From viral campaigns to creative collaborations, social media marketing in 2025 was all about bold ideas and brilliant execution.
To inspire your next move, weโve rounded up the standout social media marketing examples of brands making waves online and raising the bar for the year ahead.
Letโs dive in.
Table of Contents
#1. ASICS used #DeskBreak to boost mental health awareness
#2. Airbnb used #PollyPocket to bring fictional locations to life
#3. Odd Muse swapped models for real people to spotlight authenticity
#4. Dominoโs turned up the fun for their Mac & Cheese launch
#5. Krispy Kreme tapped into the Barbie hype with a sweet twist
#6. SURREAL leveraged humor for brand clarity
#7. Disneyโs Inside Out 2 blended social media and OOH
#8. e.l.f. Cosmetics teamed up with a viral favorite
#9. e.l.f. Cosmetics went big with AI for their pimple patch launch
#10. Sol de Janeiro used sensory marketing to make you hungry for their products
#11. SKIMS teamed up with Olivia Munn to support breast cancer awareness
#12. Bratz tapped into nostalgia with Mean Girls
#13. Poppi joined the โSuspectโฆโ trend
#14. Kiehlโs uses #DontRebuyJustRefill to address sustainability
#15. Nude Project went all-in on BTS, and it paid off big
#16. SheerLuxe won TikTok with employee-generated content
#17. MCoBeauty crashed the Timothรฉe Chalamet Lookalike contest
#18. Wicked Movie boosts hype through cross-industry partnerships
#1. ASICS used #DeskBreak to boost mental health awareness
In September 2024, ASICS launched its DeskBreak campaign in anticipation of World Mental Health Day on October 10.
The initiative encouraged office workers to take short, active breaks during the workday, using social media to spread the message and inspire action.
A standout Instagram post from the campaign featured a compelling Public Service Announcement.
By using the Socialinsider app, we can see that the post garnered 43K likes, over 700 comments, and reached an estimated 375K accounts, with 413K impressions in total.
It achieved almost 44K total engagements, resulting in an engagement rate of 3.52% among followers.
Essentially, the #DeskBreak campaign successfully raised awareness about workplace mental health while showcasing ASICS' commitment to well-being.
Its impressive social media performance highlighted the power of meaningful and relatable marketing.
2. Airbnb used #PollyPocket to bring fictional locations to life
Another social media campaign worth mentioning is Airbnbโs #PollyPocket.This creative marketing move turned fictional nostalgia into real-world travel experiences.
Launched in August 2024, the campaign brought Polly Pocket-inspired destinations to life, allowing audiences to book accommodations modeled after these iconic miniature worlds.
The campaignโs highlight post on Instagram achieved 29K likes, over 1K comments, and reached an estimated 424K accounts, with total impressions reaching 466K.
This translated into an engagement of 30K interactions, with a follower engagement rate of 0.52%.
By blending nostalgia, creativity, and an immersive experience, Airbnb showcased one of the most memorable social marketing examples.
The Polly Pocket campaign not only captured the imagination of its audience but also highlighted Airbnbโs ability to turn unique and playful stays into reality, solidifying its position as the go-to platform for extraordinary travel experiences.
#3. Odd Muse swapped models for real people to spotlight authenticity
Odd Museโs campaign for the relaunch of their iconic pearl dress collection stands as one of the top examples of social media marketing.
This April, the brand chose to feature everyday individuals instead of professional models, celebrating authenticity and relatability. This unique approach resonated with audiences, aligning perfectly with the brandโs ethos.
This Instagram post achieved almost 12K likes, 113 comments, and an estimated reach of 181K accounts.
The post garnered a total of 199K impressions and recorded over 11 engagements, with a follower engagement rate of 1.38%.
Basically, by incorporating real people into their campaign, Odd Muse created a sense of connection and empowerment among its audience, proving how social media can effectively drive both social media interactions and brand authenticity.
#4. Dominoโs turned up the fun for their Mac & Cheese launch
If you're looking for TikTok video ideas to promote your brand, Dominoโs provides a great example of online marketing.
Drawing inspiration from Duolingoโs mascot strategy, Dominoโs created an adorable and quirky Mac & Cheese mascot, placing it in humorous, relatable, and unexpected situations that resonated with audiences.
Their most popular TikTok video featuring the mascot garnered 818K views, 34K likes, 586 comments, 1,000+ shares, and 4,000+ saves, resulting in an engagement rate of 3.47% by followers and 4.94% by views.
Dominoโs successfully leveraged TikTokโs creative potential, showcasing how humor and personality can turn a product launch into a viral sensation.
Their mascot-driven campaign is a prime example of how to connect with audiences through entertaining and relatable content.
#5. Krispy Kreme tapped into the Barbie hype with a sweet twist
Every social media strategist knows that you need to hop on trends and cultural moments to maximize visibility.
A great example of social media advertising in this sense is Krispy Kreme, which launched a Barbie-themed donut collection to capitalize on the excitement surrounding the Barbie movie.
Their dedicated Instagram post featuring the dreamy pink collection achieved almost 97K likes, 1K+ comments, and an estimated reach of 487K accounts, with a total of 536K impressions and 98K engagements, resulting in an impressive social media engagement rate of 4.78%.
By seamlessly blending the nostalgic Barbie aesthetic with their signature donuts, Krispy Kreme turned a pop culture phenomenon into a visually stunning and engaging product campaign.
This effort perfectly demonstrates how brands can creatively leverage trends to connect with their audience while driving social media ROI.
#6. SURREAL leveraged humor for brand clarity
One of the social media best practices is humor, and SURREALโs LinkedIn campaigns perfectly illustrate this.
Faced with a mix-up where people mistook their cereal for cat food, SURREAL turned the situation into a hilarious and engaging opportunity.
One of the most memorable creative digital marketing examples is their post featuring a cat labeled โThis is a catโ and their cereal box marked โThis is not cat food (This is cereal).โ
They even partnered with a cat food brand to drive the point home.
The campaignโs lighthearted tone, combined with clever visuals, sparked 4,420 reactions, 252 comments, and 79 reposts on LinkedIn.
This example highlights the impact of social media on businesses by showing how SURREAL used humor to clarify their product identity.
Moreover, it demonstrates how a creative social media strategy can drive awareness and strengthen customer connections effectively.
#7. Disneyโs Inside Out 2 blended social media and OOH
Using social media to advertise, Disney elevated the launch of Inside Out 2 by blending digital engagement with out-of-home activations.
The campaign featured immersive skyscraper projections and massive billboards while leveraging platforms like Facebook to directly connect with fans.
A standout Facebook post thanking audiences for turning the movie into a worldwide phenomenon generated 1.5K reactions, 323 comments, and 119 shares, reaching almost 88K people and achieving 88K impressions.
The post amplified fan excitement, while the OOH visuals brought the movie to life in cities worldwide.
This strategy highlights Disneyโs ability to seamlessly integrate social media actions alongside offline campaigns, turning a product launch into an unforgettable global experience.
#8. e.l.f. Cosmetics teamed up with a viral favorite
One of the most effective marketing strategies is partnering with viral brands to tap into their popularity.
When Stanley tumblers took social media by storm earlier this year, e.l.f., a cosmetics brand with no obvious connection to drinkware, seized the moment to create a buzzworthy collaboration.
Together, they launched matching Lip Oil Holders that seamlessly clip onto Stanley tumblers, accompanied by coordinating stickers.
This playful and unexpected partnership bridged two distinct fan basesโStanley enthusiasts and e.l.f.โs loyal beauty communityโresulting in crossover appeal and widespread excitement.
The Instagram post announcing the collab racked up 124K likes, 1.2K comments, and an estimated 2.5M reach, with 2.7M impressions and a total engagement of 125.7K interactions.
By combining the functionality of Stanley with the style of e.l.f., this launch became one of the prime examples of successful marketing on social media and a perfect showcase of strategic brand collaboration.
#9. e.l.f. Cosmetics went big with AI for their pimple patch launch
Another brilliant example of social media advertising ideas from e.l.f. is their AI-generated TikTok video, which creatively announced the launch of their new pimple patch.
The campaign featured a humorous and exaggerated video of a helicopter applying the pimple patch to George Washingtonโs face on Mount Rushmore.
The video resonated with TikTokโs audience, generating 2.8M likes, 14K comments, 106.5K saves, and an impressive 306.2K shares, showcasing the power of combining humor, AI technology, and platform-specific creativity.
This approach highlights how AI can be used to craft visually impactful and shareable types of social media content, making it a perfect example of how brands can innovate to amplify engagement and product awareness.
๐ก TREND ALERT
From beauty to tech, brands are integrating AI into their marketing to create larger-than-life campaigns that resonate with the digital-first generation.
These visuals, often exaggerated and humorous, are designed to stand out on crowded feeds, combining AI with bold storytelling.
Hereโs Maybellineโs example - which brought a massive blush applicator to Central Park.
These AI-driven social media branding examples highlight how businesses are using technology to create eye-catching, shareable content, marking a new era of innovative marketing.
#10. Sol de Janeiro used sensory marketing to make you hungry for their products
If youโre wandering for Instagram post ideas, Sol de Janeiro provides a masterclass in sensory marketing.
Their strategy transforms their products into mouthwatering visual experiences, blending food elements with their branding to evoke both indulgence and desire.
Take their best-performing food-themed post, for instance, featuring their Brazilian Kiss Lip Butter nestled in a bowl of candy.
This post gained 41K likes, 230 comments, an estimated reach of 2.58M, and 2.84M impressions, with a total engagement of 41K.
By visually connecting their products to the appeal of food, Sol de Janeiro taps into a new era of marketing thatโs not just about what you seeโitโs about what you feel (and crave).
๐ก TREND ALERT
More and more brands are hopping on the trend of using food-inspired visuals to market their products, and itโs easy to see whyโitโs fun, relatable, and totally crave-worthy.
By blending products with delicious-looking food elements, brands are finding a clever way to grab attention and make us feel all the feels.
Whether itโs Glossierโs cookie butter balm or Rhodeโs whipped cream-topped skincare products, these examples of social media advertising are impossible to scroll past.
These posts donโt just make products look goodโthey make us want them.
#11. SKIMS teamed up with Olivia Munn to support breast cancer awareness
One of the social media marketing challenges brands face involves remaining relevant.
For that, marketing through social media usually involves partnering with key influencers and staying connected to meaningful moments.
On this note, SKIMS provides us with one of best examples of social media marketing: its collaboration with Olivia Munn for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
In this heartfelt campaign, SKIMS highlighted Olivia Munn's journey and pledged to donate 10% of proceeds from bra sales to a leading breast cancer organization.
The results of the campaign showcase its effectiveness in resonating with audiences.
A key Instagram post generated 39K likes, 239 comments, an estimated 228K reach, and 251K impressions, with a total engagement of 39K interactions.
This highlights how powerful storytelling and cause-driven messaging can engage communities while promoting meaningful social causes.
This collaboration not only showcased inclusivity and empowerment but also aligned SKIMS with a cause that resonates deeply with its audience, reinforcing its brand values while driving meaningful impact.
#12. Bratz tapped into nostalgia with Mean Girls
One of the most creative social campaigns examples in recent months is the collaboration between Bratz and Mean Girls.
Capitalizing on the enduring nostalgia of the 2004 cult movie, Bratz launched a collection of dolls inspired by the iconic characters Karen and Gretchen, generating immense excitement among fans.
The campaign combined engaging visuals with pop culture references, encouraging followers to drop their favorite Mean Girls quotes in the comments.
This collaboration not only brought together two powerhouse brands but also achieved outstanding metrics.
Their post announcing the launch garnered 559K likes, 2.2K comments, 1.5M impressions, and an impressive 561K engagement.
It ranks as one of their top 3 best-performing posts on Instagram in the last 3 months, showcasing the power of blending nostalgia with a well-executed product launch.
#13. Poppi joined the โSuspectโฆโ trend
Companies that use social media marketing effectively know how to capitalize on viral social media trends.
Poppi, a rising soda brand, cleverly tapped into the popular 'suspect' trend on TikTok, using humor and relatable office dynamics to create engaging content.
The video not only played into the relatable tension between creative marketing and corporate PR but also embraced a widely recognizable trend, ensuring its shareability and appeal to TikTok's trend-savvy audience.
The TikTok post generated 105K views, 3K likes, and 75 comments, proving how staying attuned to social media culture can help brands foster engagement and brand visibility.
#14. Kiehlโs uses #DontRebuyJustRefill to address sustainability
With 91% of Gen Z expressing a preference for buying from sustainable companies, Kiehl'sโ #DontRebuyJustRefill campaign serves as one of the best social media marketing examples of 2024.
Kiehlโs tapped into this mindset by creatively promoting refillable products, reducing plastic waste by 61%, and proving that eco-conscious messaging can drive both engagement and brand loyalty.
Engaging formats, like the humorous "Drama on set" video, kept the content light and shareable. Meanwhile, practical posts showcased the refill process, educating audiences on reducing waste and inspiring actionable change.
On TikTok, Kiehl's top-performing post in this campaign garnered more than 1.5K, 40 likes, and 5 comments, with a 2.74% engagement rate per view.
Essentially, the brandโs approach proves its ability to align sustainability with engaging content.
#15. Nude Project went all-in on BTS, and it paid off big
The Nude Project recently delivered one of the most innovative marketing strategies examples of 2024 with their Dreams Money Can Buy campaign.
With no budget to spare for their shoot, they transformed a spur-of-the-moment trip to a French chateau into a full-scale campaign, documenting every step behind the scenes.
By showing the raw and unfiltered process, Nude Project proved that authentic storytelling and creativity can outperform big-budget productions, making it a standout example of social advertising.
The result?
Over 432K estimated impressions, 393K estimated reach, 24.K likes, 162 comments, and a 2.32% engagement rate by followers, demonstrating how clever, resourceful strategies can drive serious engagement.
For brands seeking fresh video marketing ideas, the Nude Project campaign is a great example of how you can highlight the power of creative storytelling.
Itโs a perfect reminder that even when resources are limited, authenticity and ingenuity are your greatest assets.
#16. SheerLuxe won TikTok with employee-generated content
Among the companies with great social media, SheerLuxe stands out as a pioneer in how to create content for social media using employee-generated content.
Digital fashion and lifestyle publication SheerLuxe has captivated over half a million fans on TikTok by simply going around their office and asking employees for their go-to products, favorite outfits, or lifestyle tips.
This casual and relatable approach has proven to be a goldmine for engagement, making EGC a cornerstone of their strategy.
One of their best-performing TikTok posts in the last three months showcases their ability to blend authenticity with entertainment.
The post, in which the office girlies explain how to achieve the perfect ring stack, generated 91K views, 2.5K likes, and an impressive 3.25% engagement rate by views.
Itโs a clear testament to how showing real employees with real recommendations resonates with audiences seeking authenticity in a world dominated by polished influencer content.
So, why does EGC work?
The answer lies in our era of authenticity.
While we follow influencers for lifestyle aspirations, audiences today crave relatabilityโ'normal people' who mirror their own lives.
By letting employees step into the spotlight, SheerLuxe makes their content approachable, giving viewers a reason to connect with their brand on a human level.
So, remember, donโt sleep on EGCโitโs not just a trend; itโs the future of relatable content. For brands wondering how to achieve their social media goals in a creative way, SheerLuxe offers a simple formula: turn your office into a studio, empower your employees to share their perspectives, and let their unique personalities shine.
#17. MCoBeauty crashed the Timothรฉe Chalamet Lookalike contest
MCoBeauty, an Australian beauty brand celebrated for its affordable luxury product dupes, executed one of the most creative social media marketing ideas of 2024.
When a Timothรฉe Chalamet lookalike contest surfaced in New York, MCoBeauty seized the moment to boost their U.S. visibilityโa clever move for a brand still growing recognition stateside.
The strategy: MCoBeauty contacted influencer Cramer Ekholm, offering him his first brand deal.
They flew him to New York to participate in the contest, where he handed out 100+ makeup gifts, interviewed participants, and generated buzz at the event.
The brilliance? Most people engaging with Ekholm and MCoBeauty were interacting with the brand for the very first time.
What were the results for MCoBeauty?
+57% TikTok follower growth in 30 days.
At the same time, the MCoBeauty post featuring Timothรฉe Chalamet lookalike Cramer Ekholm garnered 23K views, with a solid 3.23% engagement rate, reflecting strong audience interest.
This marketing strategy proves that success doesnโt always mean forcing a viral momentโitโs about showing up at the right cultural moments.
#18. Wicked Movie boosts hype through cross-industry partnerships
The Wicked movieโs collaboration strategy is a masterclass in understanding audience behavior and bringing effective marketing ideas to life.
By partnering with diverse brands across beauty, fashion, travel, and lifestyle, Wicked seamlessly integrates its iconic green and pink branding into everyday consumer touchpoints.
From OPIโs enchanting nail polishes to Stanley tumblers and Crocs, each collaboration ensures the movieโs presence wherever fans might be.
This omnipresence not only builds familiarity but also excites and engages audiences by offering tangible, branded products they can connect with.
A fan might spot Wicked-inspired green and pink nail polish at their salon, see a Stanley tumbler at the gym, and then scroll past R.E.M Beautyโs Elphaba-inspired eyeliner on Instagramโall reinforcing the movieโs relevance and aesthetic.
By appearing consistently across these touchpoints, Wicked deepens the emotional connection with its audience, strengthening brand awareness and ensuring top-of-mind recall.
It positions the film as more than just a movieโit becomes a lifestyle statement.
Essentially, this strategy shows that great marketing is about becoming a seamless part of everyday life.
Final thoughts
Now that youโve explored some of the top social media marketing examples of 2024, itโs clear that success comes from bold ideas and authentic connections.
But remember, itโs not about copying what others have doneโitโs about finding your own voice and what resonates with your audience.
Use these social media marketing success stories as inspiration, but let your creativity and unique brand identity lead the way.
The next big one could be yours!