The best marketing campaigns of the year (thus far), what to learn from them, and why they worked so darn well [new data]

By juthompson@hubspot.com (Justina Thompson)

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Cookie-scented body wash flew off the shelves. Shaken espressos made a comeback (as long as they’re associated with short ‘n sweet blondes), and, oddly, interactive guerrilla marketing caught a second wind (or whiff?). I think it’s safe to say that 2025, thus far, has been a chaotically charming year to be both a marketer and, in turn, consume it.

This year, tons of digital marketing campaigns circulated social media channels and group chats, but, as the old proverb goes, only the most stellar stood out. Get the full rundown of which brand moments made the cut below. Plus, get an inside look at why these campaigns performed so well with a peek at original data from HubSpot’s annual State of Marketing Report.

Table of Contents:

The Latest Data About Marketing Trends You Should Know
The Best Marketing Campaigns of This Year

The Latest Data About Marketing Trends You Should Know

In my opinion, no marketing campaign is successful all on its own. A top-tier marketing campaign is only defined by the people, trends and data, consumers, and cultural commentary that shape its impact.

That said, take a look at fresh data from HubSpot’s 2025 State of Marketing Report for an insights-driven perspective on why this year’s biggest and best digital marketing campaigns captured the hearts (and pockets) of modern consumers everywhere:

92% of marketers plan to maintain or increase their investments in brand awareness in 2025.

1 in 4 (25%) marketers are currently exploring creating content that reflects their brand’s values.

The top reported advantages of using data to inform marketing strategy are: 1) reaching target audiences more effectively (35%), 2) increasing the ROI of marketing efforts (34%), and 3) planning media mixes more effectively (32%).

The top reported ways that marketers believe the marketing industry has changed in the past year are: 1) focusing on the customer and their experience (44%), 2) creating content that reflects your brand’s values (35%), 3) using data to inform marketing efforts (35%), and 4) using data to demonstrate the ROI and business value of marketing efforts (31%).