Inspirational campaigns for next financial year

It's always a wild ride trying to connect with audiences in a meaningful way. The competition's fierce, and people want changes faster than ever. So, how do you cut through the noise? Looking ahead to 2025, it's clear that snappy short-form videos, user-generated content (UGC), and immersive tech like VR and AR are going to be game changers.

Examining real-world successes is essential to truly master the art of impactful marketing. By deconstructing profitable campaigns, we can extract key learnings and adapt effective strategies to the current marketing climate. To give you some campaign inspiration, we're going to spotlight five examples to help you create your own marketing strategies for this new financial year.

1. Curry’s: TikTok sensation

Currys is a familiar face on the high street and it gave itself a serious makeover using TikTok and a healthy dose of humour to connect with Gen Z.

Their "Gen Z writes our marketing script" video took off like a rocket, racking up over 2.5 million views on TikTok since August and even sparking a trend followed by other marketers. More recently, their "Black Friday marketing for millennials" video, featuring a staff member describing products and deals in "millennial slang," grabbed 129.5k views in just a few weeks.

Overview

Curry’s used TikTok’s dynamic platform to engage younger audiences with short, entertaining videos that blended humour, product demonstrations, and challenges. These budget-friendly campaign ideas effectively showcased their tech products in relatable, everyday scenarios.

What makes it stand out?

• Capitalised on TikTok’s popularity among Gen Z and millennials.
• Used authentic, user-generated-style content that resonated with the platform’s audience.
• The tech retail world mostly lives online. By focusing on their high-street stores, they’re reinforcing their human presence, setting them apart from online-only rivals.

Takeaway

Meet your audience where they are by adopting platform-specific strategies. Create relatable and shareable content that encourages engagement and aligns with the platform’s culture.

2. Visit Oslo: The anti-tourist tourist campaign

Oslo’s recent tourism campaign turned heads—and flipped traditional advertising on its side. Instead of showcasing the city’s landmarks and inviting travellers to join the crowd, this video did the exact opposite.

In the now-viral advert, Halfdan, a deadpan Oslo native, walks viewers through a tranquil cityscape, lamenting its lack of crowds, pretension, or must-see attractions. He grumbles about the accessibility of iconic works like The Scream and jokes about how small the city feels: “Is it even a city?”

Overview

Oslo’s viral campaign redefined tourism marketing by promoting authenticity over conventional tourist attractions, humorously showcasing its charm as a destination for those who seek slow, meaningful travel.

What makes it stand out?

• Anti-over-tourism message – It catered to a growing audience tired of crowded tourist traps.
• Authenticity-focused storytelling celebrated Oslo’s understated appeal.
• Playful and self-aware tone made it relatable and memorable.

Takeaway

Challenge tourism clichés with honesty and humour. By embracing authenticity, you can attract modern travellers seeking unique, meaningful experiences.

3. Harley-Davidson®: revving up for the Africa Eco Race

In 2024, Harley-Davidson® embarked on an ambitious journey to showcase the Pan America™ 1250, a stock adventure touring motorcycle, in one of the world’s toughest competitions: the Africa Eco Race. With seasoned rider Joan Pedrero at the helm, Harley-Davidson aimed to demonstrate that their bike could hold its own against highly modified, race-prepared rivals. 

The campaign, created by our team at h2o creative, wasn’t just about winning a race—it was about celebrating the Pan America™ 1250’s versatility, durability, and cutting-edge design while engaging motorcycle enthusiasts across Europe.

Overview 

We used a multi-channel strategy with a custom Salesforce CloudPage, email marketing, and a compelling video series documenting Pedrero’s race journey. It delivered localised, engaging content that celebrated Harley-Davidson’s participation in the Africa Eco Race while showcasing the Pan America™ 1250’s capabilities.

What makes it stand out?

• Localised digital experience: A tailored Salesforce CloudPage offered content in multiple languages, delivering relevant information to visitors across 17 markets.
• Dynamic video storytelling: A five-part series captured Pedrero’s journey and the Pan America™ 1250 in action, featured on the landing page and amplified via YouTube ads.
• Email marketing precision: Personalised and translated emails with send time optimisation achieved high engagement, directing users to the campaign’s core content.

Takeaway

This campaign is a masterclass in using data-driven localisation, immersive storytelling, and personalised communication to drive meaningful engagement. By integrating brand heritage with modern digital tools, this iconic brand successfully inspired audiences to see the Pan America™ 1250 as a trailblazing motorcycle that bridges performance and adventure.

 

4. V&A Museum: If you’re into it, it’s in the V&A

The V&A Museum’s latest campaign redefines how audiences, especially younger generations, connect with culture and history. Titled “If you’re into it, it’s in the V&A,” the campaign celebrates the museum’s incredible breadth of collections by linking them to personal passions. 

Overview

The campaign targets diverse audiences who may not realise how the V&A connects to their interests. By embedding the campaign message into bespoke objects and strategically placing them in real-world and virtual spaces, it acts as a cultural treasure hunt. From a live Twitch stream in Grand Theft Auto Online to metal detector hotspots and bookshops, the V&A’s treasures come alive where people least expect them.

What makes it stand out?

• Hidden treasures across the UK: Unique items crafted by skilled creators—including a 120-year-old book, a knitwear piece featured at The Stitch Festival, and an engraved seat plaque in a London theatre—are scattered in locations tied to niche interests.
• Programmatic precision: Ads featuring 70 objects from the V&A’s collection are displayed in relevant locations, such as Virgil Abloh’s Ikea bag near Ikea stores or theatre-related items outside playhouses. Each ad includes a QR code linking to detailed online content.
• Collaborations with influencers: Niche influencers on TikTok, Instagram, and Twitch bring the campaign to life by showcasing how the V&A ties into their communities and hobbies.
• Engaging storytelling: Long-form press ads in publications like FourFourTwo and Angling Times highlight how the museum resonates with specific interests, from football to fishing.

Takeaway

The V&A’s “If you’re into it, it’s in the V&A” campaign reinvents the traditional museum experience by connecting with people where they are—physically, digitally, and emotionally. Whether it’s through a handcrafted object, a well-placed ad, or a Twitch stream, the V&A proves its collections are as diverse as the passions of its audience, making art and history feel fresh, relevant, and accessible.

5. Gemini AI: Inspiration for what not to do

Google's "Dear Sydney" campaign launched during the 2024 Summer Olympics. Its aim: to showcase its Gemini AI's capabilities by depicting a father using AI to craft a fan letter to American athlete Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone on behalf of his daughter. The advert intended to highlight AI's role in enhancing human creativity and communication.

 Why did it fail to work?

• Using AI for personal expressions, like a heartfelt letter, diminished the authenticity and emotional depth of such gestures. This led to discomfort among viewers, who felt that genuine human interactions were being replaced by technology. 

Takeaway

While integrating AI into marketing can demonstrate technological advancement, it's crucial to ensure that such integrations do not compromise the authenticity and emotional resonance of personal interactions. Be mindful of public sentiment towards AI, especially in contexts involving personal and emotional expressions. 

Conclusion

Before planning your marketing strategies for 2025, consider these key insights:

• Embrace emerging trends: Incorporate VR, AR, and user-generated content to enhance engagement. And while others have failed with AI, that doesn’t mean you will – not if your storytelling is authentic and you remain relatable to your audience. 
• Align with brand values: Ensure your marketing campaign ideas reflect your brand's core principles and resonate with current consumer interests. Challenge stereotypes like Oslo’s campaign. Meet your target audience on their favourite platform, as Curry’s did. Follow the V&A Museum’s example and surprise people. 
• Purpose-driven marketing: Aligning campaigns with broader societal values, such as sustainability as demonstrated in Harley-Davidson's eco-conscious race, resonates deeply with today's consumers. 

Hopefully, we’ve given you some things to think about to help you create your own marketing success stories. If you’re not sure where to start, talk to an experienced agency. At h2o, we can help you create ROI-focused marketing strategies. Let's talk 2025 strategy. Get in touch today.