Best brand moments from 2024

Plus: notable campaigns, best brand launches, and more 🏅

Dec 31, 2024

Good morning!

Today, I’ll be covering the best brand moments from 2024, including campaigns, collaborations, and news. At the end of the letter, I’ve compiled a list of notable brand launches from this year. Since this is a long letter, I’d recommend reading in your browser for the best experience.

2024 Best Brand Moments 🏅

This campaign capitalized on the timing of Dry January and the growing sober-curious movement among wellness-focused consumers. It allowed consumers to engage in the process of cocktail-making sans alcohol. The partnership with Instacart was a genius move, offering convenience and providing customers with the opportunity to try many different flavors. Additionally, since Olipop was the main ingredient in these mocktails, consumers could also enjoy the added probiotic benefits.

After teasing this campaign through photos of Micheal Cera spotted with Cerave products, CeraVe had a viral Super Bowl ad featuring the Canadian actor. Its humorous approach brought some personality to the skincare brand that otherwise appears pretty clinical.

This unexpected collaboration ties into the article I referenced in last week’s letter about “out-weirding” the competition. There is very little (if any) demand for a Liquid Death-branded makeup kit per se, however this launch achieved the virality that has come to be expected with all Liquid Death releases and collaborations.

The tagline alone for this campaign is great. By prioritizing functionality over aesthetics, the brand reinforces its commitment to practical, long-lasting products that align with the tastes of their target customers. The campaign’s irreverent tone is a departure from more flashy, trend-driven callouts.

Photos: Airbnb (Frederik Vercruysse, Ryan Lowry, Eric Ogden)

Have you ever wanted to spend a night inside the Musée D’Orsay? How about inside a replica of the house from Up? Airbnb brought these experiences to life in their Summer 2024 “Icons” campaign. This campaign is unique because it was led by their comms team. They leveraged social listening and cultural moments to tap into sought-after experiences for their customers. The diverse range of experiences — including a living room performance from Doja Cat or a night spent in Prince’s Purple Rain house — demonstrates that there really is something for everyone on Airbnb.

Omsom, the fast-growing Asian sauce and noodle brand founded by Vanessa and Kim Pham, was acquired by DayDayCook this summer for an undisclosed amount. According to DDC’s press release, by the end of the first quarter this year, Omsom’s grocery channel revenue was up by 324% YoY. This acquisition will allow Omsom to accelerate product launches and expand their presence across the U.S. It involves both cash and stock paid out over four years.

This campaign’s central message “Winning Isn’t for Everyone” is purposefully sensational. While at first glance, it may seem arrogant and even elitist, it’s important to read on. Above, you’ll see an OOH ad that notes that “anyone can be” a winner. Winning therefore is not for everyone, but with hard work and determination, it can be. Through the athlete stories featured, Nike seeks to provide inspiration and normalize the desire to win.

This collaboration marks an important point in Gap’s ongoing comeback story. Gap capitalized on the immense popularity of Madhappy among Gen Z and the nostalgia surrounding the iconic Gap sweatshirts from the early 2000s. Madhappy’s collaborations seem to always sell out, so it’s clear that partnering with them was a smart move on Gap’s part.

J. Crew brought its catalogue back this fall after it was discontinued in 2017. Not only did this make for a great opportunity for a social campaign and a pop-up, but it also allowed J. Crew to capitalize on the nostalgia associated with print media. The content is also reminiscent of other campaigns we’ve seen featuring larger-than-life props/objects [see: the Jacquemus and Maison Guava store announcements featured in

Jake Bell

’s Who Do You Know? and this interactive, AI-generated box from Kiehl’s].

Siete, the grain-free tortillas and chips brand founded by Veronica Garza, announced that it will be acquired by PepsiCo for $1.2 billion. This acquisition demostrates PepsiCo’s desire to include more better-for-you brands in their portfolio. Siete is also the first brand founded by a Mexican-American entrepreneur to be acquired by PepsiCo.

The quirky tone that Warby Parker is known for blended seamlessly with Emma Chamberlain’s creative eye in this collaboration. Emma’s line featured four pairs of vintage-inspired glasses, informing the vintage-style of the photos. The campaign also demonstrated the evolving role of creators more broadly. Audiences (and creators) want collaborations that feel authentic — they don’t just want a name affixed to a product. Emma reflected this sentiment in a feature in The New York Times last month. Instead of being a “canvas” for a brand’s vision, she wants to take a more active role in the campaigns in which she’s featured.

Salt & Stone hosted their first pop-up in partnership with Seen Library around the holidays. Since the brand is still largely DTC, this pop-up provided an opportunity for people to smell their three signature fragrances in-person. The space also looked phenomenal.