Reflecting on 2024, our marketing team share their favorite campaigns from the year. From the launch of the BRAT Album to the rebranding of ‘The Chicken Wine,’ our team discuss their marketing highlights and the valuable lessons learned from this year’s marketing success stories: 

 

Joseph Bradfield, Marketing & Comms Advisor: Charlie XCX’s BRAT Album

What was my favourite marketing campaign of 2024? My marketing highlight of 2024 was the campaign around the launch of Charli XCX’s album BRAT. It was one of those touchstones that was hard to miss, whether you were already a fan of Charli’s music or had never heard of her before. BRAT was a great album – it would have received plenty of critical acclaim in music nerd circles either way – but its branding was what turned it into a cultural phenomenon.

Brands spend millions of dollars trying to develop straplines or visual identities that cut through and build a strong association in their audiences’ minds, and the phrase “Brat Summer”, lurid lime green and fuzzy lowercase typefaces were suddenly everywhere last year, bringing Charli XCX’s ironic, millennial Tumblr aesthetic into the mainstream of fashion, media and even political discourse.

What can we learn from this campaign? On the face of it, the BRAT album cover could be described as “anti-branding”; it looks thrown together, and breaks all kinds of established rules of good design. It’s also the rare smash hit pop album that doesn’t centre around an image of the pop star as its cover. I’m sure there will have been people in the marketing department of Atlantic Records who pushed back against it, and it probably took a lot of confidence in the concept and a very clear sense of direction to pull it off.

Doing something that goes completely counter to what everyone else is doing – particularly if you have a great product that backs up your message – can create a conversation around your brand that’s far more powerful than the tried and tested approach. But you need to understand when it’s the right moment to take these kinds of big swings and have the confidence to stay the course.

 

Georgia Holliday, Junior Marketing Consultant: “The Chicken Wine” 

What was my favourite marketing campaign of 2024? La Vieille Ferme’s decision to rebrand as ‘The Chicken Wine’ was a stroke of marketing genius and my favorite campaign of 2024. By embracing the nickname their customers had coined – thanks to the iconic chicken illustration on their bottles – they turned a playful, organic trend into the centerpiece of their brand. This clever move didn’t just sell wine; it created a story that made customers feel seen, included, and connected to the brand.

The campaign broke the mold of traditional wine marketing, which often feels exclusive or serious. Instead, it leaned into humor and relatability, making the product approachable for everyone, from wine aficionados to casual drinkers. The simplicity of the concept – simply acknowledging a name their audience already loved – made it’s impact even more powerful.

What can we learn from this campaign? The campaign highlights some key lessons in modern marketing: listen to your customers, embrace trends they generate, and build on their creativity. La Vieille Ferme showed how aligning your messaging with customer sentiment can create both loyalty and cultural buzz.

Ultimately, “The Chicken Wine” proves that the best campaigns don’t take themselves too seriously. By embracing the way their audience saw their product, La Vieille Ferme delivered a campaign rooted in authenticity, joy, and community. It’s not just about selling wine – it’s about building relationships, starting conversations, and making people smile.

 

Alice Beeby, Community & Events Coordinator: Jellycat Pop-Up Shops

What was my favourite marketing campaign of 2024? My marketing highlight of 2024 was Jellycat’s pop-up shop campaign. Whether or not you were a fan of their plush toys, it was impossible to miss the buzz around their playful, limited-time experiences. From the Jellycat Fish and Chip Shop in London to the Diner in New York with its cuddly toy pancakes, these pop-ups turned shopping into an immersive adventure that delighted customers and dominated social feeds.

What can we learn from this campaign? What made this campaign so memorable was Jellycat’s focus on creating experiences, not just selling products. They transformed retail spaces into whimsical, themed worlds where visitors could interact with their brand on a deeper level. These weren’t just places to buy toys; they were destinations to explore, share, and connect with Jellycat’s charm in a tactile, emotional way.

This approach also tapped into social shareability. The interactive, photo-ready nature of the pop-ups encouraged visitors to post their experiences online, spreading the word organically. Jellycat didn’t just attract footfall – they created moments their audience couldn’t resist sharing, turning customers into ambassadors. The key takeaway? People don’t just want to buy products; they want to feel something. Jellycat’s pop-ups reminded us that by creating spaces where customers can engage emotionally and share their experience, brands can leave a lasting impression that goes far beyond the transaction.

 

Claire Pasquill, Deputy CEO: This Girl Can ‘Let’s Lift the Curfew’

What was my favourite marketing campaign of 2024? My marketing highlight of 2024 was Sport England’s This Girl Can ‘Let’s Lift the Curfew’ campaign, which launched in late 2023 and ran throughout 2024. The campaign boldly addressed the unspoken barriers women face when exercising outdoors after dark, such as safety concerns and societal judgment. With its striking tagline, powerful visuals, and community-driven initiatives, it sparked a vital conversation about women’s access to public spaces.

“Let’s Lift the Curfew” reframed the narrative around nighttime exercise, placing the responsibility on society to create safer, more inclusive environments for women. Through compelling storytelling and real-life testimonials, it resonated emotionally while delivering a clear and urgent message: women should feel free to move, run, and cycle at any time without fear!

What can we learn from this campaign? The effectiveness of This Girl Can’s campaign lies in its strategic focus on community engagement and addressing real societal barriers. By organizing nighttime group runs, it fostered camaraderie among women, empowering them to overcome their fears about exercising outdoors after dark. This supportive approach aligned seamlessly with This Girl Can’s mission to inspire confidence and activity among women, making the initiative feel personal and relevant.

The campaign also effectively harnessed the power of social media to amplify its message, encouraging participants to share their experiences and tag the campaign across multiple channels. This user-generated content not only showcased the benefits of exercising together but also broadened the campaign’s reach, engaging a larger audience. By combining community involvement with a robust social media presence, the campaign effectively raised awareness of women’s safety issues while reinforcing This Girl Can’s position as a leading advocate for women’s fitness.

 

Interested in upgrading your marketing in 2025? Our Sussex Innovation team is here to support you in enhancing your messaging and crafting campaigns that resonate with your audience.

Whether you’re looking to develop impactful narratives, strengthen your community engagement, or leverage social media for maximum reach, we can help you create strategies that drive real results. Find out more here