2025 was another year in which brands surprised, delighted, shocked and disappointed us. From major consumer brands dominating headlines to beloved institutions stumbling, the year once again reshaped the landscape of business and culture.  

Major tech players continued to dominate headlines. YouTube officially became the world’s largest streaming platform, surpassing Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ and every major network combined. Walmart completed its transformation into a tech-first retailer with its NASDAQ debut. Meanwhile, a crowded AI category welcomed Gemini, Copilot, Claude, Perplexity and Amazon Q — yet none matched the persistent ubiquity of ChatGPT. MSNBC quietly reintroduced itself as MS NOW, Astronomer found unexpected fame via a Coldplay KissCam mishap and the world debated whether Tilly Norwood might become the first AI-generated movie star. If 2024 was about AI acceleration, 2025 was about AI integration into mainstream business. 

Legacy brands delivered some of the year’s strongest moments. Nike continued elevating women’s sports, Formula 1 solidified its status as the partnership platform every brand wanted to be part of, McDonald’s leaned into nostalgia to bring customers back, Coca-Cola returned to emotional storytelling with “Share a Coke,” while “old timers” Victoria’s Secret, Abercrombie and Bed Bath and Beyond advanced their relevance reinvention efforts by courting Gen Z. Finally, streaming, again, saw historic gains as Stranger Things broke Netflix’s single day viewing record, Severance earned a historic wave of Emmy nominations for Apple and The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives continued to help Hulu surge and search for more secrets! 

Challenger brands shaped culture just as powerfully. Poppi became one of the year’s breakout success stories with its two-billion-dollar sale to Pepsi. Quince leaned into radical transparency, Labubu sparked a Beanie Babies style collecting craze, Owala turned hydration into a movement, and Mike’s Hot Honey became the condiment of the year across grocery carts and fast casual menus. At the same time, Raising Cane’s and Buc-ee’s continued their near mythic expansions, the Savannah Bananas redefined sports entertainment and Bluey remained the ten-minute escape adults and children alike continued to cherish. 

2025 also marked a decisive shift toward health optimization and data-driven living, accelerating the rise of brands built around prevention and performance. Eli Lilly became the first trillion-dollar health company, powered by scientific credibility, deep patient insight and unprecedented demand for T2D and weight loss medications. On Running solidified its place as the lifestyle sport hybrid of the moment, Strava became the social network for movers and Oura entered the mainstream as consumers relied on sleep and recovery data to guide daily choices. With protein culture dominating grocery aisles and creatine entering mainstream longevity conversations, consumers were no longer just health conscious; they became health obsessed. 

Celebrity and creator influence remained a powerful force in shaping the brand narrative. Hailey Bieber’s billion-dollar sale of Rhode to e.l.f. dominated headlines, Sydney Sweeney brought “attention” and record sales to American Eagle. Levi’s extended its cultural resurgence through a high impact collaboration with Beyoncé. Amy Poehler became a top ten podcaster in under eight months; Pope Leo went global and Sabrina Carpenter and Bad Bunny owned both charts and culture. And in true 2025 fashion, a mashup of 4 Non Blondes and Nicki Minaj, sparked by Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick, became the year’s most unlikely anthem. 

Looking ahead to 2026, the questions only grow more intriguing. Will HBO Max rebrand yet again if a Netflix/Paramount deal materializes? Is FIFA drifting into 2026 penalty territory amid early World Cup controversy? Will Prada and Versace manage to share power peacefully now that billions depend on it? Can Paige Bueckers out-dunk Caitlin Clark’s endorsement deals? Which Winter Olympic athletes will capture global attention? Do we actually care about another Avengers release? Why can’t we release Toy Story 5 tomorrow? And, the biggest mystery of all is whether or not Hinge’s positioning around “The Dating App Designed to be Deleted” will result in a swipe-left or a swipe-right? 

As always, time will reveal the answers. For now, we turn to the brands that defined 2025 — the headlining hits, the memorable misses, and the stories that shaped the year. With perspectives from Prophet colleagues around the world, and refraining from any commentary on current Prophet clients, here are our takes on the brands that rose to the top and those that fell flat. 

2025 Brand Winners 

DoorDash 

DoorDash reinforced its position as the dominant player in U.S. local commerce, expanding its footprint beyond food delivery into grocery, retail, convenience and alcohol. Growth in suburban and mid-sized markets remained a core competitive advantage, driving high order frequency and deep household penetration. DashPass continued to be one of the most powerful subscription products in the category, while the company’s merchant-focused model and operational tools made DoorDash a preferred partner for restaurants and retailers navigating an increasingly digital marketplace. 

Dr Pepper 

Dr Pepper solidified its status as one of 2025’s standout beverage brands, firmly holding the number two spot in the U.S. after surpassing Pepsi last year. Its loyal fan base and fast-growing Gen Z following fueled momentum, drawn to indulgent flavors and rising cultural relevance. When the “dirty soda” trend took off on TikTok, the brand moved quickly with its Creamy Coconut limited release, the most successful flavor launch in its history and a catalyst for nearly two million followers and over 12 million likes on the platform. Supported by continued heat from its Fansville campaign and an AI-driven Disney partnership that links beverage consumption to college football viewing for more precise targeting, Dr Pepper showed how a legacy brand can drive modern growth by pairing cultural agility with data-led innovation. 

Gap 

Gap regained meaningful cultural and commercial traction in 2025, driven by the viral “Better in Denim” campaign, which generated more than 8 billion impressions and reintroduced the brand to a younger audience. The company strengthened its positioning by accelerating influencer-led content, elevating its core assortment with higher-quality fabrics and modern fits and expanding its appeal to higher income shoppers. Supported by strategic partnerships and stronger digital execution, Gap demonstrated that a legacy retailer can regain relevance by aligning brand heritage with contemporary consumer behavior. 

Google 

Google emerged as one of 2025’s standout performers, regaining momentum in the AI race and boosting investor confidence. Alphabet’s stock climbed 77 percent in six months, becoming the third-most valuable U.S. company after launching Gemini 3, which, along with its Nano Banana model, outperformed rivals in early tests. Its pivot to AI-powered search paid off. Google Cloud revenue rose 32 percent and search grew 15 percent year over year. In a year defined by rapid innovation and fierce competition, Google didn’t just keep pace, it set a new bar. 

OpenAI 

OpenAI solidified its status as one of the defining technology companies of the decade, spearheading rapid global adoption of artificial intelligence through advances in models, multimodal intelligence and product applications. Tools such as ChatGPT and Sora became essential across sectors including education, healthcare, entertainment and enterprise, positioning OpenAI as both an innovation engine and a trusted partner. Its mix of technical leadership, robust safety research and accessible user experience helped the company anchor a major shift in how individuals and organizations work, communicate and create value. 

Skims 

Skims strengthened its position as one of 2025’s most influential apparel brands, evolving from shapewear disruptor to multibillion-dollar lifestyle powerhouse built on comfort, inclusivity and design innovation. With a valuation above $5 billion, global retail expansion and consistent sellouts, the brand sustained exceptional momentum, becoming the fastest-growing apparel label in America and generating millions in first-week menswear sales. 

Its NikeSkims collaboration underscored its reach, introducing women-first performance design and setting a new standard in activewear. As the official loungewear and underwear partner of Team USA, Skims continued to build credibility in sport. Guided by Kim Kardashian’s strategic leadership and cultural influence, the brand shifted from buzzy newcomer to long-term force in modern essentials. 

2025 Brand Losers 

Fast Fashion (Forever 21, H&M, Zara, Shein) 

Fast-fashion leaders struggled to maintain cultural relevance in 2025 as consumers, especially Gen Z, gravitated toward sustainable alternatives and circular models. Rental platforms such as Nuuly and Rent the Runway posted double-digit subscription growth, underscoring a shift toward quality, transparency and reduced environmental impact. Against this backdrop, fast-fashion’s rapid-turnover model increasingly appeared out of sync with evolving values. For brands long fueled by speed and trend replication, 2025 revealed the limits of a strategy misaligned with the priorities of the next generation of shoppers. 

Southwest Airlines 

Southwest faced significant blowback in 2025 as it moved away from hallmark customer-friendly policies to drive new revenue. The decision to introduce checked-bag fees and begin phasing out open seating signaled a decisive strategic shift but also triggered a decline in customer satisfaction scores following the announcement. While the airline argued the changes would help it compete more effectively on fares and court more business travelers, the moves threatened its long-standing position as the industry’s most approachable, traveler-first brand. The tension between financial opportunity and brand identity defined Southwest’s turbulent year. 

Target 

Target endured a difficult year in 2025 as shifting consumer priorities and lingering operational inconsistencies weighed on performance. The retailer posted its sixth consecutive quarter of declining foot traffic, signaling waning momentum in both discretionary categories and everyday essentials. Efforts to reinvigorate its style-forward identity were overshadowed by inventory misalignment, higher shrink levels and uneven in-store execution that eroded its once-stable appeal to middle-income households. With shoppers becoming more price sensitive and less inclined toward discretionary trips, Target found itself squeezed between elevated expectations for value and a brand positioning more closely tied to lifestyle than necessity. In a year defined by cautious spending, the retailer struggled to articulate a compelling reason for consumers to visit more often. 

Tesla and Elon Musk 

Tesla’s once-dominant position in the EV landscape weakened significantly in 2025 as consumer sentiment cooled and competition intensified. The company’s U.S. EV market share fell to 38 percent, its lowest level in nearly a decade, while global deliveries slipped 13 percent year over year. Product recalls, mounting battery concerns and the expiration of federal EV tax credits added pressure, but the most damaging factor may have been the growing disconnect between Elon Musk’s polarizing public image and the expectations of mainstream buyers. For a brand long fueled by mythmaking and momentum, 2025 marked a rare moment where narrative could not compensate for operational and market realities. 

Tylenol 

Tylenol confronted one of its toughest reputational tests in decades after allegations surfaced connecting its products to autism, thrusting the brand into a crisis that demanded clarity and rapid communication. Instead, the company delivered a fragmented and slow response that contrasted sharply with the decisive crisis management approach that made Tylenol an industry gold standard in the 1980s. Public sentiment declined noticeably across social channels, and the brand’s credibility took a measurable hit in consumer trust surveys. In an era of rapid information cycles, Tylenol’s hesitation proved as damaging as the accusation itself. 

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In healthcare, few organizations have redefined the role of Brand Growth as boldly as Piedmont. Under CMO Douwe Bergsma’s leadership, marketing, communications, and patient experience have evolved from often undervalued functions into Brand Growth, a measurable business growth engine; accountable for driving demand, shaping brand health and improving patient experience. 

In this conversation with Scott Davis, Prophet’s Chief Growth Officer, Bergsma shares how he’s reframed Brand Growth at Piedmont around patient-centered, financial rigor, data-driven accountability, and the courage to simplify. Together, they explore how brand and demand disciplines combine to power sustainable growth in one of the nation’s most complex industries. 

Douwe, you’ve had quite a year. Piedmont’s performance has been exceptional. How would you describe where the organization stands today and how that influences your Brand Growth priorities? 

Douwe Bergsma: It’s been a record year across many dimensions. Ten years ago, Piedmont’s total revenue was around $1.5 billion. This year, we’re tracking toward $9 billion. We now serve ~4.5 million patients across ~50,000 employees and offer services close to about 85% of Georgia. Piedmont is among the best performing systems in the U.S when it comes to quality, safety, cost management and overall financial performance.  

For me, the real story is how Brand Growth is now directly accountable for a significant part of our total revenue. That’s based on our internal Brand Growth Mix Model (MMM), which quantifies the contribution to patient acquisition and office visits. That level of measurable impact is rare in healthcare. 

We measure success across three pillars: 

• Demand: How many office visits and appointments Brand Growth directly drives, and at what ROI? 
• Brand: Awareness and favorability, tracked through independent third-party research. 
• Experience: How well do patients adopt our digital tools and how satisfied they are.  

Those three lenses together represent the full brand journey – from the first awareness moment to a lifetime of patient loyalty. 

That’s an extraordinary shift, from Brand Growth as a service function to a growth engine. What sparked that transformation? 

DB: When I joined Piedmont, marketing and communications were respected but mostly undervalued, and patient experience was even a separate team. My goal was to reframe it into Brand Growth and become a strategic driver of growth, a quality and patient-centered revenue engine.

I came from the CPG world, where you live and die by metrics like household penetration and sales velocity. In healthcare, the equivalents are patient appointments and office visits. So, I started with that: proving that Brand Growth could measurably drive patient volume. 

Once we had data to show how communications, physician outreach, campaigns and digital investments translated into patient growth, the conversation with leadership shifted. Over time, Brand Growth was not only visible, but it was essential. 

I tell my team all the time: Marketing is math, with creativity to make the math work better. That mindset changed a lot.  

You’ve often said your mantra is “Think like a CFO, act like a CMO.” What does that mean in practice? 

DB: It means that marketers must understand and speak the language of the balance sheet. The fastest way to earn credibility in the C-suite is to tie your work directly to patient satisfaction and financial performance. 

When I came in, I brought data tables to almost every meeting, not creative storyboards. I walked the CEO, EVP and CFO through how Brand Growth metrics can translate into patient preference, conversion and financial outcomes. 

Over time, we built a full Brand Growth Mix Model to validate those linkages. It’s not just correlation, but also attribution and causation. We can now forecast how much incremental patients and revenue a certain campaign, media channel, or experience improvement will generate, approximately 

Once you can do that, Brand Growth earns a more permanent seat at the table not the “kids table,” as I like to say. 

That level of financial discipline feels rare, especially in healthcare marketing. What other changes made it possible? 

DB: A big one was patient-driven simplification. Like many large systems, we had accumulated too many vendors, tools, and disconnected digital experiences. There were multiple patient portals and apps, each with their own logins, designs, and data silos. 

We now aim to simplify almost everything down to one patient-preferred platform: Piedmont MyChart. It’s now the single digital front door for the majority of our patients. That decision was somewhat controversial; it meant consolidating walking away from several vendors. But simplification delivered an easier patient experience, clarity, consistency, and cost efficiency. 

The result is not only a better experience for patients, but a more streamlined, measurable, and scalable Brand Growth ecosystem. 

Once you had the demand engine humming, how did you elevate brand building within that mix? 

DB: Once we proved Brand Growth’s impact on office visits, the next step was to embrace its role in shaping brand awareness and preference.  

We were the #1 system operationally in Georgia but ranked only #2 in brand health. That gap was unacceptable. I used the science of marketing to help other executives understand that awareness drives patient consideration, and consideration drives choice. 

Once that clicked, support followed. Our brand building efforts grew exponentially within a few years. Today, our CEO is personally involved and presents Brand Growth results to our leadership and board. When the CEO takes pride in Brand Growth, you know it’s embedded in the enterprise strategy. 

That’s a powerful evolution and it mirrors what we see across industries: marketing leaders earning credibility through measurable results. How do you think about the intersection of brand and demand today? 

DB: They’re not separate disciplines; they’re symbiotic. Demand gives you patient choice, results and short-term value. Brand gives you the long-term ability to grow. 

The first phase of our transformation was all about driving demand: measurable, patient-centered transactional growth. But once we proved that engine, brand became the next multiplier. Brand health amplifies everything else: patient preference, physician partnerships, patient loyalty, even recruiting.  

We no longer debate “brand vs. demand.” We build both in concert, guided by a unified Brand Growth Flywheel that connects awareness to consideration to conversion. 

Scott Davis: That’s exactly what we call Brand & Demand at Prophet — the idea that sustainable growth happens when both sides of the Brand Growth equation reinforce each other. 

Let’s talk about experience, the final frontier of Brand Growth ownership. You’ve brought CX, marketing, and analytics under one roof. What prompted that integration? 

DB: The patient experience is the brand experience. You can’t separate them. 

We merged communications, community affairs, marketing, sales and patient experience into one organization with centralized insights and analytics. That was a major reorganization. It was a bit painful, but necessary. 

We rebuilt our organization and now we have a single, integrated view of the patient: from first awareness to appointment booking, to post-visit feedback. 

Brand Growth now is also accountable for digital tool adoption and patient satisfaction. It’s a closed loop. When patients have better digital and in-person experiences, loyalty and volume follow. 

Healthcare is facing capacity constraints and policy headwinds. How do those external dynamics shape your Brand Growth agenda? 

DB: Demand for healthcare in Georgia continues to grow, but access needs to increase as well.  

Our focus is on balancing patient demand growth with available capacity across our footprint. It’s about connecting patients to the right services, at the right place and time, managing expectations, and ensuring alignment with operations. 

We’re increasing access to quality care through capital investments in new and expanded facilities, hiring more physicians and staff and expanding virtual care, but Brand Growth also plays a crucial role in optimizing patient demand.  Relentless focus on quality and building a strong brand helps attract patients, but also physicians, nurses, and partners who want to work with the best. 

You’ve also been candid about cutting “vanity spend” and reinvesting for impact. What did that process look like? 

DB: We had a zero-based budgeting mentality – every program, vendor, and sponsorship had to justify its investments and show it was patient-preferred, driving value.  

I literally asked almost each partner to present their own value creation. Some could prove it instantly. Others, like certain sponsorships, technology partners or promotional programs, couldn’t. 

One example: we walked away from a high-profile sponsorship. It was a tough call; they were great partners, it had visibility but no measurable patient preference or impact. We reallocated that money to further upgrade our digital patient experience. 

That decision earned credibility with the other executives and freed resources for initiatives that drive true patient-centered and measurable growth. 

Many CMOs right now are under pressure to reorganize and to reimagine Brand Growth for greater agility and accountability. What guidance would you give them? 

DB: Transformation is never one-and-done. We’ve gone through multiple reorganizations to centralize analytics, insights, and patient experience l under unified leadership. Each time, it’s disruptive but clarity always follows. My advice? 

1. Start with what matters. Define the few patient-centered metrics that connect directly to overall business performance 
2. Invest in insights. The most underleveraged asset in most organizations is understanding the customer, or in our case, the patient, better than anyone else. 
3. Reinvest for growth. Don’t cut costs to just hit a number; reallocate investments toward what drives measurable patient-centered outcomes. 

Transformation is uncomfortable. We lost people along the way — some I wanted to keep. But we gained an organization built for the future: patient-focused, agile, data-fluent, and growth-oriented. 

When it comes to AI, what’s your perspective on its real potential within marketing? 

DB: AI is a promising tool, not a strategy. I expect that the real AI-driven value in healthcare will come from clinical and operational applications like diagnostics, imaging, ambient listening to aid in documentation, or operating room optimization, and less from marketing automation. 

Within Brand Growth, AI will absolutely streamline workforce effectiveness and efficiency and enable us to focus on upside opportunities that might currently be under-resourced.  

Our priority is still patient-focused life-saving or improving AI before marketing AI. We’ll automate where it makes sense, but not at the expense of authenticity, creativity or empathy. Brand Growth still needs a human heartbeat, especially in healthcare! 

Finally, as we look toward 2026, what’s top of mind for you as a CMO? 

Bergsma: Three things. 

First, sustaining growth responsibly, ensuring patient demand aligns with available capacity and that our efforts keep patient needs at the center of all we do. 

Second, continuing to integrate brand, demand, and experience into one team, one set of metrics, one North Star, driven by one Brand Growth Flywheel. 

And third, building future capabilities, remaining patient-centered, applying automation thoughtfully, elevating data literacy, empowering teams to think strategically and fostering a culture that embraces it all. 

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AI is a game changer for how companies attract, engage and hire talent, bringing speed, efficiency and personalization to the recruitment process. But with automation comes a new conundrum: candidate experience risks becoming beige and transactional. In a crowded market, companies may find themselves struggling to distinguish themselves and connect with top talent in meaningful ways.  

That’s why Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) and talent leaders—from Chief HR Officers (CHROs) to recruitment managers—must join forces like never before. By pooling their expertise, they can use AI strategically while preserving the storytelling, culture and emotional depth that make employer brands truly stand out. The result is not just stronger talent pipelines, but the kind of differentiation and momentum that fuels what we at Prophet call Uncommon Growth. 

Here are three ways that brand, marketing and HR functions can come together to create recognizable, distinct and relevant employer brands in the age of AI.  

Keep Your Talent Pipeline “Always-On” 

In consumer marketing, brands rarely switch off their awareness efforts, and recruitment should be no different. Pausing employer branding between hiring cycles risks letting your talent pipeline go cold, making it harder to reignite interest later.  

AI is now helping talent acquisition teams stay “always-on” in smarter, more scalable ways. This can range from personalized content and predictive hiring signals to automated, multi-channel messaging that keeps your employer brand front of mind. 

For example, in early careers recruitment, AI-powered social listening tools can now track trending topics and draft content tailored to 16- to 22-year-olds, to help build talent communities amongst students. For hard-to-fill roles, regular customized content relevant to their niche, such as insider stories and professional development, can be used to keep pre-qualified candidates engaged and reduce time-to-hire when specialist roles eventually open up. In executive talent, AI tools can monitor leadership movements in competitor companies and industry news. This prompts recruitment teams to send tailored messages, making executive searches faster and smoother.  

This ability to target, drive awareness and build relationships with talent gives companies a decisive edge, making every hiring cycle faster, smoother and more impactful. 

Adopt a “Shopping-for-Jobs” Approach  

CMOs are now increasingly using AI to intelligently promote their products or services at different stages of the marketing funnel, from awareness to consideration, conversion to loyalty. Smart tools are advancing at an astonishing rate, helping marketing leaders align brand strategy across multiple touchpoints to build emotional and functional connections and assess buyer readiness.  

In a similar way, talent leaders can benefit from using AI to map candidate interaction points and apply AI marketing tactics to tailor messaging based on where candidates are in their career journey: who they are, what they value and where to reach them.  

Prophet’s research shows that 74% of users now turn to AI tools instead of Google for information. The same rules apply in the context of candidates “shopping for jobs”. When competing for talent, employer brands need to stay visible in this new landscape. They must go beyond traditional tactics to understand how their employer brands are ranked and cited by AI engines, and as a result, perceived by potential employees. 

AI is already playing a meaningful, though not yet dominant role in talent acquisition. Many teams use AI-powered tools daily to save time, improve sourcing productivity and reduce costs. However, when it comes to content creation and personalization, most organizations still rely on human strategy and creativity to make their employer brands compelling and distinctive. As AI becomes more widespread and companies focus on building AI literacy and fluency in their own teams, employers will need to strike a balance between efficiency and authenticity. 

Remember: Employer Branding is for Humans, by Humans 

Soon, it will be hard to remember a time when AI wasn’t deeply embedded in our daily work. But as it grows more influential, another major risk emerges: over-reliance. Blind dependence on AI can lead to bland, generic outputs. When everything is optimized by algorithms, human nuance can get lost in a “sea of sameness.” 

To avoid losing authenticity, AI tools must be balanced with human-centric branding. People still crave originality, real voices, empathy, not mere transactional exchanges. Even if recruitment processes are increasingly powered by AI, talent leaders and CMOs must collaborate closely to ensure their brands continue to inject personality, purpose and emotional intelligence. 

This means embedding the organization’s values and culture authentically into every touchpoint, communicating who you are beyond the role. It’s what transforms a candidate’s journey from a pitch into a meaningful invitation to belong—and that’s a powerful hallmark. 

So, how can you build human connection in a highly automated recruitment world? Replace abstract, boilerplate descriptions with storytelling that resonates, featuring employee journeys, cultural moments, or purpose-driven narratives. Use AI for initial touchpoints but always follow up with personalized messages or callbacks from human recruiters to show that a real person cares. And even in AI-led interview processes, include regular human check-ins or “culture conversations” where alignment with core values drives hiring decisions, not just what’s on a CV.  

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In APAC, localization is no longer a differentiator—it’s the baseline. Brands have mastered adapting campaigns, languages, and visuals to local markets. But as growth pressures mount and customer expectations evolve, the question is no longer whether to localize—it’s how to scale it without diluting brand equity.

Today’s landscape is being reshaped by rapid digitalization, AI-driven personalization, and increasingly discerning consumers who can see through superficial tweaks. Streamlined organizational structures add speed but create tension between agility and governance. The new challenge: finding a localization model that is dynamic, authentic, and globally consistent.

We spoke to four senior brand leaders to understand how they are navigating this next phase of localization:

• Andrea De Vincentiis, MD, Global Head of Brand Partnerships & Regional Brand Director, HSBC
• John Toomey, Chief Commercial Officer, Marriott International – Asia Pacific (excluding China)
• Rebecca Marino, Assistant Vice President, Senior Brand Strategist, FM and Maria Shopova, Sr. Marketing Strategic Partner, FM

1. From Customer-Centricity to Customer Obsession

Prophet’s recent research revealed that customer obsession is a key driver of Uncommon Growth for companies that achieved growth of 2x industry average over the past five years. Being customer obsessed is not just a table stake, it’s a moving target. Traditional research methods cannot keep pace with how customers discover, engage, and judge brands today. Real-time, multi-faceted listening has become essential.

“For us, localization is about being truly customer centric. It’s how we create emotional connections—it’s not just about visuals or language, but how the whole experience feels.”

Andrea De Vincentiis, HSBC

Brands are rethinking how they gather and distribute insights. Marriott has a two-way feedback system between local markets, regional teams, and headquarters, as well as a guest experience feedback platform Guest Voice to capture real-time insights.

“This cycle of listening, learning, and evolving ensures that our regional strategies don’t just align with global standards—they’re also deeply relevant in the context of local cultures, which is where we see the greatest long-term impact.”

John Toomey, Marriott International

FM’s market pulse surveys to track regional progress after launching its new brand.

“Local relevance isn’t a one-time check – it’s an ongoing dialogue. Especially in B2B, where interactions are deeply personal and nuanced, we need to continuously validate that our strategies resonate with local teams and markets.”

Maria Shopova, FM

Beyond listening, brands must also stay close to how today’s consumers discover them. With the rise of generative AI, it is no longer enough to communicate in traditional channels—brands need an AI Engine Optimisation (AEO) strategy to ensure they appear authentic and relevant not only in global LLMs like OpenAI and Claude, but also in regional platforms such as China’s DeepSeek, Alibaba’s Qwen, and emerging players like South Korea’s Exaone and Southeast Asia’s Sailor2.

2. From Static Guidelines to Living Brand Systems

As businesses scale across diverse markets, rigid brand guidelines can stifle resonance. Leaders are now creating living brand systems that define the non-negotiables yet leave room for flexibility in local adaptations.

FM partnered with Prophet to refresh its brand and unify its strategy. The new brand, supported by extensive guidelines and a Brand Center, became a central tool for internal alignment and external execution.

“When working with agency partners for the implementation of our marketing plans, we make sure that they are living and breathing the brand guidelines by introducing the Brand Center as part of the onboarding process, which has helped tremendously.”

Rebecca Marino, FM

Marriott International has a portfolio of over 30 hotel brands. For each brand, a robust brand house framework was carefully mapped out to ensure both alignment and flexibility across all hotels worldwide.

“We balance our global brand purpose with local cultural interpretations by adhering to a unified brand house and guidelines. Our global purpose for each brand remains non-negotiable. However, we empower local teams to adapt expressions of this purpose to align with cultural expectations.”

John Toomey, Marriott International

By using a signature visual construct (“A-hex-B”), HSBC’s recent global campaign highlighted how well-defined brand systems allow flexibility.

“We use this “A-hex-B” construct that visually ties everything back to our signature hexagon—it’s instantly recognizable. Markets can plug in their own headlines that reflect what’s most relevant locally, but the overall look and message remain consistent. And with this year being HSBC’s 160th anniversary, we also developed a special mark that each market can adapt to celebrate their own local milestones. It’s a nice way to keep things connected but still individual.”

Andrea De Vincentiis, HSBC

3. From Local Adaptation to Global Innovation Hubs

Localization is moving beyond adaptation—it’s becoming a source of global innovation. In APAC, where local champions are agile, bold, and culturally fluent, global brands can’t win by simply adapting campaigns or repackaging global products. They must innovate to stay competitive and meet the rising expectations of increasingly discerning consumers. With APAC markets as a testing ground, these successful innovations are now going global. 

Marriott’s M Passport, first launched in APAC, became the blueprint for the global Marriott Family Program.

“Local markets are vital sources of innovation that keep Marriott’s global brand strategy dynamic and relevant. By fostering a culture of openness and collaboration, we integrate local innovations into our global framework, keeping our brands forward-thinking and adaptable.”

John Toomey, Marriott International

Likewise, Shiseido launched INRYU (ingestible beauty) and RQ PYOLOGY (medical beauty) in China, both of which informed its global innovation strategy.

4. From Operational Alignment to Cultural Ownership

Streamlined organizational structures can drive operational efficiency and speed—both critical in fast-moving APAC markets. But true localization requires more than just lean processes; it thrives when governance and culture work hand in hand. 

Brands that excel embed localization into their organization, creating clear processes and empowering employees to interpret and activate the brand meaningfully in their markets.

“These days, a brand isn’t just something owned and controlled from the top—it’s shaped by the people who interact with it every day: customers, employees, communities. It’s evolved into something more dynamic, and it definitely goes beyond just geography.”

Andrea De Vincentiis, HSBC

FM used its brand launch to drive cultural engagement: employees now ask more questions, show greater curiosity, and feel responsible for living the brand.

“The launch of our new brand helped bring along brand understanding to a higher level. More employees are asking brand questions than ever, not just because it’s new, but also because they care more and want to do the right thing.”

Rebecca Marino, FM

And as John Toomey notes, governance must be designed to empower, not constrain:

“To scale localization effectively without losing the brand’s core, CMOs should establish clear brand guidelines that define the aspects and boundaries of localization while empowering local teams to innovate.”

John Toomey, Marriott International

The New Playbook: From Localized to Locally Led

In APAC, localization has matured from a tactical checkbox to a strategic growth lever. The new rules require:

• Anticipating cultural shifts with data, not just reacting. 
• Flexible frameworks, not static rulebooks. 
• Innovation that flows both ways, with APAC as a global incubator. 
• Cultural ownership, so localization lives beyond marketing teams. 

For brands that master this, localization will not just make them relevant—it will make them leaders. 

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Disclaimer: This article includes statements and quotations from various companies and individuals for informational purposes only. The inclusion of these quotes does not imply endorsement, affiliation, or agreement among the entities mentioned. All views expressed are those of the respective sources and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher or other participants. 

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For the last decade, the capital-C Creator economy has boomed to over $250 billion, and we have watched as Creators parlay their success online into tangible political, cultural and financial influence. Being a capital-C, professional Creator has become the new American Dream.  

Brands have noticed how valuable Creators are, too. Insurgent brands like Glossier, Hello Fresh and Dunkin’ spend millions to secure top-shelf Creator partnerships, hoping to capitalize on the star power of Creators to drive even more demand for their products. The problem is: the space is overcrowded, working with top-tier Creators is increasingly expensive—and given how fragmented the ecosystem has become—it’s harder to guarantee a return on the investment.   

In the background, there’s another group of content creators quietly taking hold of the brand narrative.  We call them “lower-case c creators”. This growing group of digital natives, work across a repertoire of platforms in an unpaid capacity. They’re also largely untapped by brands.  

Tapping the Infinite Scalability of Everyday Creators 

While marketers often chase the same pool of top-tier influencers, millions of users are quietly influencing brand perception—without media kits, professional distribution deals or even commercial intent. They’re Airbnb hosts writing thoughtful listings, Strava athletes logging runs and Reddit users giving niche advice. Last year, YouTube released a study that showed over 65% of Gen Z already see themselves as some form of creators. Lower-case ‘c.’ 

These lower-case ‘c’ creators are leaving a digital paper-trail that contributes dramatically to brand narratives—all through their authentic experience with it.  

The beauty of digital creation among everyday creators? It scales the brand. As AI becomes more integral to product discovery, these digital signals—comments, reviews, playlists—become key inputs into how consumers choose brands: 

• Content is more discoverable—casual Reddit posts are feeding ChatGPT responses. 
• Organic behaviors are training the models—every user action informs the next. 
• Authenticity is outperforming polish—genuine beats glossy. 

We’ve moved from brand-to-audience to a creator-to-creator model. Brand content is created, consumed and annotated by all lower-case c creators. But this creates new questions: How do you enable and guide these everyday creators? How do you help these creators – who are your customers and employees – reflect your brand values? 

What We’ve Learned (and How to Apply It) 

Our research with pro Creators shows two big motivators: authenticity and rewards. Their top challenges? Time, burnout, feeling isolated and not knowing how to succeed.  

These insights apply to everyday creators, too. Here’s how smart brands are responding: 

• Redefine creation as contribution: Creating isn’t random, it’s a meaningful act. Logging a route, sharing a playlist, writing a review—demonstrate its impact on the community. 
• Recognize and reward effort: Recognition matters—as does having something to aspire to. Highlight top contributors, feature them and give creators increasing access to the brand. The more they contribute, the more they matter. 
• Foster community: People are looking for genuine online communities. Connect creators directly and show how their input helps others. 
• Encourage remixing and brand co-ownership: Make it easy for users to echo and build on each other’s content—and show how their content is a critical part of the brand narrative. 
• Center users in their stories: Creators don’t just talk about brands—smart brands, talk about creators and make them the center of their own stories. 

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