Most memorable UK campaigns of the year so far

By Deborah Amofa-Akuoko

We’re already eight months into the year, and we’ve seen brands and agencies deliver some creative, fun and thought-provoking campaigns and stunts.

Although there have been many that have captivated me, I want to share with you my favourites from each month of the year!

January

Starting off strong in January, which seems like a lifetime ago, fitness brand GymNation launched the ‘World’s Highest Gym Class’ in Saudi Arabia. They took participants 2,200ft into the sky in a hot-air balloon. On board, there was a 30-minute strength and conditioning class, as the brand wanted to highlight that altitude training burns between 5–15% more calories.

As someone who went on a hot-air balloon ride this summer, I could not imagine having a workout session when my feet are not on land. But I really enjoyed the innovation, panoramic shots and the research behind it!

February

The month of love was filled with an overflow of Valentine’s Day activities, but the only one that truly made my heartbeat was Asda’s ‘Love Could Be Waiting in the Aisles’ campaign by Smarts. They found that 64% of Brits admitted they have their eye on another shopper when doing their weekly shop.

To spark connections, they created red baskets in selected stores on Valentine’s Day for singles who were open to getting to know someone. I first saw this on TikTok, which generated over 2 million views and 100k+ likes, and loved it. The initial video, combined with interviews with real shoppers who picked up the baskets, was a great social-first touch.

Who says you can’t find love in Asda?

March

Clue takes the crown in March with its ‘The Cost of Bleeding’ campaign, which launched a petition alongside activist Ashley James to make period pads free across England.

They calculated that the average lifetime cost of period products is £20,359, which includes hidden costs such as symptom relief and replacing stained clothing. With 37% of respondents struggling to afford period products, their stand in Parliament Square was such a powerful call to action.

Understanding the cost of period products, this simple yet effective campaign helped spread further awareness, and I would love to see the Government consider moments like these and produce the necessary change.

April

What initially started off as a supply chain crisis was impressively transformed into a PR masterclass with ‘The KitKat Heist’. A truck transporting 413,793 bars of chocolate was stolen between Italy and Poland. Instead of a typical corporate response, the teams at Burson and VML saw an opportunity to newsjack their own headlines.

They launched a ‘Stolen KitKat Tracker’ for consumers, with millions of people using it to track down their chocolate. I initially thought this was a late April Fool’s joke, yet upon discovering the truth, I was so impressed with how quickly they responded and turned the conversation around in the media.

Other brands, such as Currys, joined the fun, with TikToks making light of the situation. This one will be talked about for a while, with awards and nominations still coming in for their reputation management and creativity.

May

The nappy brand Rascals and W Communications launched their ‘Date Night Sponsors’ programme. It offered 50 complimentary date-night packages, which included a supply of Rascals nappies, a £60 credit for a certified babysitter and a £35 voucher for a meal or activity.

Research highlighted that 96% of parents believe one night out a month would boost happiness, yet childcare costs can hold them back.

This was such a wholesome campaign for new parents who are navigating lives that are completely different and giving them the quality time together they deserve. It was also a great opportunity for Rascals to elevate its position in the baby products industry.

June

The best month of the year (because it’s my birthday) was also the start of the World Cup, which saw many fun football campaigns and activations come to life.

Yet the one that stood out to me was Women’s Aid’s ‘The Other Kick Off’. They hijacked the famous question, ‘What time’s kick-off?’, to portray the sad reality of domestic abuse levels rising after England matches.

The predicted kick-off time of 11:37pm was plastered on billboards and mobile vans near major fan zones and hotspots in London. It came with a QR code which directed people to their website for advice and more information.

Another awareness campaign that seems simple yet carries such an important message, reminding people that amidst the buzz of exciting events, we must try to help address the dark realities that can follow.

July

The World Cup was still the centre of attention as Virgin Atlantic produced a stunt with Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice lookalikes becoming cabin crew at Heathrow. They checked in customers, recreated their celebrations and stopped for selfies.

They also used it to promote their high-speed Wi-Fi, with customers streaming the match mid-air. I had to do a double take when I saw the Harry Kane lookalike on an organic TikTok video, which generated 5.4 million views and over 900k likes, with comments from brands such as Deliveroo and Specsavers joining in on the fun.

The Overall Winner

For me, the KitKat Heist takes the trophy, mainly due to the genius opportunity it created and the coverage it achieved. There were 6,000 articles generated worldwide, with an earned reach of 800 million, which allowed 100+ other brands to organically join the heist wave.

Their pace and creativity have been rewarded with many nominations and awards, such as the prestigious PR Lions Grand Prix at Cannes.

With four months until the end of the year and many PR opportunities, such as back-to-school, new movie releases and Christmas, it will be exciting to watch what campaigns different brands and agencies have up their sleeves and how stakeholders react!