The Art of Harnessing Pop Culture Nostalgia: Unveiling the Most Brilliant Marketing Campaigns of 2023
Brands navigate global challenges by tapping into pop culture nostalgia in the best marketing campaigns of 2023, employing iconic characters, AI innovation, celebrity endorsements, and visual revamps to captivate consumers and build brand loyalty
In 2023, despite a more positive economic climate, marketers faced numerous challenges that constrained their creativity. Only a few brands were successful in standing out, relying on traditional tactics rather than new and innovative approaches.
The year began with a lackluster Super Bowl ad season, characterized as playing it safe and unenergetic. As the year progressed, marketers struggled to make an impact, focusing on rebrands, refreshes, and repositioning efforts to resonate with changing consumer dynamics instead of flashy campaigns.
Retail media and connected TV saw a significant increase in spending, but also faced concerns about fraud, fragmentation, and potential FTC intervention. Although generative artificial intelligence was a dominant topic in the media, brands struggled to effectively incorporate the technology into their advertising, with the exception of a few noteworthy cases.
Rather than focusing on emerging technologies, successful marketers doubled down on campaigns centered around nostalgia and pop culture, providing much-needed joy to consumers. With this in mind, Our Website has compiled the most impactful creative work from 2023, showcasing campaigns that made a difference despite the marketing landscape being at a crossroads.
McDonald’s shakes loose for Grimace’s birthday
McDonald’s rode a wave of nostalgia with Grimace
Courtesy of McDonald's
McDonald's is known for successfully capitalizing on childhood nostalgia for marketing purposes, and their recent summer promotion centered around brand mascot Grimace's birthday was no exception. The campaign, which paid tribute to memories of birthday celebrations at PlayPlaces, was widely promoted through various channels including advertisements, an 8-bit video game, merchandise, a Snapchat augmented reality experience, and a phone number for texting birthday wishes.
The campaign's most captivating aspect was a limited-edition purple shake that garnered over 3 billion views on TikTok, contributing to a significant increase in sales. In a surprising viral trend, young consumers swarmed to the platform to share videos of themselves enjoying the berry-flavored concoction and imagining surreal, sometimes unpleasant side effects.
"Being authentically present in culture means allowing fans to shape the brand in their own way," remarked JJ Healan, McDonald’s vice president of U.S. marketing, brand, content, and culture in an email. "This sometimes leads to unexpected conversations, but we embrace however they choose to engage with us. Thanks to our fans, Grimace’s Birthday became one of our most socially engaging campaigns ever."
The Grimace birthday campaign was presented as an extension of McDonald’s ongoing efforts to connect with consumers through the combination of nostalgia and culture, a recurring theme for the QSR. In November, the company collaborated with Crocs (another brand with a strong connection to nostalgic trends) to release a special collection of shoes, socks, and Jibbitz charms featuring designs inspired by Birdie, the Hamburglar, and, of course, Grimace.
“Barbie” star Margot Robbie
GDAphoto/AP
Mattel says, ‘Hi, Barbie!’
The "Barbie" movie produced by Mattel and Warner Bros. caused a worldwide sensation, generating $1.36 billion in box office revenue. Toy sales increased by 25% following the film's release, marking a significant turnaround for the brand. Lisa McKnight, executive vice president and chief brand officer at Mattel, highlighted this transformation during an Advertising Week panel.
"The perception of Barbie has greatly improved. Parents with young daughters and children of all genders now view Barbie as a positive role model and see the brand as connected to culture, inclusive, empowering, celebratory, and fun. This is important because people are seeking purpose-driven products that also bring joy, fun, and entertainment. Barbie's widespread presence this year demonstrated its significant market penetration, with brands across industries eager to collaborate. For example, Bumble allowed consumers to match with characters from the film, and a Barbie selfie generator went viral with 13 million users. This successful partnership benefited both Barbie and its marketing partners."
McKnight revealed, "We had over 165 partners globally for this film, and we had to turn down many others. The level of interest and enthusiasm from so many parties was truly remarkable."
Coca-Cola’s Destination Y3000 event at the Las Vegas Sphere
Courtesy of Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola leads the way with generative AI
Generative AI caused a stir in marketing, technology, and culture, becoming the biggest story of the year. Despite significant investments from tech giants and agency holding companies, most brands have yet to fully adopt generative AI in their creative endeavors, with a few notable exceptions.
Coca-Cola was an early adopter of leveraging a partnership between management consultancy Bain & Company and OpenAI, the developer of advanced AI software like ChatGPT and DALL.E. This partnership led to the launch of its “Create Real Magic” platform. Coke has since used generative AI at music festivals, at a takeover of the Las Vegas Sphere, and to create digital holiday cards.
AI technology was also utilized to develop a new beverage with strong initial results, as revealed in a recent earnings call. The company is exploring various consumer-facing and non-consumer-facing applications of the technology, according to Selman Careaga, president of the global Coca-Cola category.
The executive stated that they will continue using the tool as long as it enables them to create engaging content and improve brand experiences. They also mentioned plans to use the tool to enhance internal processes and gain better insights. According to Careaga, there are more exciting developments on the horizon, indicating that other marketers may follow Coca-Cola's example in utilizing generative AI in the years ahead.
Donna Kelce and Jake from State Farm
Courtesy of State Farm
State Farm’s red era
State Farm hit the jackpot this year with a campaign that took advantage of the buzz around the friendship between Kansas City Chiefs tight-end Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift. The highlight was during an Eagles game on Oct. 1, when Jake, the State Farm mascot, bonded with Donna, the mother of both Travis and Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce. Jake spent the game with Donna, recreating moments from her recent interactions with Swift. This memorable stunt, including sharing chicken nuggets, was a collaboration with Maximum Effort, co-owned by Ryan Reynolds, who happens to be a close friend of Swift. And the whole thing came together in a very short time frame.
Alyson Griffin, State Farm's marketing head, emphasized the importance of creating the right conditions for success in an interview with Our Website. She noted that Donna and Jake's adventure had a significant impact on the brand, equivalent to 1,700 cable ads. Additionally, there was a 15-fold increase in online searches for State Farm, and the game-time advertisements proved to be more effective than usual.
Swift's popularity has skyrocketed in recent years, particularly with her Eras Tour expected to bring in a staggering $4.1 billion, solidifying it as the highest-earning solo tour in history. Her influence is so widespread that Heinz developed a new condiment, "Ketchup and Seemingly Ranch," within 24 hours of a viral tweet about her condiment choice at a Kansas City football game.
Ice Spice and Ben Affleck
Courtesy of Dunkin'
Dunkin’ builds brand with Ben Affleck, Ice Spice
In the midst of numerous forgettable celebrity appearances and lighthearted humor during the Super Bowl, one partnership stood out as a perfect match for both the brand and the spokesperson: Ben Affleck's involvement in a Dunkin' ad that was actually directed by the Hollywood star.
The partnership embraced the popular jokes about the Boston native's affection for the Massachusetts-based breakfast spot, managing to bring both authenticity and genuine humor. Dunkin' went even further by releasing a commercial in April that leveraged Affleck's connection with Matt Damon, his colleague at Artists Equity production house, with whom Dunkin' recently established a partnership.
To connect with younger consumers, Dunkin' collaborated with up-and-coming rapper Ice Spice to create and promote a limited-time drink that combined the chain's Pumpkin Munchkins Donut Hole Treats with its Frozen Coffee. Dunkin's marketing team successfully accomplished this by staying in tune with "the speed of pop culture," according to CMO Jill McVicar Nelson in a statement via email.
The executive emphasized that connecting the brand to culture goes beyond just following trends or leveraging celebrity status. The goal is to keep Dunkin' in the top of consumers' minds as a daily ritual and to build a connection with the next generation of coffee drinkers.
Similarly, the chain used Affleck's association with Dunkin' in pop culture to inspire the Ice Spice Munchkins Drink, drawing from Dunkin's donut holes and Ice Spice's fan base, referred to as "munchkins." This sweet offering is aimed at consumers who may not have been familiar with Affleck and Damon's film "Good Will Hunting" back in 1997.
"Our collaboration with Ben Affleck and Ice Spice brought a new level of excitement to the pumpkin spice season. Their genuine love for Dunkin’ and unexpected connection made the campaign resonate with audiences of all demographics and interests,” Nelson explained.
Pepsi’s 125 Diner concept
Courtesy of Pepsi
Pepsi marks visual overhaul with 125th anniversary marketing blitz
In 2023, brand refreshes have been quite trendy, but none have resonated as much as Pepsi's total design overhaul, marking its first in 14 years. The new look was officially revealed to coincide with the celebration of the brand's 125th anniversary in the fall, as part of an extensive marketing campaign that lasted for months.
After years of development, Pepsi's rebranding exchanged the soda's subdued color scheme for a vibrant electric blue paired with bold black tones. The update, which highlights its zero-sugar product, saw PepsiCo marketers moving away from minimalistic branding to embrace a more dynamic and lively appearance. This trend has been recently adopted by others and is designed to embody what Pepsi promotes as a "disruptor" reputation.
In August, Pepsi launched 125 days of promotions across traditional advertising, social media content, SMS promotions, and experiential strategies, including the creation of a Pepsi 125 Diner concept. Nostalgia plays a significant role in the marketing campaign, which has been manifested in various ways, including revamping collaborations from decades past and bringing back old commercials featuring celebrities like Madonna. Each aspect is intended to honor "Pepsi's history in the effort of shaping Pepsi's future," as stated by Jenny Danzi, Pepsi Trademark's senior director.
"We are completely embracing our new brand identity, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive — there is a demand for merchandise and people are enthusiastic about the product," Danzi explained. "It's evident that this is the familiar and beloved Pepsi, and we believe it's helping us connect with audiences that may not have previously considered Pepsi as their top choice."
Taco Bell’s trademark petition
Courtesy of Taco Bell
Taco Bell liberates Taco Tuesday
In 2023, Taco Bell aimed to liberate Taco Tuesday from its trademark restrictions. The initiative gained traction when LeBron James joined the cause. In a 30-second commercial, the basketball icon comically faced censorship each time he tried to utter the once trademarked phrase.
After Taco John’s relinquished the trademark it had held in all U.S. states except New Jersey since 1989, the brand finally found success in July. The rival chain pledged to contribute $100 per location to the Children of Restaurant Employees (CORE) and urged Taco Bell to do the same.
To commemorate the trademark liberation, Taco Bell partnered with DoorDash to give away $5 million in free taco orders on Sept. 12. The funding was distributed to participating vendors and strengthened the relationship between the two companies, moving it beyond the purely transactional, which had been in place since 2022.
Taco Bell Chief Digital Officer Dane Mathews stated at Advertising Week, "The most efficient way to celebrate it was through delivery. If we wanted to connect with the taqueros and showcase their ability to use Taco Tuesday, the simplest and most effective platform to do that with was DoorDash."
The Yum Brand's chain achieved considerable success with its efforts, going beyond just freeing the trademark. #TacoTuesday generated $1.1 million in earned media value (EMV) from 103 creators across 14 posts. This outstanding performance ranks #TacoTuesday as the brand's 16th most successful hashtag by EMV, as reported by data from CreatorIQ.
Taco Bell's success in this effort showcases the company's strong standing in the QSR industry. Mathews expressed at Advertising Week, "We see this as a way for the taco culture and category to flourish in a world dominated by burgers."
