2024's Marketing Campaigns: Creativity That Redefined Brands

1. Channel 4’s Considering What?

Channel 4 redefined its Paralympics narrative with the Considering What? campaign, a bold departure from its acclaimed “Superhumans” platform. This year, the broadcaster confronted viewers’ biases, asking them to reconsider their perception of Paralympians—not as individuals “overcoming disabilities” but as elite athletes at the pinnacle of their sports.

The campaign was a resounding success, achieving Channel 4’s highest audience share since 2012, with 20 million viewers across platforms. Social media engagement also soared, with over 41 million views on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram.

For marketers, this campaign underscores the importance of purpose-driven storytelling that challenges societal norms. It demonstrates that embracing uncomfortable truths can resonate deeply with audiences and foster meaningful change.

2. Charli XCX’s Brat

More than just an album launch, Charli XCX’s Brat became a cultural phenomenon in 2024. The campaign centered on “being Brat,” defined as confident, unapologetic, and a little messy—a concept that resonated widely. From her bold green branding to consistent messaging across platforms and collaborations, Charli turned Brat into a movement that brands and fans couldn’t ignore.

The album’s success was equally impressive, topping charts globally and earning critical acclaim. Its cultural influence extended beyond music, with brands hopping on the “Brat Summer” trend and even political figures, like Kamala Harris, embracing the term.

This campaign highlights the value of creating a cohesive identity. By turning Brat into an ethos, Charli XCX proved the power of consistent branding and its ability to transcend industries.

3. Gap’s music-driven campaigns

Gap breathed new life into its brand identity with music-centric campaigns featuring artists like Troye Sivan and Tyla. These initiatives blended vibrant choreography with viral TikTok tracks, tapping into the platform’s cultural relevance to engage younger audiences.

For example, Troye Sivan’s Get Loose campaign featured the pop star alongside dance group CDK Company, set to Thundercat’s viral hit “Funny Thing.” The campaign achieved impressive engagement metrics, with average view rates surpassing industry benchmarks and connecting with Gap’s Gen Z target demographic.

For marketers, Gap’s success demonstrates the power of aligning campaigns with cultural moments. By combining music, dance, and platform-specific strategies, Gap showed how brands can remain relevant and emotionally resonant in competitive markets.

4. Liquid Death’s unapologetically bold collaborations

Liquid Death maintained its reputation as a disruptor in 2024 with unconventional collaborations that kept the brand in the spotlight. Highlights included a corpse paint line with E.l.f. Cosmetics, a hot fudge sundae collaboration with Van Leeuwen, and the now-infamous Yeti casket cooler sold for $68,000.

These stunts generated massive social media impressions and reinforced Liquid Death’s unique brand identity. By leaning into humor and absurdity, the brand proved that bold ideas, executed with precision, can dominate conversations without relying on traditional advertising.

This campaign offers marketers a clear takeaway: differentiation doesn’t always require conformity to industry norms. Sometimes, defying convention is the most effective way to stand out.

5. Chili’s Big Smasher BurgerTime

Chili’s brought retro gaming to life with its Big Smasher BurgerTime campaign, a modern twist on the 1980s arcade classic BurgerTime. The campaign featured gamers constructing burgers while battling a fictional “Fast-Food Syndicate,” humorously emphasizing the value and quality of Chili’s offerings.

Over the 20-day campaign, players logged more than 8,000 hours of gameplay, and the campaign reinvigorated Chili’s nostalgic appeal while cementing its relevance in today’s competitive dining market.

For marketers, this effort demonstrates the enduring appeal of nostalgia when paired with a fresh, modern twist. By combining retro aesthetics with strategic messaging, brands can evoke positive emotions while promoting current offerings.

Lessons from 2024’s campaigns

What unites these standout campaigns is their ability to connect with audiences on deeper levels—whether through challenging societal norms, embracing cultural phenomena, or leveraging humor and nostalgia. Channel 4 demonstrated the power of reframing narratives, while Charli XCX and Gap showed how cultural alignment can drive massive engagement. Liquid Death and Chili’s, on the other hand, proved that bold creativity and fun can carve out unique spaces in crowded markets.

As we head into 2025, these campaigns serve as a blueprint for marketers aiming to innovate and resonate. The lesson is clear: bold ideas, executed with authenticity and precision, can captivate and inspire in even the most saturated landscapes.