Nov 25th This Week in Brands

Check out this week brand moves & marketing energy

9 DECEMBER 2025

Festive crunch time is officially here. Marketers are juggling two realities at once: the final push to Christmas… and the early plotting for 2026. It’s that funny, frantic, end-of-year limbo where campaign magic, brand experiments, and clever hacks all show up at once.

So, before you dive back into your Q4 dashboards (or another mulled wine), here’s a quick, friendly hit of what UK brands were up to this week.

Virgin Media O2 Turns Socks Into Experiences

O2’s Priority programme launched its “Not a Sock Shop” in Leeds, giving out festive socks that doubled as tickets to experiences. Created by VCCP, with Bernadette (digital) and Girl&Bear (content), it flips the famously boring Christmas present into something surprisingly meaningful. The best experiential work reframes something mundane into something delightful. (Check out here )

Turning panic into proposition: The Entertainer x Deliveroo

The Entertainer became the first national toy retailer to land on Deliveroo, offering nearly 5,000 gifts delivered in 30 minutes. It’s a beautifully simple solution to the annual “I forgot the niece/nephew gift” crisis—and a smart way to turn logistics into brand value right before Christmas. Love when a partnership solves an emotional problem (panic!) as much as a practical one. (Full details here )

Sweaty Betty’s mobile shelter: marketing as real-world utility

In London’s rain, Sweaty Betty rolled out a moving billboard lined with its new waterproof outerwear, literally sheltering passersby. A playful, proof-in-action stunt that demonstrates the product while creating a memorable micro-moment. When experience demonstrates product truth, you don’t need many words. (Read more here)

Aon Bets on a Comeback Story with Bradford Bulls

Global professional services firm Aon plc renewed its major sponsorship with the Bradford Bulls ahead of their Super League return in 2026. This is a strategic move for Aon to align its global brand with a powerful comeback narrative, featuring prominently across the first team, women's, reserves, and academy squads to emphasize inclusivity and maximize brand visibility via national media exposure.. (More details here)

Vistry + Channel 4 AI: TV Advertising Without the TV Budget

Vistry Group (Countryside Homes) became the first property brand to use Channel 4’s Generative AI Smart Ad Engine, via Space & Time, turning existing assets into fully generated TV creative. Lower costs, faster turnaround, and a strong signal that AI is finally reshaping broadcast production. AI won’t replace big ideas but it’s absolutely changing the economics of reach. (Take a look here)

Sportswear retailer Sweaty Betty offers passersby in London a place to shelter from the rain with its latest marketing stunt.

Insights and Industry Moments Spotlight
Data, trends, and moments shaping brands and consumers

The Challenger Brand Blueprint: Strategy > Spend
David Wadsworth, Founder and MD of Cornerstone Design and Marketing, shared at Prolific North Live that challenger brands can overcome the expansive marketing budgets of market leaders by adopting a balanced, long-term approach and focusing on six fundamentals, including precise targeting and rigorously adhering to the 60/40 rule (60% brand-building, 40% activation).

He emphasized the foundational importance of strategic planning, stating: "You can't shortcut strategy. The brands that think they know the market but don't validate it with data will fail." This sustained, strategic investment allows smaller brands to achieve significant and consistent market growth. (Full read here)

Strategic Shift: Mindful Marketing Makes 'Less is More' the New Loyalty Strategy
In response to consumer decision fatigue and information overload (with search interest in "dopamine fasting" skyrocketing 6X), the strategy of Mindful Marketing is now critical. Brands need to abandon over-communication and adopt a "less is more" mantra. The focus should be on using highly consented and relevant data to personalize the message, simplify choices, and alleviate the distress consumers feel when faced with too many options, thereby building authentic relationships and lasting loyalty. (Read in details)

Prolific North Champions Awards - Call for Entries! 🏆
The Prolific North Champions Awards 2026 are now open for submissions. This is a key opportunity to gain regional recognition for outstanding work in the North's creative, digital, marketing, and tech sectors. The Early Bird entry deadline is January 22, 2026. Entry Platform