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They’re not outright bad, but they’re not quite loved either. They sit in the land of “meh”: safe campaigns, vague positioning, and nothing that sparks.
But then there are the others — the ones that make us feel, remember, laugh, or sometimes even take a stand. They invite people into their lives. So, how do you shift from forgettable to fan-favorite?
Here are three ways brands are breaking through in 2025 — and how you can, too.
Today’s consumers, especially Gen Z and Alpha, aren’t buying a product; they’re looking for alignment, beliefs, energy, and vibes.
“According to recent Pew data, 64% of Gen Z say they form emotional connections with brands that reflect their values.”
🔨 Try this: Instead of chasing everyone, get laser-focused. Revisit your brand purpose. Define your worldview. Then design campaigns that mirror your audience’s identity, not your brand’s ego.
⚡️ Brand to Watch: Duolingo isn’t trying to be liked by everyone; it’s fully Gen Z, fully weird, and fully beloved. Gen Z and Alpha want to learn casually, not in a classroom. They love memes, irony, and gamification. For them, learning is also about laughing and sharing stuff that is weird, clever, or self-aware. Duolingo nails that. It’s top-tier when it comes to knowing its audience and making them feel seen.
If you’re a procrastinator, a language-learning dropout, or someone who needs 100 streaks to feel accomplished, Duolingo gets you. This emotional mirroring builds loyalty. And you’re not just using the app — you’re part of the joke.
Safe doesn’t spark. Vanilla doesn’t go viral. And when everyone’s talking about authenticity, the brands that win are the ones willing to be specific — or even polarizing.
Trying to please the masses is a fast track to mediocrity. In 2025, the most loved brands are unapologetically themselves. They repel as many people as they attract — but that’s the point.
🛠 Try this: Stop watering down your message. Choose clarity over consensus. Define your hell yes, and hell no.
⚡️ Brand to Watch: Skims. Exactly! You all just had a big reaction to the brand, good or bad. Any ties to the Kardashian brand can be instantly polarizing and seen as overly celeb-leveraged versus truly innovative. But when Kim partners with Nike, brace for impact.
Skims is a masterclass in cultural momentum and audience targeting, riding both fandom and controversy to stay relevant (hello, Simona Tabsco & Beatrice Granno, aka Lucia and Mia from White Lotus season two!). With its smart, inclusive positioning plus strong aesthetic and brand identity, they continue to disrupt the category — making something utilitarian absolutely aspirational.
Whether you love or loathe it,
Skims is culturally sticky — and that’s the real power of brand love (and hate).
Ads keep us scrolling. But we remember how the best brands in our feed make us feel. In 2025, love is earned through interactive, emotional experiences that invite participation.
From pop-up stunts to co-created TikTok moments, the most beloved brands are prioritizing experiential and social-first content that’s share-worthy, not scroll-past-able.
🛠 Try this: Audit your 2025 plan. How much budget is going toward passive media vs. participation-driven experience? What would it take to shift 10% toward a physical or digital moment that caters to exactly what your core audience is craving?
⚡ Brand to Watch: Adidas intentionally brought experience back to the forefront since the pandemic, recognizing people crave connection, emotion, and culture — not just commerce.
They understand that experience isn’t an add-on; it’s actually the brand.
Adidas leaned into limited-time, high-impact experiences — like the Messi Miami pop-up that Latitude designed — to reconnect emotionally with fans.
This isn’t a store; it’s an immersive brand world blending local culture, historic artifacts, and product drops with opportunities for customization.
Love isn’t bought — it’s built slowly with conviction. The most iconic brands in 2025 aren’t trying to be everything to everyone. Like a real relationship, they’re about who and what matters most to them.
A few years ago, I heard someone at StratFest say we were in a “meh-pademic” — consumers were numb, brands weren’t showing up and giving us opportunities to participate or giving us moments to remember and share.
This is gold, and honestly, still hits.
In 2025, we’re in a purpose-driven, feeling-first era.
The brands that are rising to the top aren’t the ones with the biggest media budgets or most followers — they’re the ones that make us really feel again and attract our true brand love.
A Strategic Creative Agency
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MSP/PDX
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