From jean advertisements, movies and fast food commercials, there has been a creative surge with how companies approach marketing. As more brands have developed, they have had to find more creative ways to stand out, and the continuous rise of social media has surely allowed for brands to creatively develop their ads.
Brands are now able to relate to their consumers through the use of social media trends on the rise. Here are some of Kent State’s favorite marketing campaigns of 2025.
Many companies have used a fair amount of celebrities and influencers in their commercials to make customers buy. Over email, Dr. Christopher Groening, associate dean for Graduate and Online Programs, provided his input.
“Ideally, you want someone who your customers and potential consumers are familiar with, who embodies the same thing that the brand embodies,” Groening says.
Freshman fashion merchandising major, Josie Lozano, mentioned how one of her favorites of 2025 is Ariana Grande featured in a Swarovski ad. Grande has been included in many advertisements with the brand and has her own collaboration with them, “Ariana Grande x Swarovski Capsule Collection.”
In the ad, Grande stands in the center wearing a silver crystal-like slip as her rainbow crystalized butterflies land on her, adorning her with rainbow necklaces, earrings and hair accessories as the song “I Feel Love” by Donna Summers plays in the background.
Using Grande allows a brand such as Swarovski to appeal to a much younger audience than usual.
“I think Ariana Grande is such a hot topic right now, and personally I really like her, as an 18-year-old girl,” Lozano says.
Freshman fashion design major, Abbey Kudro, took a creative approach on what her favorite marketing campaign was for 2025. Recently at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, Sabrina Carpenter took the stage to perform her new hit song “Tears,” but the performance went beyond just promoting her new song.
Carpenter was accompanied by multiple “RuPaul’s Drag Race” queens as her backup dancers held up signs of protest such as “Support local drag,” “If you hate, you’ll never get laid,” “Good bi,” “Protect trans rights” and etc.
Taking this approach within her performance allowed for smart advertising for her new album “Man’s Best Friend.” If the audience knows her to be an activist, then the more likely they will be to stream and buy her album
“So I feel like that is a good movement that we’re working towards, like getting that more televised and in the media,” Kudro says.
Groening weighed in on what his favorite ad of 2025 was. He enjoyed Jason Kelce’s NFL Sunday Ticket ad, which shows Kelce in a lab environment where he is seen being “tested” by two scientists on the subject, “How much NFL can Jason Kelce handle?”
The scientists then press a button as more superfans enter the room and eventually a small football field, as well as traditional game-day snacks. This illustrates how fun Sunday football can be for people and that “you should purchase a subscription to NFL’s Sunday Ticket and Youtube TV.”
“He’s kind of relatable to people in that he seems fun and goofy. The ads make the point that he’s having fun watching tons of football,” Groening says. “You, the consumer, can see yourself in the same position, ‘He’s having fun, he’s fun, maybe I’ll have fun and be fun with an NFL Sunday Ticket.’”
Overall, marketing advertisements have had a creative spike within our growing society of 2025, as our society continues to develop their opinions.
Ava Drozd is a web writer. Contact her at [email protected]
