Laura Hill, Senior Growth Manager
Every January brings a fresh wave of brand resets, early-year campaigns, and bold creative bets. Some land beautifully. Others… become cautionary tales.
This month’s marketing hits and misses reveal a clear pattern: audiences are rewarding brands that lead with authenticity, timing, and strategy—and punishing those that rely on shortcuts, shock, or hollow tech.
Here are four campaigns that defined January 2026—for better and for worse.
Pringles scored an early win by doing something deceptively simple: launching a teaser before the teaser season officially begins.
The strategy worked on multiple levels:
Celebrity alignment felt natural, not forced
Early timing gave Pringles a longer runway for conversation
Playful execution matched the brand’s established tone
In a year when many brands wait until the last minute to drop their big-game creative, Pringles showed the value of owning the pre-game narrative.
Why it worked:
Anticipation is a channel. Pringles treated the teaser as a full-funnel moment, not just a preview.
When an established brand tries to relaunch itself, trust is the most fragile asset in the room.
At a moment when consumers are already skeptical of generative AI in creative, the execution felt less like reinvention and more like cost-cutting disguised as strategy.
Why it failed:
Rebrands require emotional credibility. AI can support creative—but it can’t replace brand soul.
Norwegian Cruise Line’s revival of its classic 1990s tagline was a masterclass in heritage marketing done right.
The repositioning achieved a rare balance:
Honored brand history
Updated the message for modern travelers
Shifted focus from features to feeling
In a crowded travel market, Norwegian reminded audiences not what they offer—but why they matter.
Why it worked:
Authenticity scales when it evolves. Heritage is powerful—if you modernize it with intent.
Provocation only works when it’s precise.
David’s “Devour” campaign, featuring Julia Fox and the tagline “Men disappoint. David satisfies,” aimed for empowerment and edge. What it delivered, according to critics, was tonal confusion and a creative framework rooted in a dated straight-male fantasy.
Instead of energizing the brand, the campaign alienated both male and female audiences—and left viewers unsure who the brand was actually for.
Why it failed:
Shock without strategy rarely converts. When the message confuses your audience, bold becomes brittle.
Across these four campaigns, a few patterns stand out:
Timing beats scale. Early, well-placed teasers outperform last-minute splashes.
Authenticity beats automation. AI can accelerate execution—but not replace brand credibility.
Heritage beats hype. When repositioning, your history is an asset—if you evolve it carefully.
Provocation requires precision. Edgy creative only works when it truly understands its audience.
As 2026 unfolds, the brands that win won’t be the loudest or the most experimental—they’ll be the ones that combine strategy, authenticity, and restraint.
And the misses? They’ll keep reminding us what not to do.
The difference between a hit and a miss is rarely luck. It’s strategy, timing, audience insight, and creative that’s grounded in brand truth.
If you’re planning a 2026 launch, rebrand, or campaign and want it to land in the “hit” column, KNB can help you get there—with PR, marketing, and creative built for high-stakes, highly regulated industries.
Because in today’s market, being bold isn’t enough.
You have to be right.
Let’s make your next campaign one people talk about for the right reasons.
Contact us now to start the conversation.
AI disclosure: In alignment with our commitment to transparency, we want to disclose that this blog post was substantially generated with the assistance of artificial intelligence technology. Our team of healthcare experts collaborates closely with AI to ensure accuracy and relevance for our valued readers in the health tech and life sciences sectors.