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Turn off your studio lights – product photography is not what it used to be. Now, imperfection is the new aesthetic. We’re seeing brands shift away from perfection and more towards personality. Instead of creating staged sets, brands are capturing chaotic backgrounds and unfiltered product moments. We’re so used to seeing products in the beginning stages – in their packaging, fresh out of the box, and unused. But today’s consumers are craving those “in the wild” moments. They want to see products on cluttered counters and halfway used because it shows them how it actually fits into their lifestyle. This rising trend means integrating products into people’s everyday routines rather than just creating aspirational ones. We have brands like Leon's Bagels capturing smeared bagels, MERIT showing off their products in a messy bathroom cabinet, and Häagen-Dazs Shops Daaz OOH ads with just the popsicle stick. They’re asking themselves, “How do we make our products feel real and useful?” This new trend takes storytelling a step further, creating a story that consumers have already lived in. And that’s what resonates with them the most. Products don’t always need to be on a pedestal, it can be captured in motion. In other words, the less staged it is, the more relatable it’ll feel. What are your thoughts on the rising messiness aesthetic trend? Let us know in the comments below! #marketingtrends #aesthetic #brands

Hot take: the best brand campaigns don’t even need to show their product. Last week, Rothy's’s took over Times Square with HOPE Hydration to launch “The Plastic Pause” campaign. Except their campaign didn’t sell their shoes – it started a conversation. They handed out free water, set up refill stations, and collected plastic bottles in one of NYC’s highest traffic spots. Choosing to host this activation in the heart of NYC was intentional. It signaled a pause to get New Yorkers thinking about how much plastic they actually use. It’s one thing to launch a campaign about your product, but it’s another to sell your brand’s story without making your product the moment. From recycled bottles, hemp, and wool, Rothy’s wanted their commitment to sustainability to be clear. Sometimes the most impactful brand moments don’t scream “buy now” on a billboard ad. By leading their activation with plastic bottles in one of the biggest cities, they’re sending a message at a larger scale. Virality and relevance wasn’t on top of mind for Rothy’s – sending a message was. And in today’s attention economy, it’s a refreshing change to see. What are your thoughts on Rothy’s NYC activation? Let us know in the comments below! #OOHAds #marketing #campaign

Would you let a stranger record you sleeping for 2 nights straight? 🤨 In their “Sleep Talk Reviews” campaign, IKEA captured real sleep talkers mid-dream to endorse their mattresses. They ran a social experiment where sleep talkers slept on their mattress for two nights while being recorded. The result? 90 hours of footage turned into a minute ad. These were real people without a script. Comfort doesn’t need a polished pitch, it speaks for itself – clearly. “We captured real, unscripted moments to show–quite literally–how comfortable our mattresses are,” said Jonelle Ricketts, head of marketing at IKEA Canada. It’s not about the perfect sleeper with pajamas and staged lighting anymore. This is another smart example of how IKEA continues to break away from overly stylized campaigns. As algorithms flood our feeds with polished ads that feel camera-ready, people will start craving what’s real. The raw, unfiltered moments that make us feel human. More brands are starting to lean into these unpolished, relatable narratives to build that emotional connection. And the brands that lean into that narrative will win the scroll. What are your thoughts on IKEA’s “Sleep Talk Reviews” campaign? Let us know in the comments below! #Ikea #campaigns #marketing

Here's everything you missed on socials last week! 👇 🌷 Selena Gomez teases her RareBeauty perfume in scratch-n-sniff billboards in NYC. 🍩 Dunkin' collabs with "The Summer I Turned Pretty" on a new refresher. 🧳 Gap collabs with BÉIS on a new denim travel collection. 🍔 Wendy's "rebrands" as Wednesday for its Season 2 release with Netflix. 🪠 Walton Goggins stars in a Doritos commercial to promote their new Sriracha flavor. 🥤 Starry Soda gives cash back for their "100 Degrees, 100% off" campaign. 💦 Rothy's calls for a pause on plastic in their latest NYC activation. Which update was you favorite? Let us know in the comments below! #marketing #brands #campaigns #roundups #OOHAds

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Did Ritual pull Serena Williams out of retirement? Ritual just made Serena Williams their first ever woman's health advisor. They’ve never hired A-list talent before so why now? The truth is, permanent partnerships are becoming more impactful than temporary celebrity endorsements. We’ve seen other wellness brands partner with celebrities on product lines or new drops. But as brands continue to form celebrity partnerships, it becomes oversaturated and efforts feel inauthentic. What Ritual did is setting the tone for other wellness brands. Instead of hiring Serena for a short period of time, they got her involved directly with the brand to access products before they launch. As a former athlete, she’s also health conscious and actively chooses to grow her own food – tying in perfectly with Ritual’s core values. If celebrities practice what a brand preaches, why can’t they be a part of the process? Temporary campaigns build temporary hype, often dying down within a few weeks. With Serena Williams as a women’s health advisor, Ritual will build connections and trust for the long run. What are your thoughts on the Ritual x Serena Williams partnership? Let us know in the comments below! #Ritual #brandpartnershops #marketing

Did Wendy's just rebrand as Wednesday? Not exactly, but with Season 2 dropping next week, the Netflix series has partnered with Wendy's for a limited-edition "Meal of Misfortune". They also turned their iconic mascot into an almost identical copy of Wednesday. After all, both Wendy's and Wednesdays have bangs and braided pigtails… Then, Thing broke loose and ran all over the Times Square billboards, leaving behind a trail of Cheeto fingerprints on NYC streets, taxi cabs, and newspapers. Netflix TV show campaigns are getting more clever and immersive, and we're seeing a clear rise in co-branded campaigns like this. The latest co-branded campaign for Wednesday is similar to the "Emergency Pizza” campaign Netflix did with Domino's. Instead of opting for the traditional strategy of in-show ad or product placement, Netflix is flipping the script to bring shows to life through collaborations with real-life brands. What's more effective: bringing brands into TV show universes, or bringing fictional universes to life in the real world? Audiences are sick of blatant product placements and interruptive ad breaks, so this shift is a clear answer to that. What are your thoughts on the latest Wednesday marketing stunts? Let us know in the comments below! #Netflix #Wednesday #OOHAds #marketingcampaigns

Does Sydney Sweeney really have “great jeans?” American Eagle Outfitters Inc. recently announced their collab with Sydney Sweeney for their fall denim collection. And just within ONE day, American Eagle’s shares increased by 10%, equaling $200 million in market cap. But even though their stock went up, their brand reputation dropped almost immediately. Despite Sydney’s internet fame the campaign sparked major backlash, proving that virality doesn’t always equal alignment. And Gen Z made that very clear this past weekend. People all over the internet called out the ad’s racial undertones while others pointed out how the ad oversexualized denim. American Eagle chased relevance and in doing so, they missed the mark. It’s a reminder that brands need to stay tapped into what aligns with their customer’s core values while knowing what represents their brand's mission. Today’s consumers scrutinize campaigns from every angle because to them, every word is intentional. And if brands aren’t tuned in, brand sentiment can easily flip overnight. At the end of the day, what matters most is intention because Gen Z will always see through the hype. What are your thoughts on the AEO x Sydney Sweeney backlash? Let us know in the comments below! #americaneagle #marketing #campaign

What do you do when your brand becomes the internet’s latest joke? Call Gwyneth Paltrow. 📞 After Astronomer’s Kiss Cam “Coldplay incident” went viral, the brand responded with one of the smartest PR decisions we’ve seen this year. Turn the ex-wife of Coldplay’s Chris Martin into a temporary spokesperson. They got Gwyneth to star in a satirical follow-up ad that makes light of the moment and subtly resets the narrative. It shifts the tone of the conversation without erasing accountability. When we see brands face backlash, trying to defend every detail doesn’t always work. But showing self-awareness can save face and protect brand equity. Astronomer didn’t backpedal – they took control of the story, neutralized the tension, and built trust: 👉Acknowledged what happened 👉Used humor to de-escalate the situation 👉Brought in a cultural figure who plays into the internet joke 👉Reaffirmed who they are and what they stand for We’ve seen brands like HBO lean into the same strategy when the internet roasted their endless rebrands. Instead of ignoring the chaos, they tapped into the inside joke and memed themselves on all their social platforms. Not every crisis deserves a Notes app apology on their IG story. Sometimes the smartest move is satire – proving that they can laugh with people, not just be laughed at. What are your thoughts on Gwyneth Paltrow’s Astronomer ad? Let us know in the comments below! #astronomer #coldplay #marketing

You know who's having a bad case of the Mondays? American Eagle. 🫢 Here's everything you missed on socials last week. 👖 American Eagle Outfitters Inc. faces backlash after casting Sydney Sweeney in their campaign. 🍍 OLIPOP PBC teases "Pineapple Paradise" for the new Spongebob movie. 🎥 Thing from Netflix's Wednesday breaks loose in NYC OOH billboards. 🚗 Lyft refreshes with a new logo and typography. 🤖 The Tesla Diner opens its doors for the first time in LA. 💄 Guy Fieri collabs with Revlon on a new lip balm, "Flavortown." 🍦 Häagen-Dazs Shops drops OOH ads for their latest campaign, "Devoured." Which update was your favorite? Let us know in the comments below! #marketing #brands #campaigns #roundups #OOHAds