Words and Terms that Told the Story of 2025

While many marketing and news commentators (including this blogger) have talked about the people, food, brands, films, books, colors, flavors, and notable deaths that made news during 2025, let's not forget the memorable words and terms that told the story of 2025.

SHARE THIS: The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug. ~Mark Twain (via Emily Aborn) #WordsoftheYear #DebbieLaskeysBlog

CAMBRIDGE DICTIONARY

Cambridge Dictionary, whose tagline is "Where Your World Grows," announced "Parasocial" as its 2025 word of the year: involving or relating to a connection that someone feels between themselves and a famous person they do not know, a character in a book, film, TV series, etc., or an artificial intelligence. The adjective was chosen because, according to the dictionary's website, "As social media intensifies the intimacy that fans feel with their adored celebrities, and with the rise in popularity of AI companions that can take on personalities, the word for these one-way relationships – parasocial – is having its own moment. Colin McIntosh, Cambridge Dictionary Chief Editor, explained, "Parasocial stood out in 2025 for several reasons. Public interest in the term increased massively this year, as we can see from our data: the number of searches for it in the Cambridge Dictionary as well as on Google spiked on several occasions. It’s interesting from a language point of view because it has made the transition from an academic term to one used by ordinary people in their social media posts. And it also captures the zeitgeist of 2025, as the public’s fascination with celebrities and their lifestyles continues to reach new heights."

COLLINS DICTIONARY

Collins Dictionary announced "Vibe Coding" as its 2025 word (term) of the year. According to CNN, "As Collins' definition states, vibe coding is the use of artificial intelligence prompted by natural language to assist with the writing of computer code. Basically, telling a machine what you want rather than painstakingly coding it yourself."

DICTIONARY.COM

Dictionary.com announced "6 7" (pronounced "six-seven" and NEVER "sixty-seven) as its 2025 word (term) of the year. According to Dictionary.com, "The annual pick serves as a linguistic time capsule, reflecting social trends and global events that defined the year. The term's exact origin is a bit unclear. Teachers and parents began hearing kids and teenagers use the term over the course of the year, and some say it can be interpreted as another way of saying "so-so," "maybe this," or "maybe that." Some have linked the term to NBA player LaMelo Ball, who is 6 feet, 7 inches tall."

According to the New York Post, "Despite the accolade, the phrase has no real meaning. And some teachers have even had to ban the phrase from their classrooms after their kids have relentlessly chanted 'Six-seven! Six-seven!'"

And get this story...according to ABC7 News, "In-N-Out kicked the number 67 out of its order system because of the viral 6-7 trend. The fast food chain said kids and teenagers would wait around just to hear it called, and then jump into unruly 6-7 celebrations. Employees confirmed the number hasn't been used for orders for about a month. Now, the order system jumps from 66 straight to 68."

OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS

Oxford University Press announced "rage bait" as its 2025 word (term) of the year and provided this definition, "Online content deliberately designed to elicit anger or outrage by being frustrating, provocative, or offensive, typically posted in order to increase traffic to or engagement with a particular web page or social media account. With 2025’s news cycle dominated by social unrest, debates about the regulation of online content, and concerns over digital wellbeing, our experts noticed that the use of rage bait this year has evolved to signal a deeper shift in how we talk about attention — both how it is given and how it is sought after — engagement, and ethics online."

MACQUARIE DICTIONARY

The Macquarie Dictionary, known as an arbiter of Australian English, chose "AI slop" as its word (term) of the year for 2025, a colloquial noun defined as "low-quality content created by generative AI, often containing errors, and not requested by the user." According to the dictionary's announcement, "We understand now in 2025 what we mean by slop — AI generated slop, which lacks meaningful content or use. While in recent years, we’ve learnt to become search engineers to find meaningful information, we now need to become prompt engineers in order to wade through the AI slop. Slop in this sense will be a robust addition to English for years to come. The question is, are the people ingesting and regurgitating this content soon to be called AI sloppers?"

MERRIAM-WEBSTER

Announced on December 15th, Merriam-Webster's editors chose "slop" as its 2025 word of the year and defined the word as "digital content of low quality that is produced usually in quantity by means of artificial intelligence. All that stuff dumped on our screens, captured in just four letters: the English language came through again. The flood of slop in 2025 included absurd videos, off-kilter advertising images, cheesy propaganda, fake news that looks pretty real, junky AI-written books, "workslop" reports that waste coworkers' time...and lots of talking cats. People found it annoying, and people ate it up. Like slime, sludge, and muck, slop has the wet sound of something you don’t want to touch. Slop oozes into everything. The original sense of the word, in the 1700's, was "soft mud." In the 1800's, it came to mean "food waste," and then more generally, "rubbish" or "a product of little or no value." In 2025, amid all the talk about AI threats, slop set a tone that's less fearful, more mocking. The word sends a little message to AI: when it comes to replacing human creativity, sometimes you don't seem too super-intelligent."

FIVE WORDS THAT STOOD OUT DURING 2025 ACCORDING TO MERRIAM-WEBSTER

GERRYMANDER: "Throughout 2025, when Republicans and Democrats used redistricting to increase their electoral advantages, gerrymander became a popular search term.To gerrymander is to divide a state, school district, etc. into political units or election districts that give one group or political party an unfair advantage. The word comes from the name of Elbridge Gerry, an American politician in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Gerry was a signer of the Declaration of Independence and vice president under James Madison, and as governor of Massachusetts he tried to change the shape of voting districts to help members of his political party get elected. His system resulted in some highly irregular and oddly shaped districts, including one (Gerry’s home district) that looked a little like a newt. Upon seeing a map of the bizarre regional divisions, a member of the opposing party drew feet, wings, and a head on Gerry’s district and said “That will do for a salamander!” Another member called out “Gerrymander!” And the term stuck."

TOUCH GRASS: "The idiomatic phrase touch grass means "to participate in normal activities in the real world especially as opposed to online experiences and interactions." The phrase is often aimed at people who spend so much time online that they become disconnected from reality."

PERFORMATIVE: "In the age of social media, when all the world's a cellphone-sized stage, the steep rise in lookups of performative resulted not from any particular news item, but instead from the pervasiveness of what it describes. Performative means made or done for show (as to bolster one's own image or make a positive impression on others)."

TARIFF: "Tariff refers to “a schedule of duties imposed by a government on imported or in some countries exported goods. The word entered English centuries ago, via Italian, and originally came from the Arabic word meaning notification."

CONCLAVE: "This word spiked in lookups after the death of Pope Francis in April, when Roman Catholic cardinals from around the world gathered at the Vatican to elect a successor. This meeting, called a conclave, is how new popes have been selected since the 13th century. The word conclave comes from the Latin conclave meaning “room that can be locked up.” It originally referred specifically to the locked room where the cardinals nominate, debate, and vote in secret."

And also during 2025, Merriam-Webster added over 5,000 words to its Collegiate Dictionary, the first major print revision in 22 years, showing a commitment to keeping the dictionary current with language changes. Greg Barlow, President of Merriam-Webster, explained, "Our website receives over a billion visits per year. But people still love books. In fact, we continue to sell over a million dictionaries a year – and the new Twelfth Edition is the finest Collegiate we've ever published. For those who enjoy books and dictionaries, it will be a volume to cherish...This beautiful red dictionary may not be the biggest part of our business, but in many ways, it's the heart."

Here were key additions:

Cancel Culture: The practice of withdrawing support for public figures after they have done something considered objectionable.

Dad Bod: A physique regarded as typical of an average father, especially one that is slightly overweight.

Doomscroll: To continue scrolling through bad news on social media despite the anxiety it causes.

Dumbphone: A basic mobile phone with limited functionality, often used to reduce screen time.

Farm-to-Table: Locally-sourced food.

Ghost Kitchen: A professional food preparation facility set up only for delivery-only meals.

Petrichor: The pleasant smell after rain.

Rizz: Slang for charisma or the ability to attract a romantic partner.

Teraflop: A unit of computing speed equal to one trillion floating-point operations per second.

WFH: The abbreviation for work from home.

CREATOR INDUSTRY VOCABULARY

According to The Wrap, "The creator industry (also known as the creator ecosystem or the creator economy) is lacking a consistent vocabulary. The words "creator" and "influencer" often get confused. Creators are more focused on creating content, while influencers are more focused on building audiences."

MOST SEARCHED TERMS ON GOOGLE

According to Exploding Topics, "Google receives over 100 billion visits per month. Here are the top five searches in the United States during 2025: YouTube, Amazon, Facebook, Google, and Weather."

LINKEDIN: LATEST HOT JOB = STORYTELLER

According to LinkedIn, the percentage of job postings in the United States with the term "storyteller" doubled during 2025 to include some 50,000 listings under "marketing" and more than 20,000 listings under "media and communications."

According to The Wall Street Journal, "Corporate America's latest hot job is also one of the oldest in history: storyteller...Compliance tech firm Vanta began hiring for a head of storytelling, offering a salary of up to $274,000. Productivity app Notion recently merged its communications, social media, and influencer functions into one 10-person "storytelling" team. And military financial services company USAA is hiring its fourth staff storyteller less than a year since it hired its first."

Jennifer Kuperman, Chime's chief corporate affairs officer, said, "Terms like "editorial" are limiting. They put in mind a very specific thing you're doing or creating. Whereas you could tell stories in so many different ways."

GLASSDOOR

Glassdoor did not announce a word of the year for 2025, but instead, its 2026 Worklife Trends Report highlighted several key themes and buzzwords from employee reviews, with a prominent focus on "disconnect," "distrust," and the "forever layoff." The report uses these words to describe the growing gap between employees and senior leadership - and collectively capture a prevailing mood of uncertainty, skepticism, and strained workplace relationships expected in 2026.

Key terms and trends identified in the 2026 report included:

(1) "Disconnect" / "Misalignment": Mentions of "misalignment" in reviews surged by 149 percent, while "disconnect" rose 24 percent and "distrust" climbed 26 percent. These terms point to a significant erosion of trust in leadership.

(2) "Forever layoff": This phrase describes the new normal of small, ongoing "mini-layoffs" that create constant anxiety and job insecurity for workers, even if they don't make major headlines.

(3) "Slow-mo RTO" (Return to Office): While formal mandates are not always enforced, a subtle pressure exists, as remote/hybrid workers experience declining ratings for career opportunities compared to in-office counterparts.

(4) "AI anxiety": Though the direct impact on job satisfaction is currently limited, the psychological effect of potential AI-driven disruption is notable, particularly among early-career workers.

Here were other words and terms that stood out during 2025:

FREAKQUEL: A portmanteau (a single word created by blending parts of two or more words, combining their sounds and meanings) combining freaky and sequel. In August, the movie "Freakier Friday" arrived in theaters and was a much-anticipated sequel to the movie "Freaky Friday" that starred Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis in 2003.

TWISTED TRADWIFE FICTION: According to Author Jo Piazza, "I think these stories resonate right now because they tap into the dark side of nostalgia. The soft, serene surface hides something insidious underneath. We're living through a moment where traditional gender roles are being rebranded as empowerment, and that tension is fascinating, and very scary. Thriller readers are smart. They know when they're being sold a lie. They want to dig into it. This genre lets us do that."

DISTRACTION: According to an opinion piece on CNN.com, political reporter Ron Brownstein wrote that "One word captures the most important division among Democrats." He wrote that the word was "distraction" because every time President Trump does something that causes people to shake their heads, it causes a distraction. Case in point, how can legislators in Congress focus on important issues, when each day, Trump makes a crazy statement, for example, eliminating mail-in ballots? However, according to Celinda Lake, a veteran Democratic pollster, "Describing Trump's actions as a "distraction" is absolutely wrong. I think it misses completely where Democrats are at." And back to Brownstein, "The conflict over the word "distraction," is, of course, a proxy for the much larger debate over which messages Democrats should emphasize as they work to rebuild the party's tattered image and shape their campaigns for 2026."

TREATONOMICS: "Treatonomics" (also referred to as "little treat culture") describes our current era of economic uncertainty. The trend has taken off with consumers, according to NBC News, who are buying a small treat that's easier to afford, rather than a large purchase such as furniture or a car. Studies show that these pick-me-ups can cause our brains to release "happy hormones" such as dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins.

SANGRY: A portmanteau (a single word created by blending parts of two or more words, combining their sounds and meanings) of sad plus angry to describe a particular mood.

DELULU: Delulu is a slang term for "delusional," meaning someone who holds false beliefs or unrealistic expectations, particularly in areas like romance or celebrity fandom, but can also be applied to other areas like careers or finances. The term has gained popularity, especially with Gen Z, and is sometimes used in a more positive or humorous context. Some influencers use the phrase "delulu is the solulu," which suggests that self-confidence and a positive mindset can be the solution to problems, similar to the "fake it till you make it" idea. 

COOLCATIONS: Since the United Kingdom experienced a heatwave during June with temperatures soaring above 30 degrees Celcius (86 degrees Fahrenheit), British travelers sought cooler destinations with searches for Nordic countries and Southern Hemisphere winter breaks. The trend became known as coolcations.

SHRINKFLATION: a portmanteau (a single word created by blending parts of two or more words, combining their sounds and meanings) combining shrinking plus inflation.

SNEAKFLATION: CNN reported that, "Retailers and major brands know that many Americans live paycheck to paycheck, so they're using "sneakflation" to pass along Trump's tariffs in small increments in hopes that consumers won't notice or will be able to better absorb it." According to Google, "Sneakflation is the practice by companies of subtly reducing the value of a product or service without raising its price, in order to pass on increased costs to consumers. This is done by reducing quantity, downgrading quality, adding hidden fees, or decreasing features, rather than explicitly increasing the price tag on an identical item."

BOREOUT: Unlike burnout, boreout can slip under the radar. According to Midtraining, "Boreout is a state of chronic boredom at work that leaves employees feeling disengaged, underused, amd disconnected from their role. Over time, they may begin to question the purpose of their job, lose confidence, or detach from the team entirely. If left unaddressed, boreout can increase employee turnover and lead to rising rates of depression across a team."

GLOBAL OBSCURANTISM: This term is about the power of knowledge and who controls its flow and accessibility in the world. It refers to the deliberate action or policy of preventing the dissemination of knowledge or deliberate practice of making information vague and difficult to understand on a global scale.

STEREOTYPE REACTANCE: This is a phenomenon when people hear a negative stereotype about their group and want to prove it wrong. According to Wharton PhD student Sophia Pink, "The idea is a bit like telling someone not to press a red button. Once you know you're not supposed to do it, you want to do it more. In this case, being told that people like you fail to compete makes you want to do just the opposite and defy the stereotype."

SUMMERWEEN: According to GMA, "Calling all ghouls: Summerween is back for 2025, and the trend is even more popular than last year! The fun Halloween-meets-summer trend started in 2024, and this year, stores jumped on Summerween early. On July 25th, Michaels launched "Dead Regency," an assortment of darkly enchanting pieces featuring nods to Edgar Allen Poe, Victor Frankenstein, and ornate, crystal-draped candelabras that would work equally well for Halloween or a year-round eerie atmosphere."

KIDULTING: CNN reported, "Build-A-Bear Workshop, the nearly 30-year-old toy brand, is having a breakout moment, eclipsing some of Wall Street’s biggest winners by targeting customers across a broad age range. The toy company’s revenue grew 11 percent in the second quarter to a record $124.2 million, and it even raised full-year guidance – all while mitigating the cost of tariffs. That’s a stark contrast to years of unprofitability before 2012. Investors have taken notice. In the last year alone, Build-A-Bear’s stock is up 76 percent. Build-A-Bear broadened its customer base beyond kids and capitalized on customer trends that emerged after the pandemic, focusing on experiences and tapping into what Sharon Price John, the company’s CEO, calls the nostalgia economy." She explained, "'Kidulting (is) adults wanting to be kids, and they’re buying things that they loved when they were kids. So we leaned into that with really interesting licenses that played on their memory."

SHARENTING: According to IDX, "Sharenting consists of posting photos, videos, or stories about your kids on social media. Before you post, consider that this information could be used by bad actors for harassment, identity theft, and more...Bad actors could use these personal details to track down your child’s location, commit identity theft, or attempt to hack into your accounts. Your kids could also be subjected to cyberbullying or harassment."

GENES VERSUS JEANS: The AP reported, "U.S. fashion retailer American Eagle Outfitters wanted to make a splash with its new advertising campaign starring 27-year-old actress Sydney Sweeney. Titled "Sydney Sweeney has great jeans," the campaign sparked a debate about race, Western beauty standards, and the backlash to "woke" American politics and culture. Most of the negative reception focused on videos that used the word "genes" instead of "jeans" when discussing the blonde-haired, blue-eyed actress known for her two HBO series. Some critics saw the wordplay as a nod, either unintentional or deliberate, to eugenics, a discredited theory that held humanity could be improved through selective breeding for certain traits...Eugenics gained popularity in early 20th century America, and Nazi Germany embraced it to carry out Adolf Hitler's plan for an Aryan master race." Marcus Collins, an assistant professor of marketing at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business, said, "The criticism could have been avoided if the ads showed models of various races making the "genes" pun. You can either say this was ignorance, laziness, or intentional. Either one of the three isn't good."

A final note, American Eagle defended the ad on Instagram in an attempt to stop the criticism: "[The] Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans" [campaign] is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story. We'll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone."

SIGNAGE AND HISTORY/HERSTORY: The 19th reported that, "Under pressure from the Trump administration, the National Park Service (NPS) removed historical context from signage that explained the role women played in the creation of the Muir Woods National Monument and highlighted the racist ideologies of some of the men associated with the site. A ranger for the monument confirmed that the information removed in mid-July originated from an initiative by NPS officials called "History Under Construction" that filled in gaps in the timeline of the park to offer a more comprehensive history of the monument in Marin County, California, which is known for its old-growth redwood trees." Alan Spears, senior director of cultural resources at the National Parks Conservation Association, a nonprofit that advocates for the park system, said, "President Trump's executive order could jeopardize the Park Service's mission to protect and interpret American history. Every American who cares about our country's history should be worried about what people, places, and themes disappear next."

PAINSTORMING

A new term appeared according to Psychology Today, "Painstorming" refers to a leadership practice of diagnosing organizational "pain" to drive meaningful change, rather than simply "brainstorming" possible solutions. It views friction as valuable feedback, helping leaders ask, "How do we make change work for people?" instead of "How do we make people change?"

Ahron Friedberg, M.D., explained, "Most leaders excel at brainstorming: generating ideas for innovation. But few are skilled at painstorming, or the ability to surface frustration, friction, and fatigue. Painstorming is the practice of identifying the emotional and structural pain points associated with change. It reframes discomfort as diagnostic data. Resistance, when examined through painstorming, often exposes misaligned priorities between executives, managers, and teams. Addressing these fractures early restores alignment and prevents burnout. Painstorming is important because it closes the gap between leaders' perceptions and the reality on the ground by surfacing hidden problems; and it builds trust so that leaders who acknowledge and address pain can build deeper connection with their teams."

META QUOTE

And let's not forget the language snafu from January, as reported by Fortune, Meta's CEO Mark Zuckerberg was quoted as saying, "I think masculine energy is good, and obviously society has plenty of that, but I think that corporate culture was really trying to get away from it. It's like you want feminine energy, you want masculine energy. I think that that's all good. But I do think the corporate culture sort of had swung toward being this somewhat more neutered thing. If you're a woman going into a company, it probably feels like it's too masculine. You want women to be able to succeed and have companies that can unlock all the value from having great people no matter what their background or gender."

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WORD/PHRASE REMOVAL LAWSUIT

On a final linguistic note, NPR reported in December that, "Some Head Start early childhood programs are being told by the federal government to remove a list of nearly 200 words and phrases from their funding applications or they could be denied. That's according to recently submitted court documents. The list of words and phrases is titled: "Words to limit or avoid in government documents." and includes "accessible," "belong," "Black," "disability," "female," "minority," "trauma," "tribal" and "women." The list was submitted on December 5th, as part of an ongoing lawsuit filed by Head Start programs in a handful of states – including Pennsylvania, Washington, Wisconsin and Illinois – against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and its secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The lawsuit argues that the Trump administration's ban on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in federal programs conflicts with Head Start's statutory mandate. That mandate includes, among other things, providing "linguistically and culturally appropriate" services as well as early intervention services for children with disabilities."

Jacqueline Rodriguez of the National Center for Learning Disabilities said, "Banning the word 'disability' from Head Start is morally repugnant and a violation of federal law. No administration can claim to support children with disabilities while banning the very word that protects them."

As the famous writer Joseph Conrad wrote, "My task which I am trying to achieve is by the power of the written word, to make you hear, to make you feel - it is, before all, to make you see. That — and no more, and it is everything."

What words and terms will define 2026? We'll have to wait and see, but until next January's recap, I invite you to browse through your dictionary to learn new words!

Image Credit: Engoo.

Read in Forbes: Is Social Media the New Google for Gen Z?

https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/software/social-media-new-google/

Read Glassdoor's Worklife Trends Report for 2026:

https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/worklife-trends-2026/

Read here on my blog: Best Social Media Post of the Month of November 2025:

https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2025/12/best-social-media-post-of-month-of.html

See the full list of nearly 200 words and phrases included in the Head Start lawsuit:

https://www.npr.org/2025/12/11/nx-s1-5640757/head-start-hhs-funding-dei

Read about Painstorming on Psychology Today:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/listen-and-build/202510/how-painstorming-helps-leaders-drive-change

2025 Was the Year of #BrandIdentity Changes

Was your brand in the news during 2025? If not, don’t despair. There were numerous brands that made headlines during 2025.

SHARE THIS: Products are made in a factory, but brands are created in the mind. ~Walter Landor #BrandIdentity #BrandExperience #DebbieLaskeysBlog

Here's a recap of brands that either rebranded, changed their logo, changed their name, changed their tagline, formed an interesting partnership, created a unique hashtag to match a campaign, changed iconic packaging, or in some other way made branding or brand marketing news during 2025. What stood out as memorable to YOU?

BRAND IDENTITY:

1. Coors Light rolled out a limited-time promotion "designed to bring chill to one of the worst Mondays of the year - the day after the Big Game (which is advertising speak for the Super Bowl)." The company explained that it "wanted to lean into humor with a harmless "oopsie" moment to show that even a brand like Coors Light can have a case of the Mondays." (February)

2. Delta Air Lines celebrated its 100th anniversary. (March)

3. During a speech by President Trump to a joint session of Congress, many female Democratic members of Congress wore pink to protest the administration's policies that were negatively impacting women and families. According to Susan Scafidi, a professor, and founder and director of Fashion Law Institute at Fordham Law School, "When played right, color coordination can be powerful. In moments when you’re not empowered to speak, fashion can do the talking for you. On an evening when the members of the Democratic Women’s Caucus have no microphone, their collective splash of bright fuchsia in the House Chamber at least reminds viewers of their existence every time the camera pans across the room." (March)

4. Disneyland (Walt Disney's theme park in Anaheim, California - the park that started the Disney theme park brand) celebrated its 70th anniversary beginning in May 2025 (and continuing through summer 2026). (May)

According to long-time Disney partner, Dooney and Bourke, "Since opening its gates on July 17th, 1955, Disneyland has continued to enchant guests with beloved attractions, immersive lands, and ever-evolving experiences. Disneyland park-goers can expect special entertainment, limited-time merchandise, and festive decorations honoring this milestone."

5. Pollo Loco launched a re-brand and accompanying campaign as the fast-casual grilled chicken chain continued its ongoing three-year strategy around strengthening its identity, keeping pace with culture, and increasing awareness. A new tagline, "Let's Get Loco," a double entendre that serves as both a call to action ("What should we have for dinner? Let's get Loco") and a play on the Spanish word for crazy. (May)

6. JetBlue and United Airlines announced BLUE SKY, a new and unique collaboration that gives customers of both airlines more options to find flights that fit their plans as well as new opportunities to earn and use MileagePlus miles and TrueBlue points across both airlines. (June)

7. Hawaii became the first U.S. state to charge a climate impact tax to fund climate change resiliency projects and environmental stewardship within the islands. The tax will apply to travelers staying in hotels, short-term vacation rentals, and for the first time, cruise ships. The tax goes into effect on January 1st, 2026. (June)

8. Apple announced a change to how it names its software updates. According to CNET, "This is an approach that may seem familiar to anyone who's familiar with Windows 95 or a 1957 Chevy. Apple is rebranding its operating systems by using the last two digits of the upcoming year. So the current iOS 18 will be replaced by iOS 26, not iOS 19, when it arrives in the fall of 2025. That is, the new numbering system reflects the last two digits of 2026, rather than the current year of 2025, similar to how new automobile models are introduced." (June)

9. Late-night TV viewers were shocked by the announcement that Stephen Colbert's show would end in May 2026. According to TIME Magazine, "Late-night TV has been on the decline for years, as viewers spend more time on streaming services and often favor late-show clips on YouTube or TikTok over nightly viewing. But CBS's "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" was still leading the race by a mile. And on July 15th, it received a Primetime Emmy nomination for outstanding talk series. So when Colbert told his audience at a taping on Thursday, July 17th, that "Next year will be our last season," viewers were blindsided. Spectators at the Ed Sullivan Theater booed. More than three decades since it first aired, The Late Show is making its final curtain call in May 2026." (July)

10. American Eagle launched an advertising campaign featuring actress Sydney Sweeney. Titled "Sydney Sweeney has great jeans," the campaign sparked a debate about race, Western beauty standards, and the backlash to "woke" American politics and culture. Most of the negative reception focused on videos that used the word "genes" instead of "jeans." American Eagle defended the ad on Instagram in an attempt to stop the criticism: "[The] Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans" [campaign] is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story. We'll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone." (August)

Marcus Collins, an assistant professor of marketing at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business, said, "The criticism could have been avoided if the ads showed models of various races making the "genes" pun. You can either say this was ignorance, laziness, or intentional. Either one of the three isn't good."

11. Fortune reported that, after 133 years, the Kodak brand may cease operations. Following a bankruptcy and multiple reinventions, there is substantial doubt that the brand can stay in business.

12. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, a newspaper that started in 1868, stopped providing a print edition on December 31st, 2025. Atlanta is now the largest U.S. metro area without a printed daily newspaper.

13. Nike explained its tagline change on its website, "When Nike launched “Just Do It” in 1988, it wasn’t only a tagline — it was a call to action. A challenge to start, to try, to move forward even when it’s hard. Now, after nearly four decades of inspiring athletes to reach their dreams through “Just Do It,” Nike is reintroducing the iconic rallying cry to a new generation with the launch of its latest campaign, "Why Do It?” Designed to meet young athletes where they are, the campaign reframes greatness as a choice, not an outcome — handing “Just Do It" to today’s generation and emboldening them to write the next chapter." (September)

14. The White House issued unsubstantiated claims that there is a link between Tylenol and autism. NPR reported, "President Trump's suggestion that a link exists between autism and acetaminophen — the active ingredient in Tylenol — has raised concerns within the scientific community." Helen Tager-Flusberg, director of the Center for Autism Research Excellence (CARE) at Boston University and founder of the Coalition of Autism Scientists, called the administration's announcement "appalling." She said it was "a very significant distortion" of what science says about any possible links between acetaminophen and autism. She added that the message "is likely to impact millions of lives of pregnant women right now. Mothers of autistic children who are going to be so fearful that this is what they did to cause their child's autism, which is absolutely not the case." (September)

15. The most famous museum in the world was robbed. Thieves disguised as construction workers stole eight pieces of the French Crown Jewels valued at $100 million from the Apollo Gallery in the Louvre Museum in Paris, France. The robbery took less than eight minutes, of which the thieves spent four in the museum itself, and occurred during regular opening hours. (October)

LOGO RE-DESIGNS:

1. The Seattle Kracken hockey team often modifies its logo for special celebrations. In early 2025, there were four tweaked logos: Anchor Auction (player-signed hats and jerseys were auctioned to benefit two nonprofits), Lunar New Year Night presented by Alaska Airlines, Black Hockey History Night presented by Amazon, and Women in Hockey Night presented by PitchBook. (January — March)

2. Since ABC's show Nightline celebrated its 45th anniversary during 2025, it got a new logo. According to Variety, "The show is bringing back an updated version of its old logo. Having gone with an all-lowercase "nightline" since 2017, a new take on the show's all-caps "NIGHTLINE" that had been in use between 1997 and 2017 will now be introduced. According to ABC News, the new logo honors its iconic legacy, blending elements from its original look with an updated, modern design." (April)

3. Hotels.com unveiled a new "spokesbell" for the brand. According to MarketingDive, "Hotels.com is putting a mascot front-and-center in its marketing once again, this time through what the platform bills as the first "spokesbell." A major part of Bellboy's directive is educating people about tools available via the Hotels.com app, like a new price alert function that notifies users when a hotel they are watching drops its rates, that could help drive loyalty." (April)

4. The restaurant brand Cracker Barrel announced a new streamlined logo. However, there was so much uproar, including comments from the White House, that the brand ditched the new logo, returned to using its old logo, scrapped plans to redesign its restaurants — and then, while not a surprise, fired its design agency. (August and September)

5. Domino's unveiled a new look. USA Today reported, "Domino's is cooking up a new branding look and sound with a bolder color scheme and a new jingle created with help from a Grammy-nominated musical artist. The pizza delivery company is adding splashier reds and blues to its pizza boxes – and adopting a black and metallic gold motif for the pizza boxes used to deliver its Handmade Pan and Parmesan Stuffed Crust pizzas. The new, thicker “Domino’s Sans” font spells out a tweak to the company name (“Dommmino’s") in some spots. That's also the name of a new jingle, created with the help of "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" hitmaker Shaboozey. The brand's new look will roll out in stores, on TV, social media, and the Domino's website and app over the coming months." (October)

6. Apple+ TV became simply Apple TV. According to The New York Times, “With the change, Apple TV will no longer be part of the lengthy roll call of streaming services that use the plus sign, including AMC+, Discovery+, Disney+, ESPN+ and Paramount+. (For a few weeks in 2022, there was also CNN+.) Apple still has Apple Fitness+, Apple News+, and iCloud+.” And let’s not forget the disappearance of Google+. (October)

7. Lay's potato chips unveiled a new look. PepsiCo announced the largest brand redesign in Lay’s nearly 100-year history. The company said the new Lay’s visual identity features a warmer and more distinct sun. Sun rays, or ‘Lay’s Rays,’ beam from the logo, a nod to the light that helps potatoes grow. There is also a refined color palette that is based off the ingredients of Lay’s recipes, and close-up visuals that highlight the golden color, crisp texture and seasoning of each chip. Lay’s describes the new packaging as letting the "potato itself and rich farm imagery take center stage." But Lay’s isn’t just updating the look of its products – it’s also ensuring that they are made with cleaner ingredients, aligning with the White House's health goals under its “Make America Healthy Again” initiative, as well as updating its packaging. (October)

PERSONAL BRANDING:

1. On January 4th, President Joe Biden bestowed the Presidential Medal of Freedom on 19 recipients in his last opportunity to give out the nation's highest civilian honor ahead of his exit from the White House. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton received the honor. According to Columbia University's Spectator, "Clinton served as a lawyer, first lady from 1993 to 2001, a New York senator from 2001 to 2009, and Secretary of State under President Barack Obama. She received the Democratic Presidential nomination in 2016, becoming the first woman to be nominated for President by a major political party. Clinton joined the Columbia University faculty in February 2023 and has taught the course 'Inside the Situation Room' since fall 2023." (January)

2. Jane Fonda became a brand spokesperson for Italian sneaker brand Golden Goose to celebrate the brand's 25th anniversary. Her campaign was called "Born to be a Super Star," and the new campaign "celebrates those who take risks, dream louder, and redefine the possible." (February)

3. Kirsty Coventry: The 41-year-old Zimbabwe sports minister and two-time Olympic swimming gold medalist, was elected president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). She will become the first woman and first African to lead what many refer to as the largest international sporting event. According to the AP, “Coventry will formally replace her mentor Thomas Bach at a June 23 handover, officially Olympic Day, as the 10th IOC president in its 131-year history.” Coventry, whose term will be from 2025-2033, said, “This is a signal that we are truly global. I have been dealing with, let’s say, difficult men in high positions since I was 20 years old. What I have learned is that communication will be key.” (March)

4. Pope Francis: According to The Conversation, "From papal selfies to the viral generative AI images featuring a stylish puffer jacket, Pope Francis became a prominent popular culture figure during his papacy. News media called him the "People's Pope," branding that also circulated online on social media to turn Pope Francis into an icon who symbolized the progressive ideals of 2010s popular culture. His 2013 election was significant for many reasons, including the fact that he became the first Jesuit and first pope from Latin America. His acension to the papacy represented an attempt by the Catholic Church to rebrand itself through Francis's "progressive" public image. The Catholic Church as an institutional brand has been at the centre of numerous scandals and controversies after committing grave injustices for generations. Pope Francis, on the other hand, became what branding expert Douglas Holt calls an "iconic brand." Pontiffs have always been subject to branding, making them unique subjects for public fascination and popular culture. Decisions about what shoes to wear and what papal name to take are, in fact, acts of branding. Pope Francis chose his papal name to align himself with Saint Francis of Assisi. He also chose to wear a simple white cassock for his first public appearance on the balcony at St. Peter’s Basilica. These decisions were branding strategies. Francis's use of social media brought the papacy into a new digital age. It provided him with a platform to build his brand in a manner similar to politicians. Iconic brands can transform the institutions they represent. Pope Francis’s image demonstrated how papal branding is no different than other forms of branding." (April)

5. Upon the death of Pope Francis, Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected as the first U.S.-born pontiff and will be known as Pope Leo XIV. The 69-year-old from Chicago stepped into his role as the 267th Pope. According to Vatican News, "In the early centuries of Christianity many Popes changed their names because their original names were of pagan origin. However, not all Popes followed this practice. Out of the 266 Popes in history (267 including the new one), only 129 have chosen a new name. This tradition became standard practice starting in 955 with Pope John XII, and has continued to this day." (May)

And on a related note, "Portillo's, the Chicago-based hot dog and sandwich chain, named one of its sandwiches "The Leo" after the new Pope, who was born in Chicago. According to the restaurant, "In the name of the gravy, the bun, and hot giard, we introduce The Leo: a divinely seasoned Italian beef, baptized in gravy and finished with the holy trinity of peppers — sweet, hot, or a combo. The Leo is Portillo's original "sacred sandwich" that is made in honor of a moment that's historic for Portillo's hometown." (May)

6. Former Vice President Kamala Harris was thought to be a candidate for the next Governor of California, however, she announced that she would not be running. Her announcement opened up the race for candidates in both parties. (August)

7. Taylor Swift announced her engagement to Travis Kelce via Instagram with a clever post, "Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married." The level of interest in this announcement rivaled the engagement of England's former Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer. Following the announcement, brands swiftly posted their own spins on the news. (August)

A few clever posts follow:

EMPIRE STATE BUILDING: Where can I apply to be the wedding venue?

PANERA BREAD: She said yeast. A real life loaf story.

HERSHEY'S CHOCOLATE KISSES: Hershey's kisses in bulk will be a delight at any wedding.

8. Following statements made by Jimmy Kimmel on his late-night TV show, The Walt Disney Company (parent company of ABC) indefinitely suspended his show - under pressure from the Trump Administration. Then, over 400 actors, musicians, and film directors (including many A-list stars) signed an open letter organized by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) that decried "a dark moment for freedom of speech in our nation." Even some Republicans spoke up for free speech. Disney announced that Jimmy Kimmel's show would return on September 23, and at the beginning of his show, he was greeted with a standing ovation. The highlight of his 15-minute monologue was this: "I don’t want to make this about me, because – and I know this is what people say when they make things about them, but I really don’t – this show, this show is not important. What is important is that we get to live in a country that allows us to have a show like this. I’ve had the opportunity to meet and spend time with comedians and talk show hosts from countries like Russia, countries in the Middle East who tell me they would get thrown in prison for making fun of those in power. And worse than being thrown in prison. They know how lucky we are here. Our freedom to speak is what they admire most about this country.” (September)

9. Claudia Sheinbaum: She took office as Mexico's first female president in the nation's more than 200 years of independence. According to Business Standard, "The 62-year-old former Mexico City mayor and lifelong leftist campaigned on a promise of continuity, of protecting and expanding the signature initiatives of her mentor, former President Andrs Manuel Lpez Obrador. Sheinbaum is also the first president with a Jewish background in the largely Catholic country. Sheinbaum's victory came 70 years after women won the right to vote in Mexico. Since 2018, Mexico's Congress has had a 50-50 gender split, in part due to gender quotas set for party candidates. Still, Sheinbaum inherits a country with soaring levels of violence against women. There are also still many parts of the country, especially rural Indigenous areas where men hold all the power." (October)

10. Sanae Takaichi: As reported by AP, "In a country that ranks poorly internationally for gender equality, the new president of Japan’s long-governing Liberal Democrats, and new prime minister, is an ultra-conservative star of a male-dominated party that critics call an obstacle to women’s advancement. Sanae Takaichi, 64, admires former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and is a proponent of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s conservative vision for Japan. Takaichi is the first female president of Japan’s predominantly male ruling party that has dominated Japan’s postwar politics almost without interruption. She hardly touched on gender issues during the campaign." (October)

11. Britain's Prince Andrew lost his "Duke of York," "Prince," and "His Royal Highness" titles as well as his royal patronages and royal residence. While Andrew's former wife, Sarah Ferguson, would no longer be known as the "Duchess of York," their two daughters would continue to have the title of Princess. (October and November)

12. Martha Stewart, the 84-year-old lifestyle guru agreed to be the new spokesperson when American Eagle asked her to be the face of its GIVE GREAT JEANS holiday campaign to promote denim as a universal gift that never goes out of style. Stewart explained, "I have spent decades helping people create beautiful holidays — from setting the perfect table to trimming the tree to finding that last-minute gift that saves the day. So when American Eagle approached me about being part of their holiday gifting campaign, I was immediately intrigued. Denim is a universal gift that works for everyone on your list. Jeans have always been a staple in my wardrobe, and giving a great pair of AE jeans is always a nice gift to give. I’m constantly moving between decorating, cooking and, most importantly, wrapping gifts, and I need to make sure I have an outfit that is comfortable and stylish. The beauty of AE jeans is their versatility and ability to move with you throughout the day. They are flattering, sleek, and soft enough to make wrapping gifts or hosting a dinner in them effortless." (December)

13. Diminished value of the Sussex Brand: According to Cosmopolitan, "There have been persistent rumors that Prince William will strip Prince Harry of his title once he's king. However, a source says William plans to leave his brother's title intact because he thinks the Sussexes' brand is "worthless." The heir apparent also doesn't want to be seen as vindictive or petty...A well-placed insider explained that by the time William takes the throne, the Sussex brand will be so diminished it won't even matter. Why take away something that's already worthless? Ignoring them will hurt more." (December)

BRAND NAME CHANGES:

1. GULF OF MEXICO was renamed GULF OF AMERICA by President Trump. (January)

Following Trump's Executive Order, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum wrote to Google, arguing that the U.S. did not have the right to unilaterally rename the Gulf. Google responded to President Sheinbaum's letter, saying that they intended to comply with Trump's order and expressed willingness to meet with the Mexican government to discuss the issue further. According to NPR, "In a press briefing on February 10th, President Sheinbaum announced that her administration would wait for a response from Google before taking additional steps. She said, "If not, we will proceed to court. If a country wants to change the designation of something in the sea, it would only apply up to 12 nautical miles. It cannot apply to the rest, in this case, the Gulf of Mexico. This is what we explained in detail to Google."

2. DENALI was renamed MT. MCKINLEY by President Trump, however, the Alaskan state government has recognized the mountain's official name as DENALI since 1975 and continues to do so. (January)

3. The BOY SCOUTS officially became SCOUTING AMERICA. The change became effective on this date to celebrate the organization's 115th birthday. The name change reflects the organization's commitment to welcoming and providing a safe environment for all youth. The announcement also serves to celebrate the fifth anniversary of welcoming girls into the organization's programs. Currently, Scouting America serves 176,234 girls and young women across all programs including more than 6,000 who have earned the esteemed Eagle Scout status. The name change is a result of years of scandals, and the organization filed for bankruptcy in 2020 to handle the flood of sexual abuse lawsuits. (February)

4. Following the 2022 merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery, Inc., executives hoped that the name "Max" would reflect a broader mix of programming and signal more family-friendly content. But the change never really caught on, so the streaming service will once again be called "HBO Max." (May)

5. Cable TV channel MSNBC rebranded to become MSNOW. As the news brand separated from NBC News, it unveiled a new name, logo, and acronym-driven identity: MS NOW, meaning "My Source for News, Opinion and the World." The change retires a name that was christened in 1996 with the launch of the co-branded partnership between Microsoft and NBC News that carried the MSNBC name. (August)

6. NPR reported a name change for the Department of Defense. "President Trump signed an executive order to give the Department of Defense a new name: the Department of War. Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump said the rebranding reflected a new tone for the country and its military. A White House fact sheet explains that under the executive order, the name "Department of War" will serve as a "secondary title" for the Department of Defense. According to the fact sheet, the order will also authorize Defense Department officials to substitute the word "war" into their titles. For example, the Secretary of Defense could use the title Secretary of War. Trump does not have the authority to change the department's name without congressional action. The legal name was established by Congress in 1949, when it renamed the newly unified military service branches under a new "Department of Defense" following World War II. Almost from the country's founding, the army was overseen by the War Department, but the sprawling agency took on its current name following an act of Congress in 1949. At the time, the change marked the culmination of an effort by President Harry Truman to unify the Air Force, Army, and Navy under the umbrella of a single department." (September)

7. Maxwell House Coffee became Maxwell Apartment Coffee for a limited time. According to the brand's website, "Today, Maxwell House rebrands to “Maxwell Apartment” to meet the needs of today’s consumer and remind fans that the brand is synonymous with great tasting, affordable coffee. In a time where value matters now more than ever, Americans seek value in areas of their everyday, including where they live with nearly a third opting to rent versus purchase a home. To celebrate, the brand is offering consumers even more value with a 12-month “lease” of Maxwell Apartment, designed to stock up coffee lovers nationwide. Beginning on National Coffee Day (September 29), Maxwell House’s 12-month “lease” offer of Maxwell Apartment coffee is available on Amazon.com while supplies last. For under $40, fans can stock their pantry with a full year of coffee designed to save coffee enthusiasts more than $1,000 annually, compared to daily cafe runs, which on average can add up to more than $90 per month. Along with the rebranded canisters, the year-long supply of coffee will come with an official Maxwell Apartment “lease” to sign." (October)

8. A progressive public school in New York City has long been known by its acronym, ICE, but it has now decided that it's time for a rebrand. According to Gothamist, "Parents and staff at the Institute for Collaborative Education say those letters have taken on a grim connotation in President Trump’s second term, with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, also known as ICE, waging a crackdown nationwide that has resulted in deportations, including of New York City students and recent public school grads. The Institute for Collaborative Education now refers to itself as "Ny.ICE" — often pronounced NICE...The rebrand is another example of how immigration policies have reverberated through the city’s public school communities, with some becoming hubs of resistance." (December)

PACKAGING, PACKAGING RE-DESIGN & BRAND PRESENTATION:

1. Do you remember this news from early 2025? The NFL has a position called FASHION EDITOR. According to The New York Times, "Kyle Smith started his job last fall with a directive to use fashion and style to reach new audiences through the NFL's media platforms. He works with athletes to create and share content — photos or videos of them showcasing their off-duty style at events like men's fashion week — and helps players and teams build relationships with traditional fashion media brands like GQ and Vogue. At Super Bowl LIX, he was part of a team covering what players and other notable attendees wore to the game during a new red-carpet segment. While the NBA, NHL, MLB, and MLS have also been focusing more attention on athletes' style as the industries of fashion and sports have become more intertwined, those leagues have yet to underscore that focus by creating a job with the word "fashion" in its title." (February)

2. After the inauguration of President Trump, the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., underwent a series of changes. The President ousted the arts institution's leadership in an attempt to change the type of programming featured. Some artists responded by canceling appearances. (March)

And in July, a bill was introduced by Representative Bob Onder (a Republican from Missouri) to "designate the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as the Donald J. Trump Center for the Performing Arts." However, it's important to note that two months after John F. Kennedy's assassination in 1963, Congress and President Johnson signed into law legislation renaming the National Cultural Center as a living memorial to Kennedy: the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

And on December 18th, The Kennedy Center Board of Trustees voted to rename the facility as "The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts." While the new name has been added to the building, apparently, the official name change must be made by an act of Congress. According to Joe Kennedy, III, a former Congressman and the great-nephew of JFK, "The Kennedy Center is a living memorial to a fallen president and named for President Kennedy by federal law. It can no sooner be renamed than can someone rename the Lincoln Memorial."

3. Heinz created a limited-time item called LEFTOVER GRAVY. Made with real turkey broth and "delivering a rich, smooth, homemade taste," the Leftover Gravy comes in a squeezable bottle and is the "perfect addition to every feast – and leftover meal. According to Retailer News, "During the protracted Thanksgiving celebrations, it is estimated that 94 percent of Americans craft sandwiches from their leftovers. Half of these sandwich makers regard gravy as a vital ingredient. With these statistics in mind, Heinz Leftover Gravy was conceived. The introduction of this product aligns seamlessly with Heinz’s ongoing emphasis on gravy during the high-demand holiday season. The company aims to appeal to millennial consumers, a demographic known for reshaping Thanksgiving traditions." (November)

4. PepsiCo launched a new line called Simply NKD, a reinvention of iconic Doritos and Cheetos flavors made with no artificial flavors or dyes, and completely colorless. The term "naked" (NKD) was used to tap into growing consumer skepticism about processed foods and appeal to those who want the indulgence of junk food without the "guilt" of artificial additives. It's designed to be an "additive option, not a replacement" for the original products. (November)

Rachel Ferdinando, CEO of PepsiCo Foods U.S., explained, "Rest assured, our iconic Cheetos and Doritos remain unchanged. NKD is an additive option, not a replacement, introduced to meet consumer demand. This move underscores our commitment to flavor leadership, demonstrating that our taste remains strong even without visual cues. As part of our broader transformation, we are expanding choices while still protecting our iconic brands. More choices, same flavor, same brand power."

5. "AND THE OSCAR GOES TO...YOUTUBE"

Beginning in 2029, the annual Oscars telecast will move from broadcast television to a streaming service. Say goodbye to ABC and hello to YouTube. On December 17th, a deal was reached by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences with YouTube for the annual telecast from 2029 through the 2033 telecast. ABC has been the home of the Oscars for decades and will continue to broadcast the awards ceremony through 2028.

BRAND MISSION CHANGES:

1. Starbucks announced its new mission statement, "To be the premier purveyor of the finest coffee in the world, inspiring and nurturing the human spirit – one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time." (January)

2. For the first time in the nearly 60-years of Southwest Airlines' existence, no more “Bags Fly Free.” Starting with flights booked on or after May 28th, Southwest began charging for checked bags with some exceptions. The new policy aligned Southwest with other major airlines that already charge for checked baggage. (March) And later in the year, Southwest added assigned seats - also a big change to the brand's core mission of open seating. (July)

STRATEGIC BRANDING & CO-BRANDING CAMPAIGNS:

1. Subway partnered with OREO to create Subway's first Footlong Cookie collaboration. (February)

2. Puma partnered with Hello Kitty to unveil a limited-edition sneakers collection to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Hello Kitty. (March)

3. Burger King partnered with the "How to Train Your Dragon" movie with menu items inspired by the movie. (May)

4. Jetblue and Dunkin' partnered to unveil a new Dunkin'-themed livery.The vibrant design of the freshly painted Airbus A320 aircraft, appropriately named Brewing Altitude, features Dunkin's iconic pink and orange branding brought to life with a playful donut and coffee motif. The plane celebrates almost two decades of partnership between the two brands. Dunkin' coffee first became available on JetBlue planes in 2006. Five years after that, the companies inked a deal to make the coffee and donut chain the carrier's "exclusive onboard coffee provider" and Dunkin remains so to this day. (May).

5. Sesame Street announced that, "We are excited to announce that all new Sesame Street episodes are coming to Netflix worldwide, and new episodes will also release the same day on PBS stations and PBS Kids platforms in the United States, preserving a 50+ year relationship. The support of Netflix, PBS, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting serve as a unique public-private partnership to continue to help children everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder." (May)

6. Georgia Aquarium and Coca-Cola: For a limited time, a two-for-one combo ticket provided admission to both the Georgia Aquarium and the World of Coca-Cola in Atlanta. The $75 price was a twenty percent discount off regular anytime ticket prices. The Georgia Aquarium is known for its 11-million gallos of blue wonder, where visitors can walk through a 100-foot tunnel surrounded by whale sharks, manta rays, and thousands of fish. At World of Coca-Cola's Beverage Lab, visitors can experiment with different flavors to create a unique drink. (June)

7. Best Buy and Uber partnered to bring consumer electronics from more than 800 stores to the Uber Eats platform. From headphones and chargers to laptops, gaming gear, and small appliances, Best Buy customers now enjoy the convenience of on-demand delivery or scheduled drop-offs, all within the Uber Eats app. (September)

8. Kahlua and Dunkin' partnered to introduce Kahlúa Dunkin’ Caramel Swirl Cream Liqueur, the latest addition to Kahlúa’s permanent line of thoughtfully crafted liqueurs, marking Kahlúa’s largest investment in the cream liqueur category and Dunkin’s very first foray into cream liqueur. (October)

9. CeraVe was named the official skin care and hair care partner of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The partnership brings together the number one dermatologist-recommended skin care brand in the U.S. with, perhaps, the sports league that is the most-digitally engaged in the U.S. Jasteena Gill, vice president of marketing at CeraVe U.S., said, "The NBA is a testament to how sports can transcend the sports world and impact culture, fashion, and skincare, and have so much influence on people’s lifestyles." (October)

10. In preparation of the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, Google announced its partnership with LA28, Team USA, and NBCUniversal to create a more personal and interactive experience for U.S. fans, athletes, and the 70,000 volunteers and workers who are planning and will produce the event. According to Google, “The partnership will bring together the latest advancements across Google Search, Gemini, and Google Cloud to bring viewers closer to the action. We’ll support the analysis of Team USA’s training and bring viewers new ways to search for information during NBCUniversal’s coverage. And we’ll help LA28 Games organizers as they prepare for the first Olympic and Paralympic Games in the United States in 26 years. NBCUniversal will also partner with YouTube to provide fans with even more exciting content.” (October)

11. M&M'S, proudly part of Mars, announced the brand's first-ever collaboration with global footwear leader Crocs. The limited-edition collection brought together the iconic world of M&M'S with the comfort and style of Crocs, creating a unique fashion statement to surprise and delight fans worldwide. (October)

12. WICKED: FOR GOOD, part two of the musical film sensation, partnered with dozens of brands in a promotional blitz very similar to the BARBIE film in 2023 and the first WICKED film in 2024. Some notable brand partnerships and/or co-branding campaigns: Lego, Mattel, Amazon Prime, Puma, Stanley, Johnny Rockets, Compartes, Freskas, Le Creuset, Cascade, The Noble Collection, Classic Whipped Light Cream, Swiffer Sweep+Mop, Care Bears, Monogram Collectibles, Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Marks & Spencer, Dobly Cinema, Regal Cinemas, Cinemark, AMC Theatres, Sophia Webster, American Girl Doll, Wrigley's Extra Chewing Gum, 7th Heaven, Owala Drinkware, June's Journey+Wicked For Good, Dunkin', Build-A-Bear, Lexus, General Mills, Bubble lip balm, Dancing with the Stars, Precious Moments, Printfresh, Lovepop, and Little Golden Books Wicked Series. (October and November)

13. Starbucks partnered with Hello Kitty. With the arrival of Starbucks' annual holiday collection in November, this year, it included a special line of Hello Kitty merchandise. (November)

14. Air Canada partnered with Walt Disney Animation Studios and unveiled a new aircraft livery inspired by the Disney film Zootopia 2. The airline announced that the Airbus A220 (Fin 138) will be used for flights to several major cities, including Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver, Los Angeles, New York LaGuardia, Denver, and Boston. Andy Shibata, Vice President of Brand at Air Canada, said, "This special livery reminds us that travel, like storytelling, is about imagination, connection, and a little bit of magic." (November)

15. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Sega Corporation announced a new multi-year licensing deal to launch a co-branded merchandising program that celebrates Sonic the Hedgehog alongside the Olympic rings, highlighting shared values such as friendship, excellence and respect. (October)

16. Krispy Kreme partnered with a myriad of partners to create special doughnut collections: Pop Tarts, Hulu, Hershey's, Pebbles, Bandi Namco Entertainment America, Inc. (PAC-MAN), Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products, Crocs, Universal Studios (Harry Potter Back to Hogwarts Collection), and Peanuts. (all year)

UNIQUE BRAND EXPERIENCES:

1. ITALIAN MUSEUMS AND DOGS: Italian museums started offering free dog-sitting services in a bid to boost visitor numbers. The scheme, initiated by the Bauadvisor dog services company, launched in Rome at four major cultural sites. Forty dog owners reportedly used the service on its opening day. A 2024 report published by the Eurispes research company found that a third of Italian families have pets, and that almost 50 percent of those pets are dogs. The service, which can be booked online, will tour 15 tourist hotspots across Italy for one day each month until April 2026. Dog owners will be able to leave their pets with trained minders at the entrances of selected museums. The dogs will then be walked and fed while their owners roam free inside each institution. (January)

2. GIANT PANDAS IN WASHINGTON, D.C.: The zoo welcomed two new bears, Bao Li and Qing Bao. In a ceremonial opening of the Asia Trail exhibit, the Zoo was declared as the "District of Panda." Hotels, restaurants, and even the Washington, D.C. public library got into the panda spirit: "Check out panda-themed books, stream documentaries about the species, create a panda paper mache mask, and more." (January)

3. HONOR FOR MATTEL: Mattel received the Evelyn Y. Davis Corporate Changemaker Award to recognize the societal impact of its Barbie brand to empower ALL to explore the wonder of childhood and reach their full potential. According to Toy World Magazine, "Evelyn Y. Davis, the namesake of the Corporate Changemaker Award, and Ruth Handler, Mattel's co-founder, first corporate president, and Barbie's creator, both shared a vision of challenging how women are perceived in society. Evelyn was an advocate for transparency, accountability, and gender equity in the corporate world, while Ruth revolutionized the toy industry by creating toys that challenged traditional gender roles and empowered girls to dream big." (March)

4. BLUE ORIGIN: Jeff Bezos' aerospace company, Blue Origin, sent an all-female crew to space. The crew included singer Katy Perry; morning TV host Gayle King; Bezo's fiance Lauren Sanchez who brought the mission together; space engineer Aisha Bowe; civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen; and film producer Kerianne Flynn (whose credits include "This Changes Everything" (2018) about the history of women in Hollywood and "Lilly" (2024), which was a tribute to fair-pay advocate Lilly Ledbetter. (April)

5. 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF JAWS: "When "Jaws" first came out in 1975, we virtually knew nothing about sharks, and nobody knew how important of a role they play in their ecosystem," explained Megan Winton, a scientist at the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy on Cape Cod. As reported by USA Today, "On Martha's Vineyard − the real-life version of Steven Spielberg's fictional Amity Island − planning for the 50th anniversary of "Jaws" has been in the works for years. There will be screenings of the film and a documentary about its production, a live performance of the movie's famous score, and parties where fans can meet some of the cast and crew. Most shops and restaurants are decked out with "Jaws"-themed merchandise from custom-poured shark candles to a bloody-looking cranberry sweet treat at Murdick's Fudge." (Summer)

6. PUFFINS IN ICELAND: IFLScience reported, "In Iceland, as summer draws to a close, locals give baby puffins a helping hand as they leave their burrows for the first time and attempt to find the ocean. It's a long-held tradition in the Westman Islands, where puffins nest in large numbers. The island cluster is home to the largest puffin colony in the world with around 830,000 breeding pairs - approximately 20 percent of the global population - arriving each spring/summer to mate and lay their eggs. As nights begin, puffin chicks (known as pufflings) start to flee the nest, embarking on an often-treacherous journey to the sea. The baby birds are guided by the light of the moon, but tend to be drawn by the bright city lights, and instead, head inland. Their wings are too weak to take off again, so they can end up stranded on the island, where they make easy prey for local predators. To set them back on the right course, the people of Iceland will intervene. There are designated rescue teams and hundreds of volunteers who scour the nearby towns and villages each night, scoop up hapless pufflings, take them home, and gently throw them off a cliff the next morning. Rescuers can scoop up as many as 10 pufflings a night during the peak. Once in the air, the pufflings know how to handle the rest." (September)

7. MATTEL’S BARBIE AND MUSEUM OF MODERN ART: A limited-edition series of toy brands from Mattel were reimagined through the lens of modern art and New York City's Museum of Modern Art's timeless influence on global design. These include Barbie, Hot Wheels, and more. According to MoMA's website, "As the collection’s centerpiece, the MoMA-inspired Barbie captures the essence of modern creativity — sleek lines, abstract color palettes, and fashion that echoes the harmony between art and individuality. Barbie's look feels at once timeless and contemporary, bridging childhood nostalgia with the sophistication of gallery-worthy design. Inspired by Vincent van Gogh’s masterpiece “The Starry Night,” the doll transforms one of the world’s most iconic paintings into couture fashion. Barbie wears an exquisite evening gown in swirling shades of deep blue and turquoise, echoing the brushstrokes and rhythm of Van Gogh’s night sky. The fabric captures the motion and emotion of the artwork, while her sculpted blonde hair, accented with shimmering blue tones, mirrors the painting’s luminous energy. Every detail — from the fluid silhouette of the dress to the sculptural curls framing her face — pays homage to Van Gogh’s vision of light and movement. The collection was available beginning in November online at Mattelcreations, MoMA’s website, and at MoMA Design Stores in New York and Japan.” (October)

8. LOUVRE THEFT IN PARIS, FRANCE: In news that shocked the world, on October 19th, thieves disguised as construction workers stole eight pieces of the French Crown Jewels valued at $100 million from the Apollo Gallery in the Louvre Museum in Paris, France. The robbery took less than eight minutes, of which the thieves spent four in the museum itself, and occurred during regular opening hours. Following the news of the Louvre break-in and robbery, the Cafe Saint Honore in Paris shared a post on Instagram of two teddy bears wearing red French beret hats climbing on the Louvre Museum's triangle - as if they were the thieves. In a related post, they shared a cover page of Le Parisien newspaper with the following story, "Breaking News: The Heist of the Century? Priceless pieces stolen from the world's most famous museum. The suspects were seen yesterday and captured in this photo, their whereabouts are still unknown. Some people claim to have seen them drinking tea at Cafe Saint Honore and acting suspicious. We're sure the bears at Cafe Saint Honore could only steal smiles. Neighbors in the area say they are extremely cute and adorable and the only thing they could steal would be smiles and tenderness." (October)

9. IKEA COLOR OF THE YEAR FOR 2026: With all the appropriate brands that announced their Colors of the Year for 2026, i.e., graphic design and paint color brands, this brand definitely stood out among the noise. According to Apartment Therapy, "Swedish furniture brand IKEA announced its 2026 Color of the Year as Rebel Pink, a hue that brings "a bold response to the need for joy, energy, and self-expression," explained Abbey Stark, home furnishing direction leader at IKEA U.S. "When selecting Rebel Pink as the Color of the Year for 2026, we looked deeply into macro trends across design, fashion, and culture, and how they influence life in our homes. We see [Rebel Pink] as a new neutral that energizes everyday spaces while staying true to Scandinavian simplicity; it’s not just a color, it’s a movement that invites people to push boundaries and embrace individuality.” The color is heavily featured in the new GREJSIMOJS collection, a set created by 12 designers that celebrates the importance of joy and play for both kids and adults. (December)

With all these changes, one wonders if brands that don’t make changes have staying power. Do logos and brand names need to be refreshed every so often? How do these changes impact brand equity and customer/fan/stakeholder recognition? These are important questions before considering, planning, and executing strategic branding changes.

Which brands will make news during 2026? Swing by #DebbieLaskeysBlog in January 2027 for a recap!

SHARE THIS: Your brand is what people say about you when you are not in the room. ~Jeff Bezos #BrandIdentity #BrandExperience #DebbieLaskeysBlog

Image Credit: Bright Pink Agency.

Sharing Some Celebratory Logos from 2025

Did you notice any brands that celebrated milestones during 2025? If yes, did you see any new or altered logos to reflect the celebrations?

Brand logos often feature years, numbers, colors, circles, and other design elements to reflect special milestones and anniversaries. The updated logos then appear on websites, social media, collateral, Zoom backgrounds, email signatures, and more.

Here are six brands that celebrated milestones during 2025:

THE MARINE MAMMAL CENTER

During 2025, the Marine Mammal Center, based in Sausalito, California, celebrated its 50th anniversary.

According to the nonprofit's website, "The Marine Mammal Center is celebrating 50 years of creating a healthy ocean for marine mammals and humans alike. With ocean conditions rapidly changing, this work is more important than ever. From its beginnings in 1975, the Center has held marine mammal welfare at its core. This remains true today, while our organization has grown and evolved significantly over the years — especially in the last decade. We continue to respond to marine mammals in distress and provide them with life-saving care, but our mission extends beyond that now. While much of this work is about giving individual patients the care they need for the best possible second chance, it is also about populations as a whole, the health of our ocean and human health.

As we celebrate our 50th anniversary, we celebrate the growth of the Center and our successes throughout the decades — including gaining insights from the more than 27,000 patients we’ve rescued, scientific discoveries that increase the understanding of our ocean’s health, achievements in student education and public outreach, contributions to endangered species conservation, efforts to advocate for a healthy ocean and more. Through our first 50 years of research, which has been cited in scientific literature more than 2,000 times, we have learned that the fate of marine mammals is closely linked to our own. By better understanding these connections and finding solutions for the threats marine mammals face, we take action to protect our future and inspire the next generation of ocean advocates. Our ocean is in trouble, and it is more important than ever to protect the marine ecosystems that are vital to the health of all life on Earth. We must educate and inspire people to act in support of ocean, marine mammal, and human health — our collective future depends on it. Will you join us for the next 50 years and beyond?"

CANINE COMPANIONS

During 2025, Canine Companions, based in San Rafael, California, celebrated its 50th anniversary.

According to the nonprofit's website, "Founded on July 4, 1975, Canine Companions made history by creating the concept of what is now the modern-day service dog. We have celebrated many milestones over the past five decades, but our mission remains the same: To provide expertly trained service dogs to individuals with disabilities and facility dogs to professionals, free of charge."

RADIO CITY ROCKETTES

During 2025, the Radio City Rockettes, an American precision dance company based in New York City, celebrated its 100th anniversary. Founded in 1925 in St. Louis, they have, since 1932, performed at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. They are best known for starring in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, an annual Christmas show, and for performing annually since 1957 at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. According to its website, "Rockettes are part of a legacy of women who inspire, empower, and create change together."

GEORGIA AQUARIUM

During 2025, the Georgia Aquarium, based in Atlanta, Georgia, and containing more than 11 million gallons of water, celebrated its 20th anniversary. Its mission is to inspire awareness and preservation of our ocean and aquatic animals worldwide.

According to the nonprofit's website, "Join Us in Our 20th Year. As we celebrate this milestone, we invite you to be part of our journey. Whether you’re visiting for the first time or the hundredth, there has never been a better time to experience the magic of Georgia Aquarium. Explore our galleries, witness the wonder of marine life up close, and join us in our mission to protect and preserve our ocean for generations to come."

And here are two more brands that stood out:

FRIENDS OF FONDATION DE FRANCE

During 2025, Friends of Fondation de France, based in New York City, celebrated its 25th anniversary of French-American philanthropy.

According to a press release on the organization's website, "For more than 250 years, France and the United States have shared a long-standing partnership that continues today. With July celebrated as French-American Heritage month to honor the significant contributions made to America by people of French descent, Friends of Fondation de France, a U.S. nonprofit, is also celebrating its 25th anniversary and the strong ties between the two countries strengthened by philanthropy. French-American philanthropy has been essential in sustaining important causes — from the restoration of Versailles by the Rockefeller family a century ago to the mobilization of U.S. support for restoration efforts after the Notre-Dame Cathedral fire in 2019, Friends of Fondation de France is dedicated to advancing French-American philanthropy on both sides of the Atlantic. Friends of Fondation de France enables U.S.-based donors to achieve their philanthropic visions with tax-deductible donations that support causes meaningful to them — in France and beyond. As a trusted partner of more than 180 nonprofit organizations, Friends of Fondation de France provides nonprofits with the tailor-made guidance needed to launch or grow their fundraising in the U.S."

Domitille Marchal Lemoine, executive director, Friends of Fondation de France, explained, "Philanthropy offers a powerful pathway to foster our shared values. As we celebrate the 25th anniversary of Friends of Fondation de France, I feel honored to be part of this rich legacy as today, more than ever, we strive to strengthen the special bond between both countries."

MICROSOFT

While a new logo didn't appear, this brand changed everyone's lives and celebrated its 50th anniversary during 2025. According to one Microsoft celebratory website, "With 50 years of history, we all have a memory with Microsoft tech. We’d love to hear your favorite tech memories, moments of impact, or Microsoft story. Share it on social with #Microsoft50."

Satya Nadella, Chairman and CEO, shared the following remarks at Microsoft’s 50th anniversary, "Fifty years ago, Bill Gates and Paul Allen started Microsoft with a simple but powerful idea: to build technology so people everywhere could build more technology. The very first product Microsoft built was the Basic interpreter for the Altair, giving people the power to create software, jumpstarting the PC revolution, and creating an entirely new sector for our economy...This is why we are leading this new wave of AI innovation and more importantly, democratizing it, just like we did with the PC. From there we’ve gone to chat, to multi file edits, and now to agents. More than 150 million developers in nearly every country around the world are using GitHub...Ultimately, it all comes down to our mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. I’ve always thought of Microsoft as a platform and partner-first company, and this has only been possible because of our customers, our partners and developers, and our 1.6 million employees, past and present, who have connected their passion with our purpose to get us where we are today. And it’s you who will continue to build this company to have impact around the world well into the future."

What other celebratory brands and/or logos stood out during 2025? Chime in and share.

SHARE THIS: Design is the silent ambassador of your brand. ~Paul Rand, designer of IBM logo #LogoDesign #DebbieLaskeysBlog

Image Credits: The Marine Mammal Center, Canine Companions, Radio City Rockettes, and Georgia Aquarium.

Learn more about the brands and their exciting milestones featured in this post:

https://www.marinemammalcenter.org/celebrating-50-years-of-the-marine-mammal-center

and

https://www.marinemammalcenter.org/timeline-of-the-marine-mammal-center

and

https://canine.org/50thanniversary/

and

https://www.rockettes.com/rockettes-100/

and

https://www.georgiaaquarium.org/celebrating-20-years/

and

https://www.friendsoffdf.org/news/

Recent Marketing News: Brand Celebrations, Public Domain Brands, and More

During the last couple of weeks, there were news stories that reflected anniversary or celebration marketing, brand alignment, brand identity, brand experiences, brand packaging, brand positioning, brand storytelling, brand strategy, marketing roles, personal branding, and more.

A TALE OF TARIFFS, FEDEX, BARBIE, AND CHRISTMAS

The Winnipeg Sun reported, "A Boston grandmother was briefly hit with an $802 U.S. tariff bill after a $30 Barbie doll shipped from Canada was mistakenly declared at nearly 100 times its actual value, triggering steep duties on paper. FedEx has since removed the charge, saying the error stemmed from incorrect customs paperwork prepared during shipment. 

Bonnie O’Connell told the National Post that the doll — purchased for about CA$30 — was meant as a Christmas gift for her four-year-old granddaughter, who recently started skating and enjoys Barbie dolls. O’Connell found the item on Walmart’s Canadian website and asked a cousin in Nova Scotia to buy it and ship it to her home in Massachusetts. The package arrived without issue, but weeks later O’Connell received a bill from FedEx for US$802. 

According to O’Connell, a FedEx clerk told her cousin that FedEx would handle the customs paperwork. When the form was completed, the declared value of the doll (CA$29.97) was mistakenly entered as nearly CA$2,997 due to a misplaced decimal point. Then, after converting the inflated value to U.S. dollars and applying a 35 percent tariff on Canadian goods imposed by the Trump administration, customs officials assessed duties of roughly US$742. Additional FedEx fees brought the total bill to US$802.

O’Connell questioned why the package was delivered if duties were owed. She said FedEx initially told her the dispute could take months to resolve. After receiving a final demand notice, she contacted a Boston television station, which raised the issue with the carrier. Following media inquiries, FedEx removed the charge from her account."

UPDATES REGARDING TARIFFS

CNN reported, "The US Commerce Department is poised to significantly reduce the tariffs set to take effect on over a dozen Italian pasta makers’ products later this year. Most products from the European Union are already subject to tariffs of at least 15 percent. The pasta-specific tariffs, initially proposed in October at 92 percent, would have subject Italian pasta to a total rate of 107 percent. The newly announced rates would put the levies between 24 to 29 percent. The final rates will be announced on March 12th."

ABC News reported, "In October, the White House imposed a 25 percent tariff on upholstered furniture, kitchen cabinets, and vanities. Rates for cabinets and vanities were set to go up to 50 percent in 2026, while upholstered wooden furniture (sofas and chairs) were set to increase to 30 percent. Now, the 25 percent tariff will remain in effect until January 1st, 2027."

DISAPPEARING RETAIL BRANDS DURING 2025

According to CNN, during 2025, "Shoppers said farewell to a number of well-known retailers. These included: Forever 21, Joann, Party City, and Rite Aid."

END OF NEW YORK CITY METROCARDS

On December 31st, New Yorkers saw the end of MetroCards. The Guardian reported, "First, New Yorkers saw the elimination of subway token, which lasted for half a century. Now, its successor – the swipeable MetroCard, which lasted more than three decades – has seen its demise. The transit system will fully transition to Omny, a contactless payment system that allows riders to tap their credit card, phone, or other smart device to pay fares, much as they do for other purchases. The MetroCard also became a vehicle for promotions, with the city issuing commemorative editions, including one to mark baseball’s home team World Series between the New York Mets and the New York Yankees in the 2000. David Bowie, Olivia Rodrigo, the Wu-Tang Clan, the Notorious BIG, and LL Cool J also graced the card over the years, as did New York TV shows such as Seinfeld and Law & Order. And the MetroCard required a certain technique to use, demanding a special angle of attack and velocity through the turnstile sensor to be read correctly – a learned technique that separated New Yorkers from interlopers."

According to ABC7NY, "Transit officials say more than 90 percent of subway and bus trips are now paid using the tap-and-go system, introduced in 2019. And major cities around the world, including London and Singapore, have long used similar contactless systems. In the U.S., San Francisco launched a pay-go system earlier this year, joining Chicago and others. Still, new changes come with tradeoffs, with some critics raising concerns about data collection and surveillance. Near Times Square on a recent morning, Ronald Minor was among the dwindling group of "straphangers" still swiping MetroCards. The 70-year-old Manhattan resident said he's sad to see them go. He has an OMNY card but found the vending machines to reload it more cumbersome."

GREENLAND STATUS

CNN reported that Denmark’s foreign minister was “deeply upset” by US President Trump’s appointment on December 22nd of a special envoy to Greenland who openly declared that he wished to see the island become part of the United States. While Trump has repeatedly stated that he wants to annex Greenland, both Greenland and Denmark, a NATO ally of the US, are staunchly opposed to the idea. Trump announced the appointment of Jeff Landry, the Governor of Louisiana, as ‌special envoy to Greenland, "Jeff understands how essential Greenland is to our national security, and will strongly advance our country’s interests for the safety, security, and survival of our allies, and indeed, the World."

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen reiterated their opposition to US plans to take over Greenland, stating "You cannot annex another country. Not even with an argument about international security. Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders, and the US shall not take over Greenland."

THE END OF SPRINKLES

Sprinkles closed its doors and cupcake ATM machines on December 31st. USA Today reported, "Founder Candace Nelson announced the chain's store closures in a social media post on December 31st, which read: "Today is Sprinkles' final day. I’m deeply grateful to the fans, customers, and community who showed up, celebrated with us, and made Sprinkles part of their traditions - and to the team who made it all happen. I’ll always be proud of what we built." Nelson started Sprinkles in 2005 with only a KitchenAid mixer and a big idea. After the first location in Beverly Hills, the company expanded across the United States (Arizona, Florida, Nevada, Texas, Utah, and Washington, D.C.), and launched the "Cupcake ATM," a 24/7 vending machine that allowed customers to purchase cupcakes outside of business hours. In 2012, Nelson sold the company to a private equity firm.

KTLA5 reported, "Tastewise, which tracks consumer trends, said in their 2025 report, that social chatter on cupcakes decreased 15.59 percent over the previous year. But they reported that there are still an astounding 52,000+ restaurants with cupcakes on the menu. Essfeed, which tracks the industry, says the global cupcake market is expected to reach $13.5 billion this year—although it also points out that consumers are now more health-conscious, and that’s forcing markets, including cupcakes, to respond to changing demands. Consumer Confidential reporter David Lazarus agrees and says changing demands may be bad news for top retailers of sweets, 'The simple fact is that cupcakes, while yummy, aren’t addressing the needs of younger consumers seeking healthier foods and snacks.'"

PLACES WITHOUT OPEN DOORS FOR 2026

CNN shared a roundup of the museums, spiritual sites, and theme park rides that will be off limits in 2026:

*Museum of Collecting and Design: "Founded in Las Vegas, the museum was an ode to Jessica Oreck’s love of all things tiny. Travelers could come in and admire the collection or make a flatlay of itsy-bitsy erasers or one-inch figurines. After the strip mall that housed it was designated for demolition, Oreck took the show on the road, driving the collection around the United States. The physical museum is no more, and it’s unclear if it will find another permanent home."

*Centre Pompidou: "Paris’ Centre Pompidou, which opened in the 1970s with a revolutionary inside-as-outside design, is taking a break to renovate its spaces, improve accessibility and remove asbestos. The museum will reopen in 2030. (According to CNN Travel, "When it first opened in 1977, the Centre Pompidou sent shockwaves through Parisian society. The mammoth cultural center, with its industrial exterior and brightly colored exposed pipes, stood out like a sore thumb on the fringes of the French capital’s historic Marais district. Its inside-out construction could not have been further from the surrounding buildings, created in Georges-Eugène Haussmann’s 19th century renovation of Paris, with their trademark tall windows and wrought iron balconies. But that was the point. When former French president Georges Pompidou laid out his vision for the attraction, which would go on to take his name, he was inspired by the eye-catching architecture of modern museums like the Guggenheim in New York. As it approaches its 50th birthday, the Pompidou is preparing to close for five years in order to embark on the latest stage of that evolution. It may not have a Da Vinci, but the art at the Pompidou is no less impressive, with its permanent collection of 140,000 pieces featuring the likes of Picasso, Matisse and Chagall. Around 3.2 million people visit every year for exhibitions, movies and performances — and to take advantage of the national library.")"

*Gounsa Temple: "The 1,300-year-old Gounsa Temple in South Korea’s Uiseong County, a major Buddhist landmark, was burned to the ground by a wildfire that swept through the area in March 2025. The temple, along with three others nearby, is undergoing restoration, but there’s currently no firm timeline in place for reopening."

*Bayeux Tapestry: "The 11th-century series of cloths depicting the English Conquest is one of the world’s oldest and best-preserved forms of visual history. As such, it deserves a good home. Bayeux, the town in northern France that gave the tapestry its name, is in the midst of an ambitious project to update and expand the museum that houses it. The museum shut in August 2025 and aims to reopen in 2027, the centennial of William the Conqueror’s birth."

*Rivers of America at Walt Disney World: "The latest area due for transition is Rivers of America, which includes Tom Sawyer Island and the Liberty Square Riverboat. The area will be turned into a themed land based on the “Cars” franchise that Disney has said is part of the largest expansion in the history of Magic Kingdom."

*Bluestockings: "This pioneering downtown New York City bookstore just couldn’t survive gentrification. The feminist, worker-owned shop, which opened its doors in 1999, announced its closure in September."

*Paris Catacombs: "One of Paris’ most spooky attractions, the bones of millions of former Parisians are on view in this nearly one-mile-long tunnel. A former limestone mine, it sits underneath the fashionable Montparnasse neighborhood. The catacombs are under repair and due to open sometime in 2026."

*The Met Museum Rooftop: "New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art isn’t closing — but its rooftop is. The roof, which has long been a spot for site-specific works, is one of the areas the museum is upgrading and expanding over the next five years. When it reopens in 2030, it will increase from 7,500 to 10,000 square feet — all the better for those group photos."

*Contemporary Art Museum (CAM) of Raleigh, North Carolina: "Raleigh’s contemporary art museum announced an indefinite pause in mid-2025. In an announcement, the museum said it was “taking a collective breath — not to step back, but to look forward. We’re exploring bold new ways to engage our audiences, fund our mission, and serve our community with greater impact."

UNIQUE NEW YEAR'S EVE AND DAY CELEBRATIONS

MAINE: National Geographic reported, "At midnight each New Year’s Eve, in tiny Eastport, Maine, an eight-foot-long illuminated sardine descends into the main square for revelers to kiss as the clock strikes 12. Fireworks and brass band music add to the spectacle for attendees, many of whom wear homemade sardine-shaped hats. The event pays tribute to Eastport’s fishing heritage. In the early 1900s, the island town near the Canadian border held 18 canneries."

MISSOURI: National Geographic reported, "Missouri’s oldest town, Ste. Genevieve, was established in the 1730s by French settlers. Now, their descendants celebrate this heritage each December 31st with La Guignolée, an ancient French New Year’s wassailing or caroling custom. Troupes of costumed singers, dancers, and fiddlers perform in and around the 18th- and 19th-century buildings in this historic town, an hour’s drive south of St. Louis."

KEY WEST, FLORIDA: According to Southern Most Beach Resort, "As thousands gather on Duval Street, all eyes turn to the roof of Sloppy Joe’s Bar, where a giant, illuminated conch shell—the symbol of the Florida Keys—slowly descends. The crowd cheering and counting down as the conch shell drops to mark the stroke of midnight."

BAHAMAS: National Geographic reported, "A Bahamian New Year's Day tradition since the 18th century, Junkanoo (a burst of music, dance, storytelling, and parades) revolves around pulsing street parades, enlivened by cowbells, whistles, horns, and goatskin drums. Many participants don bold outfits created in communal studios called “shacks,” where elders teach youths costume design, an experience considered a rite of passage."

PARIS BAGUETTE HEADS TO MEXICO

French-style bakery Paris Baguette plans to open 150 bakeries during 2026 in Canada and Mexico with plans for future growth in Central and South America. The bakery chain, which began in Korea in 1988, has 3,700 locations in Korea, and 270 locations in 28 US states and Canada. Paris Baguette North American CEO Darren Tipton plans to reach 1,000 locations in the United States and 100 in Canada by 2030.

STARBUCKS' NEW MARKETING COLLABORATION ROLE

In late December, Starbucks hired a senior manager from E.l.f. Cosmetics in a new marketing role to create fashion and beauty collaborations. Digiday reported, "Neiv Toledano has joined Starbucks as its senior marketing manager of fashion and beauty. While Starbucks has always had employees who have worked on collaborations, including in the fashion and beauty spaces, this is a first-of-its-kind dedicated role and a signal that Starbucks is placing a bigger premium on these types of partnerships. At E.l.f., Toledano worked on collaborations with buzzy brands like Stanley and Liquid Death."

According to Eunice Shin, founder and CEO of global brand and growth strategy consultancy Elume Group, "Engagement with fashion and beauty has long been part of the Starbucks DNA, to some degree. At the most basic level, the coffee brand someone carries is an element of "social signaling," similar to the shoes they wear or the handbag they carry."

On a related note, Starbucks has signed on to be the official coffee partner of the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games and Team USA.

REVERSAL OF STARBUCKS' GROWTH STRATEGY

CNN reported, "Starbucks spent years trying to become an inescapable storefront on the streets of New York, Los Angeles, and other big cities in America. Now that’s coming to an end. Its expansion once seemed limitless. It was even a joke. In 1998, an Onion headline read “New Starbucks Opens In Rest Room of Existing Starbucks.” But Starbucks is now struggling, and its strategy of saturating urban areas to draw coffee drinkers on their way to work in the morning has backfired amid competition, the rise of remote work, and rising costs. So CEO Brian Niccol, hired last year from Chipotle to revive Starbucks, no longer wants its stores to be right next to each other. Starbucks closed roughly 400 stores nationwide that are concentrated in large metro areas as part of its $1 billion restructuring plan. Starbucks closed 42 locations in New York, or 12 percent of its total in the city. It recently lost its top spot as the largest chain in Manhattan to Dunkin’, according to Center for an Urban Future, a New York City think tank that tracks chain openings and closings. Starbucks also reportedly closed more than 20 locations in Los Angeles during 2025; 15 in Chicago; seven in San Francisco; six in Minneapolis; five in Baltimore; and dozens more in other cities."

WORLD'S OLDEST RESTAURANT CELEBRATES 300 YEARS

According to the Smithsonian Magazine, "Sobrino de Botin, confirmed by the Guiness Book of World Records as the oldest restaurant in the world, just celebrated 300 years of scintillating history. Opened in 1725 in the center of Madrid, it’s the longest continuously running restaurant on record—they kept the soldiers fed during the Spanish Civil War, and they even stoked the flames of their 300-year-old oven every day during the Covid-19 pandemic when the world was on lockdown.

The four-story building, originally a private home, dates to at least 1590, not long after Phillip II moved his royal court to Madrid. In the 18th century, a man named Candido Remis took over the building and opened a tavern, naming it Sobrino de Botin, or "nephew of Botin." French chef Jean Botín, Remis' famous uncle by marriage, had worked in the Court of the Hapsburgs.

Back then, restaurants were very different than the establishments of today. Botin was a casa de comida, a house of food, meant for weary merchants and traders who peddled their goods in the nearby Plaza Mayor market, just outside the city walls. “There’s a myth that people were worried that if taverns served food, the men would never go back home to their wives,” says culinary anthropologist Floriana Gennari. To eat at a casa de comida, travelers would bring their own ingredients and the tavern cook would prepare a meal for them. It wasn’t until the 1800s that Botín became a confectionery, and then finally began calling itself a restaurant, emulating the new style of dining in France, characterized by table service and a refined menu—an indulgence meant only for the upper class."

STAR TREK CELEBRATES 60 YEARS

According to TrekMovie.com, "2026 is a milestone year, marking the 60th anniversary of the debut of Star Trek: The Original Series. The actual anniversary arrives on Star Trek Day in September, but why wait? Celebrations kicked off on January 1st during the nationally broadcast Rose Parade in Pasadena, California, with a Star Trek float and its theme “Space for Everybody.” The design featured classic Trek elements including a big USS Enterprise and transporters, and celebrity guests from various iterations of the show. Paramount also plans more 60th anniversary celebrations.

On January 15th, Star Trek will launch a show about the famed Starfleet Academy. Set after the events of Discovery in the 32nd century, the new series will focus on a diverse class of cadets with a faculty that includes familiar faces like Voyager’s Robert Picardo. This show is Trek’s biggest attempt to attract that coveted young demographic, so Paramount has lined up some big TikTok influencers to help with the upcoming promotional push. It remains to be seen if the new show will attract this target market, expand the audience, and still keep the current older Trek fans subscribing to Paramount+ all at the same time."

And according to StarTrek.com, "Star Trek: The Cruise will set sail February 20-27th, offering fans a week filled with once-in-a-lifetime experiences in celebration of the franchise's 60th anniversary. Joining the voyage are legacy Star Trek actors William Shatner and Walter Koenig, along with more than 20 actors from across the Star Trek universe, who will commemorate the milestone alongside fans with special events and activities honoring six decades of Star Trek's iconic shows and films. The brand will also partner with DoSomething, the national hub for youth-centered leadership and service, to boldly go into 2026 with “Boldly Go Green,” a new campaign centered around making an environmental impact in multiple locations in celebration of Star Trek's 60th anniversary."

JACK IN THE BOX CELEBRATES 75 YEARS

The fast-food brand kicked off its 75th anniversary, launching a year-long celebration packed with throwback menu items, exclusive collectibles, craveable deals, and surprises. According to a press release, "For 75 years, Jack in the Box has done fast food differently; pioneering the drive-thru, serving burgers and tacos side by side, and building a cult following fueled by bold flavors and even bolder ideas. Now, Jack in the Box is celebrating the milestone the best way he knows how: by bringing back fan favorites, limited edition collectables, and giving the Jack Pack plenty to look forward to all year long.

Leading the 75th anniversary celebration is the return of one of the most-requested items in Jack in the Box history: the Chicken Supreme. First introduced in 1980 and retired in 2004, the cult-favorite sandwich is officially back and ready to reclaim its throne as the first of several nostalgic menu returns planned throughout the year. Debuting alongside the Chicken Supreme are Jibbis, Jack in the Box’s new lineup of limited-edition collectible bag charms. Packed inside every Chicken Supreme Munchie Meal, Jibbis are made to be clipped, collected, and shown off — because one charm is never enough. There are four Jibbis to collect, including Spicy, Saucey, Icy, and the ultra-rare “The Boss.” Whether you score one or chase them all, these mini icons are for a limited time only. And Kicking Off 75 Years the Jack Way: 2 Tacos for $0.75: There’s no better way to celebrate 75 years of Jack in the Box than with the item that’s defined us for decades: tacos. As a burger brand famously known for tacos, Jack is kicking off its anniversary with a nod to one of its most iconic menu items. On January 6th, new and existing Jack Pack members can score 2 Tacos for $0.75, available exclusively through the Jack app for one day only. To keep the celebration going, Jack will roll out 75 Days of Trivia throughout the year, serving up in-app trivia questions tied to key dates and fan-favorite moments. Guests who answer correctly will unlock same-day offers, giving fans even more reasons to check in, play along, and come back for more."

WINNIE THE POOH CELEBRATES 100 YEARS

The BBC reported, "Winnie-the-Pooh was first featured in the short story The Wrong Sort of Bees published in the newspaper London Evening News on December 24th, 1925. The bear soon became loved world-wide, alongside Tigger, Christopher Robin, the game of Pooh sticks, and the fictional 100 Aker Wood, which was in reality Ashdown Forest, East Sussex, where author AA Milne had a country home."

On December 22nd, The Walt Disney Company unveiled the official Winnie the Pooh 100th Anniversary logo to kick off celebrations for 2026. This milestone marks 100 years since the character's debut on December 24th, 1925. The anniversary logo features Pooh Bear alongside an iconic red balloon with "100 Years" text. As part of the upcoming celebrations, Winnie the Pooh is scheduled to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on April 11th, 2026."

SHARE THIS: A day without a friend is like a pot without a single drop of honey left inside. ~Winnie the Pooh #WinniethePooh100Years #BrandStorytelling #DebbieLaskeysBlog

SHARE THIS: Life is a journey to be experienced, not a problem to be solved. ~Winnie the Pooh #WinniethePooh100Years #BrandStorytelling #DebbieLaskeysBlog

SHARE THIS: Nobody can be uncheered with a balloon. ~Winnie the Pooh #WinniethePooh100Years #BrandStorytelling #DebbieLaskeysBlog

In other Disney news, Disney California Adventure, Disney's second gate in Anaheim, California, opened in 2001. Disney will celebrate the park's 25th Anniversary during 2026 with special food, merchandise, and character outfits; and Tokyo's DisneySea will also celebrate its 25th Anniversary during 2026 and will begin its "Sparkling Jubilee" on April 15th, 2026.

ROUTE 66 CELEBRATES 100 YEARS

According to Google AI, "2026 marks the Route 66 Centennial, celebrating 100 years since its establishment in 1926, with events and initiatives happening throughout the year across the eight states it traverses (Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California), including a national kickoff in Springfield, Missouri, in April, grants for local revitalization, and a major push for preservation, tourism, and research. Big celebrations, special tours, and local festivities are planned to commemorate the "Mother Road's" legacy, with many organizations and communities preparing for increased visitors. Since Springfield, Missouri, has been designated as the "birthplace of Route 66," it will host the national kickoff on April 30, 2026, marking the day the highway was officially named." 

BRANDS ENTER PUBLIC DOMAIN IN 2026

During 2026, the following artistic works or brands enter the public domain during 2026. Anyone can copy, share, perform, or adapt these works without needing permission or paying royalties. By being in the public domain, new art, films, and media can be built upon these classic brands, which may foster cultural preservation and innovation.

*Films: "All Quiet on the Western Front," "Animal Crackers," "Morocco," "The Big Trail," and "Hell's Angels"

*Characters: The original Betty Boop, Pluto (the dog), and Miss Marple

*Books: The Maltese Falcon (Dashiell Hammett) and As I Lay Dying (William Faulkner)

*Music (Compositions): "Georgia on My Mind," "Dream a Little Dream of Me," "I Got Rhythm," "Embraceable You," "But Not for Me," and "I've Got a Crush on You"

*Art: Piet Mondrian's "Composition with Red, Blue, and Yellow"

According to Jennifer Jenkins, the director of Duke University Law School's Center for the Study of the Public Domain, who has compiled an annual list of public domain entrants for over a decade, "Books tend to become cheaper — and available in more editions — once they enter the public domain. A lot of creative works from the 1930s haven't been in print for decades, and ownership questions have kept many from being available online at all — at least while they were under copyright. Publishing houses go out of business, people die, ownership changes hands. Another benefit is that third parties can now digitize old films and sound recordings that have physically deteriorated over the decades — allowing for their preservation and wider distribution."

TIMES SQUARE'S CELEBRATION FOR AMERICA'S 250TH ANNIVERSARY

The Associated Press (AP) reported, "After the crystal ball drops on New Year's Eve in New York City, it will rise again, sparkling in red, white, and blue to usher in 2026 and kick off months of celebrations for the nation’s upcoming 250th birthday. The patriotic touches at this year's Times Square gathering, including a second confetti drop, will offer an early glimpse of what's ahead: hundreds of events and programs, big and small, planned nationwide to mark the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776...The stroke of midnight will also mark the official launch of America Gives, a national service initiative created by America250. Organizers hope to make 2026 the largest year of volunteer hours ever aggregated in the country."

America250 (the official nonpartisan organization charged by Congress to engage every American in celebrating and commemorating the Semiquincentennial, the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence) also revealed that the decorated Times Square Ball will drop again on July 3, 2026, marking the first time in history that the Ball will drop outside of New Year's Eve. The Fourth of July countdown moment will anchor America250’s nationwide Independence Day celebrations and reinforce New York City's central role in the nation's Semiquincentennial celebration.

THAT'S NOT DOROTHY IN KANSAS — IT'S BARBIE!

According to KCUR, "A theme park spotlighting famous toys including the Barbie brand and Hot Wheels is slated to come to Kansas powered by the state’s sales tax incentive for major developments. Bonner Springs officials in October approved a large tax incentive package to help the $540 million development of Mattel Adventure Park in Wyandotte County. The park will be built near an entertainment district in Kansas City, Kansas. That area already features shopping and sports venues, and it will likely be the new home of the Kansas City Chiefs' new $3 billion stadium.

It’s another major development project to which the state has committed future tax revenue through the Sales and Tax Revenue incentive, also known as STAR bonds. Those are loans secured by a municipality that are paid off through state and local sales tax revenue generated by the project. Sales taxes collected in the special district go to paying back the bonds instead of being collected by governments.

Developers told the city that the project consists of the theme park, an indoor rainforest, retail space, and hotels. The theme park will feature a Barbie Beach House, where visitors can build custom Barbie dolls, and a Hot Wheels rollercoaster, among several other toy-branded attractions. The developers estimate the development will create $190 million of annual revenue. Construction may begin in 2027, and the theme park could open in 2031. That’s the same year the Chiefs expect to open a new stadium in the same area.

The park may inspire visitors to purchase more toys made by Mattel, which would lead to an increase in sales tax revenue to help pay for the project, however, consumers are turning to online shopping. That could lead to a significant number of theme parks visitors to purchase toys online, possibly even after they’ve already left the state."

GEORGE CLOONEY BECOMES FRENCH CITIZEN

According to NPR, "A French government bulletin confirms that the country has granted citizenship to George Clooney, along with his wife, human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, and their 7-year-old twins. The Clooneys bought an 18th-century estate in Provence, France in 2021. In an Esquire interview this October, the Oscar-winning actor and filmmaker described the French "farm" as their primary residence, a decision he said was made with their kids in mind.

The Guardian reported, "Clooney’s affection for Italy has been long and mutual. In 2002, he bought a villa on Lake Como, and he and his wife, Amal Clooney, the British-Lebanese human rights barrister married in Venice in 2014. A 2012 profile of the actor noted that he was "fast becoming the most popular public figure in Italy...despite [being a man] who isn’t Italian, doesn’t speak Italian, and lives here only in summertime."

So why did the Clooneys not seek Italian citizenship? A clue may lie in the actor's praise for France’s privacy laws. In an interview with Esquire in October, Clooney said, "I was worried about raising our kids in LA, in the culture of Hollywood. I don't want them to be walking around worried about paparazzi. I don't want them being compared to somebody else's famous kids."

Italian rules over publishing photographs of people in public without their consent have strengthened over the past decade, and are tighter than those in the US. Yet France's are nonetheless more stringent, and the climate surrounding celebrity less excitable, especially in rural areas. Meanwhile, the secluded location of the Clooneys' French estate acts a significant deterrent to those hoping for a photo. By contrast, anyone with a rowing boat can in theory gain a commanding view of the villas overlooking Lake Como."

2025 WAS THE YEAR OF THE OCTOPUS

According to the UK's Wildlife Trust, it has been 75 years since there were as many octopus in British waters as there are now, so, as a result, the Trust named 2025 the "Year of the Octopus." Scientists believe that milder winters lead to the bloom, which is the term for octopus birthing seasons.

FUTURE OF LEADERSHIP IN 2026

Rolling Stone reported, "The year 2026 doesn’t feel like the future. It feels like a paradox. On one side, the exponential rise of AI is demanding more speed, more output, and more optimization. On the other, the social and cultural climate is fraying under pressure, burnout is rampant, trust is eroding, and people are longing for depth, connection, and meaning. Professionally and culturally, we are trapped in a binary mindset, a system of “either/or” thinking that is no longer serving us. You’re told you must choose: profit or purpose. Be competitive or caring. Prioritize technology or protect humanity. Move fast or be mindful. These false dichotomies are exhausting. They’re the mental software of burnout, compelling leaders and teams to sever parts of themselves just to fit into a model of work that can no longer accommodate the complexity we’re living in. But the truth is: complexity doesn’t require clarity by subtraction, it requires clarity by synthesis.

Jim Collins gave this a name: The Genius of the AND. He studied visionary companies that endured and outperformed, and discovered a common thread: leaders who refused the tyranny of “either/or.” Instead of choosing between short-term results or long-term vision, companies pursued both. They held paradoxes, discipline and creativity, continuity and change, idealism and pragmatism, in productive tension. That same mindset isn’t just helpful in 2026. It’s essential. We’re no longer in a world where opposites can be kept in separate silos. Today, leaders must master the ability to lead across contradiction: automation and authenticity, acceleration and stability, profit and people. In a post-pandemic, AI-driven world, AND is no longer just a conjunction, it’s the essential grammar of leadership.

Our most pressing challenge in 2026: the rise of AI. Many leaders feel they must choose: embrace AI and lose the human spirit, or reject AI and fall behind. But the real opportunity is in refusing that choice. AI is not here to erase people, it’s here to elevate them. The most effective leaders of the next decade won’t just manage people or technology. Our task is to strengthen what AI can’t replicate — our wisdom, empathy, creativity, and judgment — and then leverage AI for what it does best...It means building teams who know when to accelerate and when to recover. And above all, it means rejecting the false choice between speed or stillness, and embracing the creative tension that lives in both."

IRISH WOMEN CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS IN JANUARY

National Geographic reported, "The highlight of the season is Nollaig na mBan (pronounced "Null-ig na Mahn"), also known as Women’s Christmas, Little Christmas, or Little Women’s Christmas. On Nollaig na mBan, gender roles reverse, and it’s a day for women to rest. The holiday, which is an Irish folk tradition, falls on January 6th, the twelfth and final day of Christmas and the Feast of Epiphany, when Catholics commemorate the visit of the three wise men. This year, pubs and restaurants in Ireland will be filled with women celebrating on January 6th, but that’s not the only way women will mark the day. Women participate in poetry events, lunches, and sea swims to fundraise for charities like Women’s Aid and many, like the National Women’s Council, also use the day to bring awareness to important issues affecting women like domestic violence and childcare."

PANTONE COLOR OF THE YEAR 2026 — UPDATE

In December, global color authority Pantone announced its 2026 Color of the Year as Cloud Dancer, a version of white - and the first time white has been chosen since Pantone began naming a color of the year in 1999. TIME Magazine explained, "This year’s pick is meant to represent serenity and tranquility, which Pantone says is ever in need in a frenetic society. Cloud dancer calls back to the need for human connection."

According to Thomas McMillan, professor of practice in marketing and director of the Center for Retailing Innovation at Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School, "The choice favors safety over boldness, ultimately limiting its potential cultural and marketing impact. Cloud Dancer is widely viewed as underwhelming because white is already pervasive across retail. It dominates home interiors, apparel basics and packaging design, leaving little sense of discovery or novelty. When a trend authority selects a color that consumers already see everywhere, it can feel less like a forward-looking statement and more like confirmation of the status quo. In paint, every gallon begins as a white base, and color formulas are added to create every other shade. Beyond paint, white is the safest option across home, apparel and packaging because it is easy to live with, easy to match and rarely polarizing. Because white already serves as the starting point across categories, naming it Color of the Year reinforces an existing baseline rather than pushing consumer behavior in a new direction. Symbolic impact is about messaging and meaning. It reflects cultural themes like calm, reset or restraint and fuels conversation, editorial coverage and brand storytelling. The color serves as a shared creative platform that brands use for press, storytelling, and design credibility."

Some other comments included:

FROM INSTAGRAM: "Your choice is about as inspired as mayonnaise."

FROM INSTAGRAM: "Pantonedeaf."

FROM INSTAGRAM: "SO...you all sat down and had some meetings. Rolled around some ideas. And in all those meetings, not a single one of you...in this moment where white supremacy is in the news everyday...thought, 'Maybe now isn't the right time for this?"

Pantone shared the following statement behind the color's choice and surrounding controversy, "Cloud Dancer visually represents a space to create, like a blank page ready for you to turn your inspiration into reality. It gives us the ability to become receptive both to what can be and what’s ahead as Cloud Dancer suggests the inner peace we feel after clearing the noise around us. Cloud Dancer reflects a universally shared experience: wherever we are in the world, we all look up to the buoyant clouds for inspiration, wonder, and to spark imagination. In the simple act of looking up, we're connected by the drifting lightness of clouds. That universality is a huge part of why Cloud Dancer was selected as the Pantone Color of the Year 2026."

However, on a cute note, a two white cats share their adorable interpretation of the Pantone news on their Instagram account - check it out (https://www.instagram.com/sis.twins). Meow!

SHARE THIS: Brands that align their content with trending news have the potential to be memorable. ~@DebbieLaskeyMBA #DebbieLaskeysBlog #BrandStorytelling #SocialMediaTip

LOUVRE THEFT — UPDATE

According to the BBC, "Four more people from the Paris region have been arrested as part of the investigation into the theft of precious jewellery at the Louvre Museum. However, no trace has so far been found of the stolen jewels...Shortly after the theft, it was revealed by the Louvre's director that the only camera monitoring the Galerie d'Apollon was pointing away from a balcony the thieves climbed over to break in. The president of the Louvre, Laurence des Cars, has since admitted that the museum had failed in its responsibilities, but denied that security had been overlooked - saying that from the time she took office in 2021, she had been warning constantly of the need for more investment. Since the incident, security measures have been tightened around France's cultural institutions. And the Louvre has transferred some of its most precious jewels to the Bank of France following the heist."

LOUVRE THEFT FELT AROUND THE WORLD

The New York Times reported that, as a result of the brazen Louvre theft, American museums are in the process of reassessing their security measures with a focus on perimeter control, the adequacy of their security cameras, and the timely availability of armed responders. 

According to Anthony Amore, director of security at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, "The biggest takeaway is, 'Are your security people who watch your perimeter aware of who is working at the museum?'"

According to Geoffrey Kelly, a former member of the FBI Art Crime Team, "The most visited museum in the world, arguably the most famous museum in the world, to see it robbed in broad daylight, that was really shocking."

COUNTDOWN TO THE WINTER OLYMPICS

CNN reported, "For a few weeks in February, an 11.5-acre site in southeast Milan will house thousands of athletes participating in the 2026 Winter Games. But the important question surrounding Olympic villages, like Olympic stadiums, is: What happens next? The recent history of the Games, both summer and winter, features a trail of wasteful temporary housing or long-term residences that were difficult to sell (Rio de Janeiro), poorly maintained (Athens), or out of reach for low-income families (London).

In Milan, Italy’s most expensive rental market, architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) has designed an Olympic Village that can convert into an affordable 1,700-bed student residence within months of the closing ceremony. Helpfully, many athletes’ facilities — spaces for socializing, recreation and fitness — are needed by students, too. In fact, there’s so much overlap that Italian real estate developer Coima promises to have it ready in time for the fall 2026 semester. The project also presented an opportunity for urban regeneration. In addition to designing six new buildings, the architects restored two historic structures on the site, a former rail yard. And while the “village” moniker suggests a walled-off community, SOM considers this to be a “porous urban block” connected to the surrounding Porta Romana district via public pathways and green spaces. Future Olympic legacy planners will be watching with interest."

And let's not forget that the Super Bowl is quickly approaching with its expensive (and hopefully) memorable ads!

What other recent marketing buzz caught your attention? Since there's always something happening that impacts marketing, read #DebbieLaskeysBlog for the scoop!

Image Credits: The Walt Disney Company (Winnie the Pooh), Iriss Abyss (Sis.Twins on Instagram), Shutterstock (flags of Denmark and Greenland), Jack in the Box, and StarTrek.com.

Keep up-to-date on everything relating to the 60th anniversary celebration of Star Trek:

https://www.startrek.com/60

Read more about the oldest restaurant in the world:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/the-oldest-restaurant-in-the-world-just-turned-300-years-old-180987899/

Enjoy some timeless Winnie the Pooh quotes via Inc. Magazine and Southern Living:

https://www.inc.com/peter-economy/17-inspiring-winnie-the-pooh-quotes-about-love-kindness-acceptance.html

and

https://www.southernliving.com/culture/friendship-quotes-winne-the-pooh