Brand Waves This Week

Welcome to The Brand Waves, your weekly snapshot of the most innovative marketing campaigns from around the world. In this edition, discover stories, strategies, and creative ideas that are redefining how brands connect with audiences.

This edition is in partnership with Tracksuit, the affordable, always-on brand tracking dashboard that helps marketers and agencies make insights-backed decisions and prove the impact of their boldest brand work.

Today’s newsletter includes: Kith renews its collaboration with Columbia Sportswear; Liquid I.V. unveils the I.V. O’CLOCK activation in Times Square; Squarespace reasserts the value of the domain as the first act of identity a brand; Starbucks presents Drawn Together; McCain captures the authentic chaos of mealtime; and Porsche embraces the craftsmanship of hand-drawn animation.

Kith unveils its new collection in collaboration with Columbia Sportswear

Kith and Columbia Sportswear renew a longstanding collaboration with the launch of a collection dedicated to winter sports, strengthening a dialogue that goes beyond the product and works on imagination, experience, and culture.

The collection of winter sports apparel, accessories, and footwear is enriched with artwork inspired by the Nippon Snow Expedition and references to Japan, particularly iconic locations such as Hokkaido and Mount Yōtei.

The accessories line follows the same logic as well. Designed for snow expeditions, the Kith for Columbia NSE collection includes carryall duffle bags conceived for versatility and functionality, enhanced with custom artwork.

Finally, the renewed collaboration in footwear expands the depth of the offering and reinforces the perception of Kith as a brand capable of moving with authority across fashion, performance, and lifestyle.

Liquid I.V. Launches I.V. O’CLOCK

Liquid I.V. has launched I.V. O’CLOCK with a Times Square takeover at 4:00 PM on June 4, 2025. The brand took over the giant screens with a fake error message that revealed it was officially I.V. O’CLOCK, time to hydrate.

With this campaign, Liquid I.V. focused on habit-building, linking a specific moment of the day – the classic afternoon energy slump – to a recurring consumption ritual.

Tracking The Brand Waves

In the United States, this approach is already delivering tangible results.

According to Tracksuit data, between December 2024 and November 2025, within the Sports Beverages and Powders category, Liquid I.V. recorded growth across the entire funnel: awareness increased from 38% to 46%, consideration from 25% to 29%, claimed usage from 14% to 20%, and preference from 7% to 9%.

This growth is driven primarily by men and consumers aged 18-34.

However, a familiarity gap remains compared to category leaders: only 42% of those aware of Liquid I.V. say they know the brand very well, versus 81% for Gatorade and 68% for Powerade. This is a key insight, as consumers who know Liquid I.V. very well are five times more likely to consider it.

The next step for Liquid I.V. will be to turn these high-impact activations into everyday familiarity, strengthening emotional connection and competing more confidently with long-established players.

Become a better brand builder by signing up for Tracksuit’s fortnightly newsletter, Shorts, which is jam packed with marketing advice, consumer insights like these, and case studies from around the globe.

Squarespace launches the Stylish Domains campaign

Squarespace launches the Stylish Domains campaign, bringing attention back to a fundamental moment for anyone starting a business: choosing a domain.

Dream It, Domain It invites anyone with a business idea to make it real by claiming a domain that reflects who they are and what they want to build.

The hero film, directed by Bradley & Pablo of PRETTYBIRD, takes viewers through a series of glamour-filled scenarios inspired by the aesthetics of high fashion.

From .dance to .coach, .video, and .rock, the spot highlights Squarespace’s more than 400 top-level domains, showing how a domain can be not only practical, but also creative and distinctive.

Starbucks Unveils the Drawn Together Holiday Ad

Starbucks launches its new holiday ad Drawn Together, a campaign that transforms small everyday gestures into moments of emotional connection.

For years, the brand’s baristas have turned orders into opportunities for connection by writing customers’ names on their cups. From this simple gesture, the ad was born, telling an animated story in which the baristas’ drawings come to life, highlighting the importance of small moments of togetherness.

The collaboration with Geoff McFetridge, a multidisciplinary artist from Los Angeles, brought the heart of Starbucks’ holiday message to life in minimalist yet expressive visuals, capturing simplicity, humanity, and warmth.

The campaign also brings the drawings to the streets of London and Manchester, with billboards animated by festive holiday lights.

McCain refreshes the language of food advertising with Hash Brown Bites

McCain tells the story of the launch of Hash Brown Bites through a new campaign directed by Anthony Rubinstein, in collaboration with Adam & Eve Studios.

The film is built around a highly relevant insight: mealtime as a chaotic, imperfect, and authentic space. McCain chooses not to idealize the table, instead portraying it with warmth and humor, making the product a natural part of everyday life.

Rich in warmth, wit, and a generous dose of visual flair, Anthony’s film captures the fun, flavor, and chaos of mealtime. The result is a playful yet technically refined piece that perfectly balances humor and craft.

Porsche unveils its new holiday campaign

In an advertising landscape increasingly crowded by artificial intelligence, Porsche introduces a holiday campaign that blends hand-drawn and 3D animation, strongly reaffirming the value of creative craftsmanship.

Created by the animation and illustration experts at Parallel Studio, the spot tells fragments of the life of a man and his Porsche.

From gatherings of enthusiasts to nighttime drives, the narrative unfolds as a sequence of intimate, relatable moments, strengthening the emotional bond between the brand and its community.

If you’re looking for even more inspiration, check out last week’s edition of Brand Waves This Week for more standout campaigns and unmissable creative ideas!

The wave doesn’t stop here.

We’ll be back next week with more stories shaping the future of brands, tech and culture. Catch the next one with us.