The Unofficial Most Unexpected Retailer Campaigns in 2025 (June) | Reimagining Retail

Summary

Behind the Numbers: The Unofficial Most Unexpected Retailer Campaigns in 2025 (June) | Reimagining Retail

Released on June 25, 2025

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Introduction

In this engaging episode of EMARKETER’s podcast, Behind the Numbers: Reimagining Retail, host Sara Lebo delves into the world of retail marketing with a special focus on the most unexpected retailer campaigns of June 2025. Joined by industry experts Ariel Fager, Rachel Wolf, and Zach Stambor, the panel dissects eight standout campaigns that have defied expectations and captured consumer attention in innovative ways.

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Meet the Guests

• Sara Lebo – Host
• Ariel Fager – Retail and marketing analyst
• Rachel Wolf – Marketing strategist
• Zach Stambor – Advertising expert

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Top Eight Most Unexpected Retail Campaigns

1. Liquid Death Kegs for Pregs
Timestamp: 02:00

Sara kicks off the list with Liquid Death's audacious campaign featuring a pregnant Kylie Kelsey enjoying their canned water. Despite initial hesitations due to Liquid Death's history of unexpected collaborations, Sara notes, "It's hard to top what they're doing, but this campaign was undeniably unexpected" (00:00).

2. Kate Spade's Heinz Bag
Timestamp: 03:32

Ariel Fager highlights the quirky partnership between Kate Spade and Heinz, resulting in a capsule collection that includes a bag resembling a ketchup packet. "It's very visually fun, blending Heinz's summery vibe with Kate Spade's high-fashion luxury" (03:32).

Rachel adds, "This fits perfectly with Kate Spade's cute and kitschy aesthetic" (04:09), while Sara enthusiastically shares her fondness for food-based apparel, though humorously noting she can't flaunt it on a non-video podcast (04:21).

3. A1 Steak Sauces’ “Start Them Early” Campaign
Timestamp: 05:18

Ariel discusses A1 Steak Sauces' clever play on words with the term "AI," linking it to education. "They responded to Secretary Linda McMahon's reference to AI with a label saying 'for education purposes only,' which was both quick and brave" (05:18). Rachel concurs, emphasizing the rarity of brands taking political stances recently (06:14), while Zach praises the campaign's timely and humorous approach (07:19).

4. Coors Light’s Spelling Mistake
Timestamp: 07:03

Sara introduces Coors Light's deliberate misspelling of "refreshment" on a Times Square billboard, which was followed by a playful statement from the agency. Ariel finds it amusing, noting, "It's always fun to see a brand being playful and meta about its own marketing" (08:04). Rachel points out the campaign's engagement potential as it taps into people's instinct to correct errors (08:29).

5. Bon Iver's Collaboration with Fish Wife
Timestamp: 08:47

Ariel Fager discusses Bon Iver's unexpected collaboration with the tin fish company Fish Wife for his latest album launch. "This partnership is surprising yet fascinating, combining an artist beloved by many with a niche brand" (08:47). Rachel appreciates the strategic brand awareness without direct product mention (09:35), while Sara muses on the potential for more artisan merch in future launches (09:22).

6. Dunkin’s Sexy Halloween Spider
Timestamp: 11:36

Despite typically excluding quick-service restaurants, Sara includes Dunkin's alluring spider donut for Halloween in her list. Ariel finds the campaign daring for Dunkin, a brand not usually associated with playful marketing (11:36). Zach questions its effectiveness in driving sales, suggesting it’s more about grabbing attention than converting it (12:14). Rachel echoes this sentiment, noting the campaign's fleeting impact (17:05).

7. Frida’s Uncensored Campaign
Timestamp: 12:55

Frida, a baby and maternal care brand, launched a series of uncensored videos addressing taboo topics in postpartum health. Sara praises the campaign for its bold approach and brand awareness strategy without directly mentioning products (12:55). Rachel highlights its relevance in a crowded market, emphasizing the importance of authenticity in women’s health marketing (14:02).

8. Heineken’s Boring Mode App
Timestamp: 14:17

Topping the list, Heineken's Boring Mode app aims to encourage consumers to unplug by turning their smartphones into "dumb phones." Ariel Fager appreciates the campaign's push for real-life social interactions over digital distractions, aligning with Heineken’s brand identity (14:17). Zach adds that fostering dialogue and reducing phone dependency enhances social settings, reinforcing Heineken's position as a beer for social occasions (15:48). Sara humorously references Cher’s iconic tweet about phone addiction, further underscoring the campaign's cultural resonance (16:11).

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Second Half: Re-ranking and Wildcards

Re-ranking:

Rachel and Zach take the stage to reassess the initial rankings. Rachel suggests moving Dunkin’s Sexy Spider down the list, arguing its minimal impact on brand engagement (17:00). Zach concurs, stating, "It's just attention for attention's sake" (17:05). They collectively move the campaign to position eight, making room for stronger contenders.

Wildcards:

• Zach’s Wildcard: Budweiser’s “Beer Behind the Backstage” Campaign
  Zach introduces Budweiser's campaign showcasing anonymous backstage requests from musicians, displayed on billboards near iconic venues. He describes it as an authentic and understated yet effective approach to brand alignment with music culture (19:16). Ariel appreciates the simplicity and authenticity, noting it stands out amidst flashy campaigns (20:20). Eventually, Budweiser replaces Kate Spade's Heinz Bag at number seven (25:28).

• Rachel’s Wildcard: Dr. Squatch’s Sydney Sweeney Bath Water Soap
  Rachel presents a controversial campaign where Dr. Squatch launches a soap incorporating bath water from actress Sydney Sweeney. "It's a perfect storm of men's personal care, celebrity endorsement, and controversy," she explains (22:19). Ariel supports the move, citing its buzzworthy nature and immediate sales success (23:31). This bold addition propels Dr. Squatch’s campaign to the top spot, displacing Budweiser's campaign (24:33).

Final List:

1. Dr. Squatch’s Sydney Sweeney Bath Water Soap
2. Heineken’s Boring Mode App
3. Frida’s Uncensored Campaign
4. Bon Iver’s Fish Wife Collaboration
5. Coors Light’s Spelling Mistake
6. A1 Steak Sauces’ "Start Them Early"
7. Budweiser’s Backstage Campaign
8. Liquid Death Kegs for Pregs

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Conclusion

Sara wraps up the episode by thanking the guests for their insightful contributions. She encourages listeners to rate and review the podcast and teases future episodes focused on evolving retail landscapes. The panel’s lively discussion underscores the importance of creativity and boldness in retail marketing, showcasing how unexpected campaigns can significantly impact brand perception and consumer engagement.

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Notable Quotes:

• Sara Lebo: "It's hard to top what they're doing, but this campaign was undeniably unexpected." (00:00)
• Ariel Fager: "It's very visually fun, blending Heinz's summery vibe with Kate Spade's high-fashion luxury." (03:32)
• Rachel Wolf: "This fits perfectly with Kate Spade's cute and kitschy aesthetic." (04:09)
• Zach Stambor: "It's getting my attention." (12:16)
• Ariel Fager: "It's playing into the trend of people wanting to unplug a little bit." (14:17)
• Rachel Wolf: "It’s more about grabbing attention than converting it." (17:05)
• Sara Lebo: "This campaign has everything. It has men's personal care, a huge up-and-coming category..." (23:52)

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Stay Informed and Ahead

Stay tuned to Behind the Numbers: Reimagining Retail for more in-depth analyses and insights into the ever-evolving world of digital media, marketing, and retail. New episodes are published Monday through Friday wherever you find podcasts.

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Note: Timestamps in brackets correspond to the transcript's timing for reference.

Transcript

[Sara Lebo]

Are your brand campaigns as effective as they could be? If you're only getting insights when the campaign is over, then the answer is no. To make better campaign decisions, you need real time measurement. You need lucid measurement by sint. Discover the power of real time brand lift [e-mail] insights that's cint.com insights. Hello, listeners. Today is Wednesday, June 25th. Welcome to behind the Reimagining Retail, an emarketer podcast made possible by cint. This is the show where we talk about how retail collides with every part of our lives. I'm your host, Sara Lebo. Today's episode topic is our June unofficial most interesting retailers of the month list with a twist. We'll get into that special twist in a sec. Before we do, let's meet today's guests. Joining me for today's episode, we have Ariel Fager. Hey, Ariel.

[Ariel Fager]

Hey. Thrilled to be here.

[Sara Lebo]

Thrilled to have you. Also with us, Rachel Wolf. Hi, Rachel.

[Rachel Wolf]

Hey there.

[Sara Lebo]

And also joining us is Zach Stambor. Hi, Zach.

[Zach Stambor]

Hey.

[Sara Lebo]

Hello. Okay, let's jump in to our unofficial most interesting retailers of the month list. But here's the twist. We're halfway through the year. So this month we're doing another themed list, something we've done in the past. First of all, can you guys believe we're halfway through the year?

[Ariel Fager]

No.

[Zach Stambor]

Why? Cannot believe that?

[Ariel Fager]

It's actually just come so quick.

[Sara Lebo]

It's like, and I every year it's always like, that's crazy. But like, this year really got me. So our themed list. This month, we will be counting down our top eight most unexpected retail campaigns from the past year. Think the notorious Elf Beauty Liquid Death collab of Corpse Paint, which was over a year ago, but was such a good collaboration. We've got some collabs, some interesting product launches, and some interesting campaigns on here. So Arielle and I, we are the committee, will present our list in the first half of this episode. In the second half, Zach and Rachel will have the opportunity to edit our list. So here is our list. Number eight, Liquid Death kegs for pregs. Okay. This was an ad featuring a very pregnant Kylie Kelsey, wife of Jason Kelce, brother to Travis Kelce, who is very famously Taylor Swift's boyfriend drinking Liquid Death canned water. I want to point out that we were kind of hesitant to put this one on the list because everything Liquid Death does in campaigns is unexpected. They put an adult entertainment actress in an ad years ago. Their brand is very unexpected, and as a result, some of those unexpected things almost become expected. It's hard to top what they're doing, but we thought this campaign was unexpected, so we put it on here.

[Ariel Fager]

Yeah, I think it's important to, to kind of think about these with that grain of salt that anything a brand is trying to do is, you know, going to be expected because they want to make headlines, they want all of the articles to be about them. So this, I think falls into that category.

[Sara Lebo]

Number seven, Kate Spade's Heinz bag. Ariel, as our, as our in house ketchup expert, tell us about this.

[Ariel Fager]

Oh, love it. So Kate Spade and Hines launched a capsule collection. It's, you know, bunch of stuff. It's totes and tees and footwear and all of this. My favorite is the, like the bag that looks like a ketchup packet. And I just think it's really fun. Definitely Heinz feels like kind of a, you know, summery, picnicky kind of chill vibe, whereas Kate Spade's a little more high fashion luxury. So I just think it's kind of an interesting duo to see and like, very visually fun.

[Rachel Wolf]

Yeah, I saw they did another one with M&M's last year. So this seems to be the trend for Kate Spade and I think, you know, it fits very much with the Kate Spade aesthetic of being, you know, like very cute and fitschy.

[Sara Lebo]

Yeah. Yeah. This also fits with a trend toward tomato based accessories. And also, as someone who I would say was on the cutting edge of food as apparel, something I've always been into, I was a big fan of this and I'm a big fan of how popular that sort of kitschiness has gotten. This is not a video podcast, so no one can see that I am wearing two different pieces of food based apparel right now, but we can.

[Zach Stambor]

I can't even see what are what food based apparel.

[Sara Lebo]

I'm wearing shrimp earrings, which is unusual because I never wear earrings. And I guess I'm not wearing this, but my phone case is orange themed.

[Zach Stambor]

Okay.

[Sara Lebo]

All right, number six, A1 Steak Sauces. Start them early campaign. Arielle, what's this?

[Ariel Fager]

Yeah, I guess I'm the condiments girl on this podcast.

[Sara Lebo]

Love that. Wish you were me.

[Ariel Fager]

I'm into it. Yeah. So I think, I mean, A one just kind of did a very smart timing. So earlier this year, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon referred to AI artificial intelligence as A1, talking about starting kids early in school with AI to help them learn A1, of course, just took advantage of this, responded on Instagram saying every school should have access to A1. And then, you know, a photo of the Bottle saying with a label saying for education purposes only. So I just thought it was a quick and fun thing and interestingly brave, considering the political, you know, landscape that is. Is, you know, a little bit challenging for brands to step into. So I thought it was a pretty cool thing.

[Rachel Wolf]

Yeah. I was going to say, I feel like you used to see more people, more brands willing to sort of make fun of politicians, but that hasn't happened recently. So the fact that A1 really leaned into that, I think helped them stand out.

[Sara Lebo]

Yeah. That's why we put this on the list, because of, like, how brands are really shying away from anything political. Something that we were comparing this to when we were making the list was the 2013 Oreo tweet. If you are not engrossed. If you're not engrossed in marketing culture. This was after the power went out in the 2013 Super bowl, after Beyonce's halftime show. Iconic halftime show. Yeah. Oreo tweeted. What was it like? You can still dunk in the dark or something?

[Ariel Fager]

I think it was something like that.

[Sara Lebo]

And brands hadn't really, like, responded to pop culture in real time on social media like that before. So I think it's interesting how this sort of comment from A1 is actually, like, kind of expected now. It shows how that Oreo tweet, like, if that happened now, no one would notice.

[Zach Stambor]

This kind of landed in A one slap. It was a hilarious gaff, and, I mean, how could it not respond? Almost.

[Sara Lebo]

Yeah.

[Zach Stambor]

But they did it in a really fun, clever way and they did it quickly, which is the essential component here.

[Sara Lebo]

Number five, Coors Light's spelling mistake. Coors Light launched a billboard in Times Square where the word refreshment was spelled wrong. Then they doubled down on the misspelling by releasing a statement and product playing off of it. This was, of course, a marketing play. Of course. It was not an accidental misspelling. It never is. And it was actually done by the same agency that was behind the A1 play.

[Ariel Fager]

Oh, I didn't know that. That's interesting.

[Sara Lebo]

We put this on because I hadn't seen this before, like, potential misspelling. I'm kind of like, oh, that's so clearly a marketing play. But it's one I hadn't seen before. It worked.

[Ariel Fager]

Yeah, I think, you know, it was having fun with itself. I think, you know, I think it's always fun to see a brand kind of, like, being playful with itself and, like, meta about its own marketing. So. Yeah.

[Rachel Wolf]

And I think it's engineered to draw engagement Right. Because how many people are gonna start tweeting at the brand saying you spelled it wrong?

[Sara Lebo]

Yeah. It gets at our base instinct, correcting people.

[Ariel Fager]

Yep.

[Sara Lebo]

Number four, Bon Iver, ex Fish Wife.

[Ariel Fager]

Yep, yep. I'll talk about this. So Bon Iver, for his latest album, did, like, a slew of collaborations, one.

[Sara Lebo]

Of which was Artisan collaborations.

[Ariel Fager]

Yeah, artisan collaborations. And one of which was a smoked salmon with a tin fish company called Fish Wife. And I just, you know, definitely was not expecting that. I think tin fish obviously is extremely popular.

[Sara Lebo]

Another trend I was way ahead of.

[Ariel Fager]

Yep. So, yeah, I just thought it was funny and again, like it. It's just one of many partnerships that Bon Iver did.

[Sara Lebo]

Were you familiar with Fish Wife before this?

[Ariel Fager]

No. No.

[Sara Lebo]

Interesting. Yeah. I think this is a great move for Fish Wife. I, as a Brooklyn girl who loves.

[Rachel Wolf]

Tinned fish, I was gonna say, this seems like tailor made for that audience.

[Sara Lebo]

I have known Fish Wife for years. I have Fish Wife currently sitting in my cabinet. It's a fancy tin fish company, but I think this was smart. Bony Ver is very popular artist, and Fish Wife is popular among, like, a niche crowd sort of in New York City. It was a great way to get it more out there. I'm interested in if we see this sort of artisan merch coming from more album launches in the future, I might.

[Ariel Fager]

Like to see it. I would be interested.

[Sara Lebo]

What do you want to see? What's your ideal product?

[Ariel Fager]

Oh, don't put me in the shop like that.

[Sara Lebo]

Do it.

[Ariel Fager]

I mean, the fact that Sabrina Carpenter did not team up with anyone for. I think did she Did. Did she do a Dunkin donuts espresso?

[Sara Lebo]

Why hasn't Chapelrone done Tide Tide to go.

[Ariel Fager]

There you go. It's not quite artist.

[Zach Stambor]

That's the thing about this, is that the brand and the artist have to align. This certainly does.

[Ariel Fager]

Yes.

[Zach Stambor]

You know, Tide might not or whatever it might be.

[Sara Lebo]

Who doesn't align with a Tide to go pen.

[Zach Stambor]

Yeah, good point, Good point.

[Sara Lebo]

Okay, number three, Dunkin's Sexy Halloween Spider. We don't usually allow quick service restaurants, but we made an exception for this list because it's special for Halloween. Last year, Dunkin released a spider donut. That's not very surprising. It's like a munchkin in a donut with some legs. Eight legs, to be specific. But the spider head, like, very unhinged and flirtatious. Social media posts, honestly, to the point where I'm not going to say them on the podcast, but you can go look them up.

[Ariel Fager]

Yeah, I think this is fun. I don't know. I mean, a. I'm a Halloween fan, so, you know, already got me with that. And Duncan, you know, is not a brand that I consider particularly playful in that kind of more, you know, adult.

[Sara Lebo]

Spent all of their marketing budget on the one Ben Affleck ad.

[Ariel Fager]

Yeah. So it. To me, it's. It's a little bit of a new thing for them, and I. I applaud it.

[Zach Stambor]

It's certainly surprising. I'm not sure I totally got it. Like, is this getting me to go to Dunkin Donuts?

[Sara Lebo]

I think it's just getting you to talk about it.

[Zach Stambor]

It's getting my attention.

[Sara Lebo]

I guess it's getting you thinking about Dunkin Donuts. And so then the next time you're in your car between a Dunkin Donuts and a Starbucks, maybe you're going to.

[Rachel Wolf]

Dunkin Donuts, but you're not thinking about it like, an appetizing way. Like, it's not. You're not gonna go, okay, I'm gonna go buy that spider donut now.

[Ariel Fager]

I mean, the way Sarah described it, I was like, oh, I could really go for a donut with a donut with legs.

[Sara Lebo]

Yeah, this idea has legs. I'm gonna get kicked off of my own podcast. Okay, number two, Frida uncensored. Frida is a baby and maternal care brand. Zach, are you familiar with Frida as a person with children?

[Zach Stambor]

No.

[Sara Lebo]

Okay. Frida is a baby and maternal care brand that has the. Their, like, flagship product is this, like, snot rocket kind of product. But they're also maternal care, and they have these uncensored videos offering, like, tutorials and information for postpartum women related to taboo or stigmatized topics of about health. They put out a series of out of home ads casting for these videos, like, putting real women in these videos. These caught my attention. At south by Southwest. The ads hinted at explicitness but were pixelated because they were out of home ads. I like the ads a lot because I found them legitimately daring in a world that deprioritizes or stigmatizes women's health. And because without mentioning Frida's products at all, they still provided brand equity and awareness. This was, like, the number one thing in coming up with this list that stood out to me. Not these campaigns specifically, but brands that did a campaign that had nothing to do with their product, but just had to do with, like, raising brand awareness and boosting their brand's identity.

[Rachel Wolf]

Well, I think that also has to do with the types of products that we're talking about. Right. Like, if you're Heinz, you know, so much of it is about your brand equity.

[Sara Lebo]

I would suggest checking out those ads. I think they're cool. Number one, Heineken's Boring Mode app, Ariel.

[Ariel Fager]

Okay, so previously, Heineken teamed up with a streetwear retailer called Bodega to launch what it called the Boring Phone, which basically is just, like, it had no Internet access, you know, and now it's kind of expanding on that idea with an app that can turn any phone into a, quote, dumb phone with no Internet access. And so, you know, the campaign really centers around, you know, encouraging consumers to unplug, to be there, you know, with their friends as they're, you know, at a music show or, you know, hanging out. And I just think that's really at a time where most brands are encouraging consumers to go online or become more digital. Obviously, you know, you have to download the app, so there's that. But I just think it's a really fun thing. And, you know, we do hear a lot about, you know, Gen Zers or even Gen Alpha's kind of learning.

[Sara Lebo]

If you're listening to this, please don't buy a Heineken.

[Ariel Fager]

No, don't. That's exactly. That's actually a really good point. But we do hear about, you know, people wanting to kind of unplug a little bit. So I think it's. It's, you know, playing into that trend.

[Sara Lebo]

Yeah, this. This one stood out to me, because if you're Heineken, you don't. Everyone knows your product is beer. Like, everyone already knows that. So you don't really need to be pushing, like, our specific beer. That honestly might not work if you're Heineken. Instead, you need to be pushing that brand equity and experience.

[Zach Stambor]

Totally. And beer is, like, something that you have in a social setting generally. And so I love this idea of, like, fostering dialogue, fun, engagement, rather than focusing on your phone, which, like so many of us do so much of the time, even when we're among each other.

[Sara Lebo]

This evokes my favorite Cher tweet, which is I need to shoot my phone. Iconic tweet from Cher.

[Ariel Fager]

Good old Cher.

[Sara Lebo]

Okay, so our final list is number eight, liquid death kegs for pregs. Number seven, Kate Spade Heinz bag. Number six, A1, AI number five, Coors Light spelling mistake. Number four, Bon Iver canned salmon. Number three, Duncan's Sexy Spider. Number two, Frida Uncensored. And number one, Heineken's Boring Mode. Now it's time for our second half. Where Zach and Rachel get to tell us where we went wrong. Each of them will have a chance to move a brand up or down our rankings and to list a new company entirely. So, Rachel, make a move.

[Rachel Wolf]

Okay. I'm going to move Duncan Sexy Spider down.

[Zach Stambor]

Oh, no. That was my move.

[Ariel Fager]

Oh, no, wait.

[Sara Lebo]

Okay, so make this case together, then.

[Rachel Wolf]

I mean, I think it's just one of those things where, you know, it's a fun campaign on social. But again, like, does it move the needle for the brand? I don't. No, necessarily. And I also didn't remember that this happened. So in terms of longevity, I don't think it really worked either.

[Zach Stambor]

Yeah, I agree. I just. Again, like I said before, it's like, yes, it does. It is unexpected. It does capture my attention, but I'm not sure it does it in a way that makes me want to actually go get a donut or a cup of coffee. It's just attention to me. It's attention for attention's sake.

[Ariel Fager]

Isn't that what the whole point is?

[Zach Stambor]

One might say if it would then drive me to go to Duncan. Yeah, but it's just. I don't know, it just strikes me as like. Okay, like, it's. It's a try hard to me.

[Ariel Fager]

I. I understand where you're coming from, but you did. You said it yourself. You said it was unexpected, and I feel like that's the name of the game here.

[Sara Lebo]

Yeah. Although I get the argument that being unhinged on social media is par for the course at this point.

[Ariel Fager]

It is. You know, I see it both ways, but I.

[Sara Lebo]

You like the Spider? Your Team Spider?

[Ariel Fager]

I don't know. I don't know. What do you. So what was your. Do you want to move it completely off the list, or do you want to move it down?

[Rachel Wolf]

I think I would move it off the list if it were me.

[Sara Lebo]

Zach, where would you have it?

[Zach Stambor]

Yeah, I've got mine that I'm putting on the list.

[Sara Lebo]

I mean, I'm fine with moving it to number eight.

[Ariel Fager]

I'll move it to number eight.

[Sara Lebo]

All right, we're moving it to number eight. Let's see if you guys can actually get it off the list. Suggestions? You've talked a big game.

[Rachel Wolf]

To be fair, there wasn't that much pushback, I will have to say.

[Ariel Fager]

Yeah, I tried a little, you know.

[Sara Lebo]

Okay, it is wild card time. This is where you both can add a new brand to the list, but let's see if you succeed at that or not. So, Zach, what is your wild card?

[Zach Stambor]

So I want to talk about Budweiser and their beer behind the backstage campaign, which is an outdoor and print campaign that really, like, highlighted the brand's connection to music. Budweiser has been a consistent presence on backstage writers for musicians for, like, decades. And this campaign used the actual writers, minus the band names, on billboards throughout, like, right in front of iconic venues like Madison Square Garden, Hollywood, Palladium. And it gets people guessing, like, whose requests these are. It seems a little unexpected. It seems a little effective to just use the actual documents. And B, it's kind of like a boring visual presence, but it's also, like, an interesting visual presence. And so, you know, it's not flashy, but it is authentic. And so I just. I just kind of liked it.

[Sara Lebo]

It's interesting that you say that about the boring visual presence, because when Arielle and I were putting this list together, we were like, okay, brands need to do things that are unexpected. As they do that, the unexpected gets more and more expected, and they need to find ways to go over the top. And they need to find ways to go over the top. And we were like, where does that leave brands? And so that, like, simplicity, that boring look actually, like, does stand out in a world of flashiness. Budweiser has also always tied itself to music, so this is really core to its brand identity. They had a what, a music festival in the early 2010s. The made in America music festival. So, yeah, I mean, this. This makes sense. Wow. We're really. Congratulations, beer companies on your marketing. Wow. Who knew beer companies had good marketing?

[Ariel Fager]

And I would be lying if I said I didn't really enjoy, like, looking at people's writers. I always find it really interesting. People ask for.

[Sara Lebo]

I went to a conference a while ago where Shaq was a speaker, and the announcer said what his writer was, and he said all it said was 12 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and his team ate all of them.

[Ariel Fager]

There's something very wholesome about that.

[Sara Lebo]

Yeah.

[Rachel Wolf]

What kind of peanut butter?

[Sara Lebo]

I don't know.

[Ariel Fager]

He should.

[Zach Stambor]

That was my question.

[Sara Lebo]

Shaq, if you're a country smooth, okay. I'm fine with putting them on the list. I don't know if they're that high on the list.

[Ariel Fager]

Yeah, I would definitely put them, like, towards the bottom, but I definitely agree with putting them on there. I mean, we could knock off, you know, good old Duncan.

[Sara Lebo]

All right.

[Ariel Fager]

Put Budweiser.

[Sara Lebo]

Sorry. To Duncan's sexy spider. Please don't take it personally, Spider.

[Zach Stambor]

Okay.

[Sara Lebo]

Yeah. All right. Budweiser Rider. Rachel, what is your wildcard?

[Rachel Wolf]

My Wildcard is a campaign that I've been watching very closely over the past couple weeks. And that is this new soap from Dr. Squatch that incorporates bath water from Sydney Sweeney.

[Ariel Fager]

Oh. You okay? Yep. That is something that's been happening.

[Rachel Wolf]

Yeah.

[Sara Lebo]

So I think I don't know about this.

[Ariel Fager]

Oh, lucky you.

[Zach Stambor]

What?

[Rachel Wolf]

How do you not know about this?

[Sara Lebo]

Because I deleted all social media from.

[Rachel Wolf]

My phone, so allegedly. We don't know if this is true or that they claim it's true. This soap incorporates a little bit of her bath water. I think the other ingredients are sand and pine bark extract. And the other notable thing is that I forgot to mention this is a brand for men. So, you know, they're clearly. You know, there's a reason they chose Sydney Sweeney to do this. I think it's a very tongue in cheek campaign. Definitely very cheeky. I think it's more effective than the Dunkin campaign because it has actually gotten people to buy the soap, which sold out immediately, unsurprisingly.

[Sara Lebo]

I don't know if you guys have heard a little marketing term, but it's sex sells.

[Rachel Wolf]

Yeah, exactly. I think you can buy them now for like 2000 bucks on eBay if anybody is interested.

[Sara Lebo]

Okay. According to the Internet, you can also buy it for $1313 at Walmart. So try their pick first.

[Rachel Wolf]

Take your pick.

[Ariel Fager]

Yeah. Rachel, that's a great one. I can't believe that. I think I've just blocked it out so much.

[Rachel Wolf]

Yeah. I was shocked it didn't make the list.

[Ariel Fager]

Have been purposely avoiding it.

[Rachel Wolf]

Shocked and happy.

[Sara Lebo]

This campaign has everything. It has Men's personal care. A huge up and coming category that is crowded with D2C's crowding with D2C's I should say that need to find a way to stand out. It has a very relevant actress and it has controversy.

[Rachel Wolf]

Yeah. And it was timed to release around. I think she has a movie out at the same time. So she's promoting her movie. She's in the spotlight and the soap comes out. So I think it's kind of a perfect storm.

[Ariel Fager]

Yeah. It's got to go on the list and I would put it up pretty high, personally.

[Sara Lebo]

Does it get number one?

[Ariel Fager]

I think it might.

[Sara Lebo]

That's gonna kick Budweiser rider off the list.

[Zach Stambor]

Oh, man.

[Ariel Fager]

I feel a little bad, but yeah, I. I think it's. It's very timely and relevant. It's happening pretty much right now. And yeah, I've seen, oh, so many social media posts.

[Sara Lebo]

I've got a new pitch in defense of Zach and Zack's honor.

[Ariel Fager]

Okay, I'm listening.

[Sara Lebo]

And it's hard for me to say this because I really liked this campaign, but I think Budweiser Ryder maybe should replace Kate Spade Heinz bag. Because Kate Spade does launch kitschy bags. Yeah, and we put that on the list, I think, because you and I are both really partial to ketchup. Well, I'm not partial to ketchup. But you're partial to ketchup and I'm partial to ketchup.

[Ariel Fager]

And I do like food related things. Yeah, I mean, especially because, as Rachel mentioned, they are doing another line with Eminem right now.

[Sara Lebo]

Yeah, they've done similar things.

[Ariel Fager]

Sure, sure.

[Sara Lebo]

Congrats, Zach.

[Zach Stambor]

Okay, there we go.

[Sara Lebo]

So our final list is number eight, liquid death kegs for pregs. Number seven, Budweiser Ryder. Number six, A1, AI number five, Coors Light. Spelling error. Number four, Bon Iver canned salmon. Number three, Frida Uncensored. Number two, Heineken boring mode app. And number one, Dr. Squatch Sydney Sweeney. It's hard to say.

[Ariel Fager]

Yep, a little bit of a tongue twister.

[Sara Lebo]

Thank you guys for joining us and informing our list. Thank you so much for being here. Arielle.

[Ariel Fager]

You are welcome. This is really fun.

[Sara Lebo]

Thank you, Rachel.

[Rachel Wolf]

Thanks for having me.

[Sara Lebo]

Thank you, Zach.

[Zach Stambor]

Yeah, thanks.

[Sara Lebo]

Please give us a rating and review wherever you listen to podcasts. Thank you to our listeners and to our team that edits the podcast and is always doing the unexpected. We'll be back next Wednesday with another episode of Reimagining retail and Emarketer podcast. And on Friday, join Marcus for another episode of behind the Numbers, an Emarketer podcast podcast made possible by Sintra.