Nov 18th This Week in Brands

Lessons from Brands that connect, delight, and lead

18 NOVEMBER 2025

What we can learn from brands this week

Well, as we head into the festive season, it’s all about connection, emotion, and standing out — whether that’s through storytelling, clever innovation, or a bold marketing move. This week’s news reminds us that brands don’t just sell products; they build relationships, shape culture, and spark joy.

When HFSS Rules Hit Christmas, Brands Got Smarter

UK retailers aren’t letting stricter HFSS (high-fat, salt, sugar) ad rules kill the Christmas spirit — they’ve simply recalibrated. According to The Grocer, supermarkets are leaning into brand-driven storytelling and sentiment rather than focusing on specific “less‑healthy” products this festive season.

Lidl’s 2025 ad, for example, features a child reaching for an apple, a visual metaphor for a clever compliance move. Learn more

While there are changes that we cannot control, this shift forces food brands to be more creative! it’s not just about pushing treats anymore, but about building emotional connections and redefining what festive marketing can look like under regulation.

When HFSS Rules Hit Christmas, Brands Got Smarter

Fashion & Beauty

Spotted The Future Laboratory’s The Great Beauty Blur report, and it really got me thinking about how beauty is evolving. Social media and AI are putting more pressure on identity than ever, yet trends like heritage-inspired storytelling, wellness rituals, and bold “anti-fluency” aesthetics are opening exciting ways for brands to stand out. Check out the details

For marketers: how can we break free from predictable norms? How can we create experiences that feel culturally rich, authentic, and truly connect with people in a noisy, algorithm-driven world? I see this as an ongoing exercise in testing, learning, and evolving.

Public Sector

Stagecoach has appointed Bountiful Cow for a three-year media partnership as the brand pushes to rebuild ridership and strengthen its emotional connection with communities. This move signals a shift from pure performance messaging toward more locally resonant, culturally rooted storytelling. Check out details here

Takeaway: public transport brands don’t have to stick to purely practical messaging — they can build emotional bonds and shift perceptions. Stagecoach’s move shows a commitment to storytelling that strengthens connection now and pays off long-term.

Retail & FMCG

Premier Foods is doubling down on its “branded growth” strategy, with brands now contributing 90% of revenue (up from ~83%). CEO Alex Whitehouse says the company is boosting marketing spend, especially in digital and social, to focus on long-term brand building. At the same time, Premier is innovating in new categories, like Merchant Gourmet and Fuel10K, while heritage brands continue to perform strongly; for example, Mr Kipling’s birthday cake tarts sold over 4 million packs. Full article here

My takeaway: Premier shows that even in FMCG, legacy brands plus smart innovation plus sustained marketing investment can deliver growth. It’s a neat reminder that brand equity, when nurtured strategically, still pays off.

Christmas Ads Are Big Business: £10.5bn on the Line
UK supermarkets are pouring in a record £10.5 billion on Christmas advertising this year, using emotional, star‑studded campaigns to grab market share and reinforce brand loyalty.

With festive sales making up to 20% of annual revenue for many, retailers see this as a strategic investment—not just a seasonal spend. But it’s not just about charm: new ad regulations around high-fat, sugar, and salt products are pushing supermarkets to balance creative storytelling with compliance. [ Read more here]

Takeaway: For marketers, this feels like a reminder that even in a regulated, competitive landscape, emotional storytelling during peak season remains a powerful lever for long-term brand equity.

Luxury

100 years of sound, emotion and design

Bang & Olufsen is celebrating its 100th anniversary with a campaign that takes people on a journey through a century of sound. Working with agency The Or, the “Sound. Elevated.” film rides an elevator through decades of design and innovation to show how B&O’s products shape memory. The centenary platform also includes a special Centennial Collection (Beoplay H100, Beosound A5, Beosound A9), blending archival aesthetics with modern craftsmanship.

The campaign underlines that B&O’s legacy isn’t just about sound quality, it’s about connecting emotionally through design and innovation. Check and Feel it here

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

Why Consistent Pricing Wins
New research reveals UK consumers equate frequent price changes with rising costs — 72% believe prices only go up, and 78% want consistent pricing online and in-store. Meanwhile, declining global alcohol volumes make every shelf interaction more precious: RTDs are on the rise while wine and beer are forecast to shrink.

Interestingly, Coca‑Cola tops shelf conversion metrics in Western Europe — showing that even non-alcohol brands can lead in conversion efficiency. More details here

From a marketing angle: pricing consistency, smart promotion, and shelf-conversion focus matter more than ever when consumer behaviour is under pressure.

Why TikTok Grit and Netflix-Polish Can (and Should) Coexist
In “Why TikTok grit vs Netflix polish ‘isn’t a choice’” (an article from Prolific North), Chloe Clover, CEO of Wander, argues that brands shouldn’t pick between raw, fast short-form content and polished long-form storytelling — they need both. TikTok-style grit delivers agility, personality, and cultural relevance, while long-form “Netflix polish” builds trust, emotion, and a long-term brand story. The real power lies in combining them: fast content fuels the big narrative, and the big narrative gives weight and meaning to the fast. Full article here

Thought-Provoking Question for Marketers: If grit and polish can coexist, how are you balancing the “now” moments with the long game in your brand storytelling? Could your brand win more by embracing both speed and depth?