This week: A branded private island, fun holiday marketing moves, a look behind some famous product names and more.

Subscribe to Ad Age now for the latest industry news and analysis.

5. Spotify: Wrapped 2021
Agency: in-house

Spotify’s data-infused annual “Wrapped” campaigns continue to look back on the year in listening in thought-provoking ways. In 2021, it’s all about the “new normals” and how wildly different this strange year has been for all of us. Bold billboards feature a dynamic “thread” that ties together photography, typography, witty copy and data telling the story of our listening habits. Their subjects include BTS, Olivia Rodrigo and Jackie Weaver, the Liverpool woman who became a celebrity and podcaster after shutting down the bossy and patronizing men at a local parish council Zoom meeting that went viral.

4. Panera: Emily Zugay cups
Agency: Alison Brod Marketing + Communications

In an inspired move, Panera Bread teamed with TikTok sensation Emily Zugay to design its 2021 holiday reusable cup collection. Zugay became popular for redesigning popular brand logos in ways she finds more representative, frequently using stock fonts, Microsoft Paint-esque drawings and misspelled words. Here, her work seems a culmination of her viral aesthetic; for example, a reindeer cup features the text “RAINDEER” across the front in a spunky rainbow gradient surrounded by the misspelled names of Santa’s reindeer. The cups are part of the restaurant chain’s push behind its MyPanera+ coffee subscription.

3. Corona: Corona Island

Step aside, Taco Bell hotel and Bud Light town: Corona has its own private island. In a spectacular piece of brand one-upmanship, the Anheuser-Busch InBev brand is to operate a branded private island off the Colombian coast throughout 2022, offering environmentally-themed beach vacations. The idea is to highlight Corona’s brand positioning as a “beer that was born at the beach” as well as its sustainability agenda. Whether guests will be put off by the name “Corona Island,” in the wake of a resurgent virus, remains to be seen. 

2. Petsmart: ‘Anything for Pets’ Pawliday Sweater
Agency: Deutsch LA

PetSmart takes the holiday sweater trend to the next level this year with hilarious personalized gifts for both you and your beloved pet. In a limited edition giveaway, the pet retailer is embroidering matching red sweaters: one for the human pet owner emblazoned with their pet’s face, one for the animal sporting the owner’s face. It's a cute idea that pet owners will love. (Check out Creativity reporter Parker Herren’s own experience with the knitwear on TikTok.)

1. Visit Sweden: Discover the Originals
Agency: Forsman & Bodenfors

Visit Sweden’s new campaign delves into a fascinating insight—although many people outside Sweden are familiar with Ikea product names, some don’t know that they are named after real places. So, Visit Sweden is leaning into the fame of the country’s most famous export by inviting people to "discover the originals" behind the names. For example, who knew the Bolmen toilet brush and the Toftan trash can were named after beautiful lakes? A lighthearted video fronted by an indignant spokeswoman contrasts the beauty of the destinations with their prosaic product counterparts. The places will also promote themselves with slogans like “More than just a toilet brush.”

For more great ideas, bookmark our section covering the best in brand creativity every day at Adage.com/Creativity. 

High-quality journalism isn’t free. Subscribe to Ad Age now for award-winning news and insight.