With 2025 now history, it's time for my annual "Top 10" marketing highlights post — incredible that this is my 16th post featuring annual marketing highlights — and a traditional January 1st blog post.
What do you remember from the 2025 marketing reel? What stood out as marketing innovation, and what will go down in history that was as memorable as Apple's 1984 Super Bowl ad? Without further ado, let's get to it!
With a nod and thank you to David Letterman for the format, here's my list:
NUMBER 10: Jimmy Kimmel disappeared from late-night television in September. Following statements he made 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."
The letter read in part:
"Last week, Jimmy Kimmel was taken off the air after the government threatened a private company with retaliation, marking a dark moment for freedom of speech in our nation. In an attempt to silence its critics, our government has resorted to threatening the livelihoods of journalists, talk show hosts, artists, creatives, and entertainers across the board. This runs counter to the values our nation was built upon, and our Constitution guarantees. We know this moment is bigger than us and our industry. Teachers, government employees, law firms, researchers, universities, students and so many more are also facing direct attacks on their freedom of expression. Regardless of our political affiliation, or whether we engage in politics or not, we all love our country. We also share the belief that our voices should never be silenced by those in power – because if it happens to one of us, it happens to all of us. This is the moment to defend free speech across our nation. We encourage all Americans to join us, along with the ACLU, in the fight to defend and preserve our constitutionally protected rights."
Disney announced that Jimmy Kimmel's show would return on September 23, and at the beginning of his show, Kimmel 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.”
NUMBER 9: The movie that started the summer blockbuster tradition, JAWS, celebrated its 50th anniversary. There was a re-release in theaters across the country, and new anniversary merchandise was also available. According to The Legacy of John Williams, "On June 20th 1975, the film JAWS directed by Steven Spielberg was released in movie theaters across North America in 464 screens after a massive marketing campaign that made the movie an event not to be missed. It’s well known what happened right after, the seismic shift it represented for Hollywood’s film industry and for the career of its director."
NUMBER 8: On Inauguration Day, January 20th, President Trump announced a name change for the GULF OF MEXICO to GULF OF AMERICA. However, depending on one's country, Google showed different names for the body of water. Later in the year, Trump declared February 9th as GULF OF AMERICA DAY.
NUMBER 7: During Super Bowl XIL on February 9th, one ad stood out. In HELLMANN'S mayonnaise ad, actors Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan reprised their roles from the film "When Harry Met Sally" for a famous scene at Katz's Deli in New York City. This time, Meg Ryan needed some mayonnaise. This was a surprise ad, and for those of us who remember the film, the scene was hard to forget.
NUMBER 6: In August, singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur Taylor Swift announced her engagement to football pro Travis Kelce with a sweet post on Instagram. Many other brands followed with their own social media posts adding their brands to the news.
Marcus Collins, a professor at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business, wasn't surprised by all the brands that chimed in, but he was not impressed. He said, "Historically, brands have benefitted from quickly reacting to what's in the zeitgeist, like Oreo's famous "you can still dunk in the dark" Tweet during the 2013 Super Bowl blackout. But those successes have led brands to jump headlong into cultural conversations even when they have nothing to do with them. It's like we're jumping on things to be opportunistic, not to contribute anything."
However, Collins said that some brands still manage to strike the right balance when responding to pop culture phenomena, including the engagement news this week. He tipped his hat to Ralph Lauren, the designer of the black-and-white striped dress that Swift wore in her engagement photos. The retailer knocked the price down about 20 percent on its website, and it sold out in under 20 minutes. He said, "The brands that will be successful will be the ones that can find relevance and context with regards to the happening and what the brand is, beyond what it does. And the brands that will continue to [work against] themselves will be the ones that are, essentially, just jumping on the trends."
NUMBER 5: In November 2025, the Los Angeles Dodgers won the World Series for the second year in a row, the first time a Major League Baseball team has won back-to-back titles in 25 years.
NUMBER 4: In an unbelievable announcement, President Trump said that there was a link from Tylenol to Autism. 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. 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."
According to Medical Professionals Reference, "The maker of Tylenol is urging US health regulators not to add an autism warning label to it and other pain relievers containing acetaminophen, calling the request unsupported by the scientific evidence and legally and procedurally improper."
NUMBER 3: In August, 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. And according to UltimateWB, "The rebrand wasn’t cheap. Reports indicate that the total cost – including design, rollout, and marketing — came in at around $70 million. That’s a huge gamble for a logo change. And unfortunately, it didn’t pay off. The lesson is simple: know your audience. Loyal fans aren’t just customers; they’re custodians of your brand’s identity. Sometimes, trying to modernize can feel exciting in a boardroom. But out in the real world, tradition matters. And for Cracker Barrel, it turns out, tradition sells better than sleek minimalism."
According to The Hill, "Cracker Barrel, the “old country store” eatery that has been a staple of interstate detour dining since its growth in the 1990s, faced backlash and became a point of partisan conflict as the chain tries to meet modern times. The Southern-style restaurant/gift shop announced on August 20th that it was changing its logo: removing the old man and carefully sketched barrel, as well as the whipping "K" flourish over the restaurant’s name."
The brand's website explained the new marketing focus, "Cracker Barrel has been a destination for comfort and community for more than half a century, and this fifth evolution of the brand’s logo, which works across digital platforms as well as billboards and roadside signs, is a call-back to the original and rooted even more in the iconic barrel shape and word mark that started it all back in 1969. The new logo is sleek with few flourishes — nothing beyond brown text and a simple brown outlying loop on a deep golden background. But it quickly drew questions from people wondering what happened to the iconic man and barrel that featured in the old logo."
To add insult to injury, the Associated Press reported, "Cracker Barrel is suspending remodels of its restaurants after criticism from many longtime fans. The announcement came two weeks after Cracker Barrel backtracked on a separate plan to modernize and simplify its logo. Fans of the chain had also loudly criticized that move. Cracker Barrel said on September 9th that only four of its 660 restaurants had been remodeled as part of a test. The remodels, which began last year, added more comfortable seating, brighter lights, lighter paint, and a simplified assortment of antiques but kept signature elements like fireplaces."
NUMBER 2: With the arrival of the second installment of the WICKED movie franchise (WICKED: FOR GOOD) in theaters on November 21st directed by Jon M. Chu and starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, countless brands participated in cobranding products and initiatives. From toy brands to clothing brands to make-up brands to personal hygiene brands to fashion brands to kitchen cleaning product brands to food brands, it seemed like everywhere, the WICKED name with its pink and green color scheme appeared.
And finally, drum roll please...
NUMBER 1: 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. Investigators continue to search for the missing jewels and improve the museum's security systems.
What would you add to this list? Here's to 2026 and another year of marketing highlights. Happy New Year!
Image Credits: Cracker Barrel, MLB, and Universal Pictures/Jaws.
Read "50 Years of JAWS: A History of John Williams’ Classic Score"
https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2025/06/23/jaws-at-50-essay/
Read Brand Alignment Lessons (and Opportunities) from Taylor Swift (August 2025):
https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2025/08/brand-alignment-lessons-and.html
Read Fun Marketing Stories Surrounding the 2025 World Series (November 2025):
https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2025/11/fun-marketing-stories-surrounding-2025.html
Read WICKED: FOR GOOD Expands Reach by Co-Branding! (November 2025)
https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2025/11/wicked-for-good-expands-reach-by-co.html
