Hayek Pinault swirled up the drama to the It’s Kahlunkin’ campaign, supporting the launch of Kahlúa Dunkin’ Caramel Swirl cream liqueur. Running across streaming video, digital, social, and audio, the campaign delivered a standout performance with nearly three billion earned impressions, three million social impressions, and over 330 media placements. Experiential sampling at NY Food & Wine Festival, ChainFest, and Eater Under Wraps, featuring thousands of custom Kahlunkin’ Munchkins, drove trial, social sharing, and standout consumer engagement. Created by Wieden+Kennedy London, the playful, telenovela-inspired creative perfectly blended both brands’ iconic worlds. The hero film features Salma Hayek Pinault bursting into a living room to expose a mysterious mustachioed drink-pourer disguised as a Dunkin’ coffee cup leaving viewers asking: Who. Is. In. The. Cup.? The reveal unfolded on Watch What Happens Live, revealing “Boston Rob” Mariano, and supported by bespoke social content. Brandgenuity brought Kahlua and Dunkin’ together for this iconic partnership.
It’s Pixel, Actually (Born Licensing, WPP Media Futures Group)
Google Pixel’s first-ever Christmas campaign made a memorable impact by licensing one of the world’s most beloved festive films, Love Actually. Reimagining classic scenes through the modern lens of Pixel’s camera technology, the campaign reunited characters Sam (Thomas Brodie-Sangster) and Natalie (Martine McCutcheon) for the first time in over 20 years, striking a powerful balance between nostalgia and innovation to create instant emotional connection with audiences. Within 24 hours, it generated close to one million organic views and was named ‘Ad of the Day’ by The Drum, recognising its cultural relevance and emotional warmth. The campaign’s strength lies in its thoughtful restraint: the licensed property is treated with care and respect, allowing the story to lead while the product enhances it. By seamlessly blending a classic Christmas film with modern technology, the campaign demonstrated how a well-chosen licensed property can elevate a brand’s festive debut into a standout cultural moment.
McDonald’s The Grinch Meal
Just in time for the 2025 holiday season, iconic brands Dr. Seuss Enterprises and McDonald’s unleashed The Grinch Meal for fans of both the green curmudgeon and the Golden Arches. Available for a limited time, this diabolical culinary debut featured Dill Pickle “Grinch Salt” McShaker Fries, which arrived for the first time in the U.S., along with a choice of a Big Mac® or 10-piece Chicken McNuggets® and a medium drink for the ultimate treat during holiday fuss and muss. The Grinch also snuck a piece of mischief into every meal: a pair of spirited socks, scribbled with messages from the Grinch himself to let everyone know exactly how he felt during the holiday season. Within a few days of launch, The Grinch Meal sold out nationwide, showing the immense popularity of the collaboration.
One Last Strange Target Run – Stranger Things (Target Creative, Netflix Brand Creative Studio)
For the final season of Stranger Things, Target and Netflix co-created a series of spots cementing the retailer as the ultimate fan destination. By recreating a period-perfect 1980s store and products, the nostalgia-driven ads invited fans to step into 1987 Hawkins for “One Last Strange Target Run.” The campaign features the master of “business as usual,” Ted Wheeler (Joe Chrest). While Hawkins citizens face supernatural threats, Ted remains hilariously unfazed while snagging non-essentials at Target. Reaching millions via Netflix and social channels, the ad campaign drove positive, full funnel brand lift outcomes. Featured in Ad Week and Ad Age, this first-of-its-kind partnership made Stranger Things an unforgettable cultural event for Target guests.
Soft Wins – On x Sesame Workshop
In honor of On’s launch of their softest-ever running shoe, the Cloudsurfer 2, Elmo was featured in On’s campaign, Soft Wins, to inspire runners to celebrate the personal victories that can be found anywhere—whether it’s enjoying the ritual of running or connecting with friends and community. The campaign included a Super Bowl spot and multiple digital shorts featuring On’s brand ambassadors—tennis pro Roger Federer, podcaster Rich Roll, and Olympic runner Yared Nuguse. The campaign, touching on culturally relevant and timely themes of mental health, wellness, and fitness, garnered 2.53 billion press impressions in February 2025. The spots used humor and celebrity appeal while remaining true to both brand identities and standing out against competitors in the fitness space by communicating a relatable message that you don’t need to always win to feel strong and confident in your fitness apparel.
Walmart’s WhoKnewVille
For the 2025 holiday season, Walmart and Dr. Seuss Enterprises partnered for Walmart’s WhoKnewVille, a retail campaign that blended entertainment with solutions for real holiday stressors. Expanding on Walmart’s “Who Knew?” campaign, WhoKnewVille was inspired by the fictional town of Whoville featured in the iconic holiday tale How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The campaign premise was simple: the whimsical residents of WhoKnewVille are struggling with classic holiday chaos and the hunt for the perfect gift. Mindy-Lou Who, The Grinch (played by actor Walton Goggins), and all the Whos discover all Walmart can do. Their discovery journey mirrors that of Walmart’s real-life customers, who often find themselves asking, “How am I going to get all this done?” The answer, surprisingly, is Walmart. Who Knew? This creative approach allowed Walmart to showcase that no matter what the challenge is, Walmart is the ultimate destination for holiday success.
