Jan 27th Campaign Highlights

From tech to talent: campaigns making consumers part of the story

26 JANUARY 2026

This week, UK campaigns show a mix of playful creativity, purpose-driven storytelling, and clever context-aware execution. From crowdsourced crisps to ethical banking, winter-ready cars to functional drinks, these ideas remind us how brands can connect emotionally and stay relevant as 2026 gets rolling.

On the Beach – “Beckham Clause”

On the Beach launched a playful “Beckham clause”, offering customers a refund if a family member cancels a holiday due to personal disagreements. The campaign runs across social media, PR, and online channels, tapping into cultural conversation around family holiday dynamics. It combines humour with a practical offer, generating buzz and media attention while highlighting the brand’s friendly, customer-focused personality. Read more here.

Walkers – TikTok “Next Big Flavour”

Walkers is crowdsourcing its next crisp flavour via a TikTok competition, offering £500,000 and a potential product launch for the winning entry. The campaign is amplified through influencer content, social media challenges, and branded TikTok videos, encouraging fans to participate creatively and share ideas with a national audience. By turning consumers into co-creators, Walkers aims to engage its community and drive both excitement and brand loyalty. A bit more details here.

The Co‑operative Bank – Ethical Finance Campaign

The Co‑operative Bank launched a national campaign, developed with creative agency Dentsu Creative, reinforcing its ethical and values-driven banking proposition. The campaign features bold statements about ethical finance alongside real customer stories, running across TV, social, digital, and OOH channels. By highlighting the tangible benefits of banking with a purpose-led organisation, the campaign positions the Co‑operative Bank as a trusted alternative in a competitive financial sector, combining ethical messaging with relatable storytelling. Read more here.

Audi UK – “Audi Quattro Season”

Audi UK launched a context-aware DOOH campaign titled “Audi Quattro Season” to showcase the benefits of its quattro all-wheel drive technology. Created by BBH and planned by PHD, The ads activate automatically in icy or wet conditions across London, Manchester, and other UK cities, highlighting real-world performance during winter. The campaign spans digital out-of-home, social amplification, and contextual creative, aiming to demonstrate how Audi’s technology responds to everyday challenges while keeping drivers safe and confident.. Read more here.

Boots Opticians – “Because There’s Only One Choice”

Boots Opticians, with media agency The River Group, has launched a new integrated brand campaign titled “because there’s only one choice”, rolling out on TV, out‑of‑home, radio, social and in‑store channels from mid‑January 2026. The 30‑second television advert, voiced by actress Freema Agyeman, features four everyday moments enabled by clear vision — from seeing a child’s artwork to playing sports in contact lenses and making a strong first impression with stylish eyewear. The campaign aims to refresh and strengthen the brand’s identity by emphasising expert eye care, clinical support and accessible style across its range. Read more here .

Remedy Drinks – Biggest UK Advertising Campaign to Date

Remedy Drinks has rolled out its largest UK advertising campaign yet, featuring 2,600 out‑of‑home sites in seven major cities alongside high‑frequency placements on buses, rail and digital screens, plus takeovers at London Underground and Canary Wharf. The activity is supported by a major sampling programme with more than 70,000 cans distributed across five cities, and amplified via influencer partnerships, PR, in‑store media, social and email marketing. The campaign introduces the “There’s a Remedy for That” platform and is designed to drive both brand awareness and product trial at scale. Read more here.

Audi's quattro season addresses freezing temps

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UK Retail Sentiment: A Tentative Rebound

The latest CBI retail survey shows a modest lift in confidence, with the sales balance improving from -44 in December to -17 in January. While this marks a clear rebound after a tough end to 2025, sentiment remains fragile, suggesting consumers are still spending carefully as the year begins. Read the survey here.

AI Creativity: Enterprise Adoption Accelerates

UK AI video platform Synthesia has nearly doubled its valuation to $4 billion following a $200 million funding round. The company’s avatar-driven video technology is increasingly being used by large organisations for training, internal comms and scalable content production, highlighting how AI tools are becoming embedded in everyday brand and business communications. Read more here.

Upcoming Event: From Growth to Gold — Agencies Scaling & Selling

If you’re thinking about scaling your agency, securing investment or planning for an eventual exit, don’t miss From Growth to Gold — a one-day event designed to give agency leaders practical insight, strategy and peer learning. Expect keynotes from experienced founders, focused roundtable discussions on topics like AI, growth strategy and M&A, and plenty of networking opportunities with senior peers. Get your ticket here.

Together, these signals reflect the reality marketers are working within right now: careful consumers, fast-moving technology, and evolving engagement models. As campaigns roll out and plans firm up, understanding this context is just as important as the creative ideas themselves.