Summer 2025 has been nothing short of creative chaos, in the best way possible. This year’s summer campaigns have raised the bar on how to engage, delight, and retain customers when the sun is out and spirits are high.
If you’re a business wondering how to make the most of seasonal momentum, we’ve rounded up the coolest (and hottest!) summer campaigns of 2025 that you can draw real inspiration from. Whether you’re a restaurant, a retail brand, or somewhere in between, there’s something here for everyone.
1. Jet2’s TikTok Meme Turnaround + £1,000 Holiday Prize
What happened: Jet2’s upbeat holiday advert went viral sarcastically on TikTok via #nothingbeatsajet2holidays. Instead of ignoring it, Jet2 embraced the joke, and even added a challenge: post your holiday mishap using the sound for a shot at a £1,000 holiday voucher.
Why it works: They turned critique into engagement, owning the narrative and leveraging virality.
Tip: Monitor UGC on your brand and lean into it. Reward audiences for playful, on-trend content tied to your brand.
2. McDonald’s “Side Missions” (UK/Ireland)
What happened: McDonald’s launched playful in-app “missions” like “Fries Speedrun” or “leet meal” challenge. Users collect digital badges, unlock surprise menu items, and even win up to £10k/€10k
Why it works: Fun gamification drives habit formation and shareability.
Tip: Build week-long mission tracks with badges and leaderboard-style rewards. You can even leverage Como’s gamification tools and make the experience engaging!
3. Guinness x Van Leeuwen Ice Cream Collaboration
What happened: Guinness partnered with Van Leeuwen for limited-edition stout ice cream served via pop-ups and a “pintmobile” in cities like Miami and San Diego under their “Lovely Day” campaign
Why it works: Unexpected co-branding makes waves. The mobile pop-up surprises and delights consumers.
Tip: Pair with a local partner to co-create a limited-edition experience or product, supported by geo-targeted offers.
4. Sephora “Delivered to Beauty” + Lyft Ride Credits (Prime Day)
What happened: During Prime Day weekend in the U.S., Sephora offered $20 Lyft credits to drive foot traffic to flagship stores. In-store perks included free skin scans and $10 coupons
Why it works: Removes friction, incentivizes visits, and layers digital-physical experiences.
Tip: Consider ride or delivery credits to boost location-based campaigns, paired with in-store activations and loyalty sign-ups.
5. Krispy Kreme “Stars, Stripes & Sweetness” (4th of July)
What happened: To celebrate July 4th, Krispy Kreme launched a red-white-blue doughnut trio. Shoppers wearing patriotic colors on July 4 got a free glazed doughnut
Why it works: Encourages user participation and creates standout in-app promotion tied to holiday spirit.
Tip: Run holiday-specific freebies for customers wearing or sharing themed colors, redeemable via app check-in.
6. Dunkin’ x Sabrina Carpenter “Strawberry Daydream Refresher” & Hotline
What happened: In June, Dunkin’ released a co-branded drink with Sabrina Carpenter. The campaign included a retro “Dunkin’ Daydream Hotline” video where callers were matched with the refresher
Why it works: Melodic storytelling, celebrity tie-in, and short-form video hit the sweet spot of brand-building and shareable content.
Tip: Partner with an influencer or local celeb for a limited-edition product, and build a video-led campaign around it linked to your loyalty program.
Summer 2025 is the season of creative connection. Brands are winning by being playful, practical, and locally relevant. With Como, these experiences, from geo-triggered pop-ups to gamified missions, are easy to build and fun to run.
Want to workshop one of these ideas into your next campaign? Let’s make summer memorable, together.
