Marketers could be forgiven for wondering: ‘When will it get back to normal?’. Well, I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news – it won’t be anytime soon. From the fallout of the US election, continued global unrest, the impact of the recent UK Budget, and the ever-forward march of AI, there’s a lot to contend with. For businesses looking for growth, ordinary ideas won’t do, because nothing these days is ordinary.
This is why 2025 will be the year of the unordinary idea.
Because unordinary ideas power change and stimulate growth; they are unforgettable to consumers, impactful, and they push against the expected.
Unordinary ideas are capable of making the most ordinary of products extraordinary. Look at the success of Liquid Death – launched in 2017 and now worth $1bn – this canned water drink has the unordinary idea of Murder your Thirst at its heart. A radical move on from water brands that traditionally have talked to provenance and lifestyle, Liquid Death is all about attitude.
The best unordinary ideas endure over time but can inspire reinvention over and over again. Take Ikea’s ‘Wonderful Everyday’. For years it’s enabled the brand to celebrate its accessibility and ubiquity. This year it has inspired the retailer to bring meatballs to the masses with its first standalone Ikea Café. It’s also launched its second-hand platform Preowned – a dedicated space where customers can buy and sell used Ikea furniture – its Unordinary Idea living and breathing in a new, more sustainable manner.
The Paris 2024 Olympics was a glorious, global-scale example of the power of unordinary ideas showcased for the world to see. The event wove the culture and history of Paris into every part of the games, taking immersive branding to new levels.
As sports were played out across the city, Parisian landmarks became integral parts of the events, even the medals featured actual pieces of the ultimate Parisian icon, the Eiffel Tower. Again, this was unexpected and unforgettable.
Unordinary nostalgia
There is comfort in nostalgia for older generations and a sense of wonder and discovery for younger cohorts. Labour, 1990s crisps, and Oasis all made a comeback in 2024.
We’ve seen the power of a brand reboot to create multi-billion pound franchises and collaborations and 2023 was the year of the pink pound due to Barbie; in 2024 everything’s gone green (and pink) with Wicked.
And we can expect more when the Gallaghers (pictured) finally dust off the dynamic ticketing furore and take to the stage in 2025 (I doubt their rider will consist of Skips, Nik Naks, and Frazzles, but you never know…) and we see a reboot of the Disney classic Snow White.
To cash in on the nostalgia wave, brands can’t just trot out what they’ve done before. They need to embrace unordinary ideas to welcome back the old crowds and entice the new through unexpected brand executions and unforgettable smart and emotive marketing.
Don’t let unordinary become ordinary
AI has been the unordinary story of 2024, but comes with a warning not to let it make you ordinary in 2025. While there is much to be embraced in how AI is revolutionising our industry, one of the biggest risks is its ‘blanding’ effect on brands, making them generic and less engaging.
The release of this year’s Coca-Cola Christmas advert – all AI-generated – has had a mixed response. Marketers might look on in awe at the undoubted speed of deliverables in terms of country-specific content and translations, but it fell flat for many consumers. Don’t be tempted to use AI because you can; only use it when you should. AI-generated ads should not come at the cost of bold and unusual creative ideas. Don’t let AI make the unordinary become ordinary.
Unordinary ideas for growth in 2025
Economists, politicians, and marketers are aligned in wanting to see growth. For that to happen, we need strong stable, resilient brands that can withstand the many macro challenges, not only surviving but thriving.
By adopting brand strategies focused on an unordinary idea, businesses can become unforgettable, elevating themselves from their competition and igniting creative executions that drive distinction, brand equity and ultimately brand value.
Vicky Bullen is CEO of Coley Porter Bell
