Our Winners in Change series was born from a simple question: how are brands adapting to change in their marketing? Whether cultural shifts, market challenges, digital disruption, mistakes or changing audience expectations, we looked at how they pivoted to turn that into something positive?
Across nine weeks, we highlighted marketing moments that did just that by embracing technology, owning their tone, or boldly reimagining what their brand could be. Some were quietly powerful. Others were loud, unapologetic, or completely unexpected. But every one of them moved the needle in their own way.
At Black Lab, we don’t just believe in good marketing. We believe in brave marketing. The kind that captures a moment and moves both people and the needle – that’s why we launched Winners in Change.
From breakfast aisles to beauty counters, challenger brands to century-old institutions, these campaigns gave us something to talk about, and a lot to learn from.
Here’s our full round-up of the past nine weeks:
Week 1 – Surreal Cereal: LinkedIn Chaos, Controlled
When a Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) cereal brand turned LinkedIn into its playground. High-protein, zero-sugar cereal brand, SURREAL, redefined B2B content by transforming LinkedIn into a stage for comedy, creativity, and cultural relevance. Ditching the traditional product push, their “50 Excuses for Being Late to Work” and “Rejected Headlines for Marketing Campaigns” posts resonated deeply with professionals looking for a break from corporate content fatigue.
The brand built a fast-growing community of engaged fans and used relatability and humour to cement itself as a standout voice. It wasn’t just cereal being sold, but personality and perspective too.
Key Takeaway: Change is about stepping out of your comfort zone, connecting with your audience, and embracing the unexpected.
Week 2 – Heinz Ketchup: The Wait That Wins
Heinz leaned into its most famous (and frustrating) feature: the slow pour, and turned it into a virtue, embracing what most brands would fix. Through “The Wait” campaign, Heinz reframed inconvenience as identity. By collaborating with global creative partners, the campaign positioned waiting as a symbol of quality attempting to turn a perceived flaw into a badge of honour.
The visuals were sensory-led, and the storytelling was sharp. Heinz reminded us that iconic brands don’t have to change everything, just how people see it. The result? 1.4 million impressions, a brand affinity spike, and widespread praise for making a 150-year-old bottle feel culturally fresh.
Key Takeaway: Sometimes, the thing you’re tempted to hide can be your biggest strength. By owning your quirks, you can create deeper, more authentic connections with your audience.
Week 3 – RSPB: Bird of the Week Goes Big
RSPB’s “Bird of the Week” campaign flew straight into the heart of social culture. Blending humour with ornithological insight, they made bird content genuinely scroll-stopping. Young audiences weren’t just liking but engaging, sharing, and starting conversations.
By shifting tone from traditional conservation messaging to meme-fuelled entertainment, RSPB didn’t just get attention but earned cultural relevance. The Nightjar post alone saw 65,000 impressions with posts regularly achieving 15–20% engagement rates. Educational, hilarious, and oddly emotional, it brought a new audience to a legacy conservation brand.
Takeaway: It’s not just about being where your audience is; it’s about speaking their language.
Week 4 – Waitrose: Perfectly Handled Chaos
A tilted billboard in Clapham, designed to highlight “falling prices”, accidentally sparked public concern when it was mistaken for a safety hazard. But instead of retracting or explaining, Waitrose leaned into the moment.
With a clever tweet looping in Wandsworth Council and a Specsavers nod, they turned a misstep into media gold, earning viral attention and press coverage across the UK.
Takeaway: In a crisis, timing and tone can turn panic into PR gold. Winning in change isn’t about avoiding mistakes but about how you respond to them.
Week 5 – Airbnb & Pixar: When Storytelling Meets Staycations
What looked like a standalone PR stunt; a real-life listing of the house from Pixar’s Up – was actually part of Airbnb’s broader “Icons” strategy: turning pop culture into bookable experiences. It wasn’t just about staying somewhere. It was about living a dream.
The campaign drew global media coverage and fan-driven buzz across Reddit, Disney communities, and film lovers. It was imaginative, accessible, and deeply sharable. As Disney fans and adventure-seekers rushed to book Airbnb earned a cemented position as the home of truly unique stays
Takeaway: You don’t need Airbnb’s budget to make a big impact. Tap into nostalgia, create experiences worth talking about, and make it easy for your audience to shape the marketing for you.
Week 6 – Hawkstone Lager: AI & Authenticity
Born on Jeremy Clarkson’s Diddly Squat Farm, Hawkstone Lager did what most celeb-backed brands don’t: stayed authentic. However, with a seasonal challenge to sell beer advent calendars fast, Hawkstone Lager stayed true to its roots by using Jeremy Clarkson’s voice, smart targeting, and AI to amplify reach.
No gimmicks, no influencers, just bold creative, audience clarity, and sharp execution. The campaign generated 18.7 million Instagram impressions, 1.7 million engagements, and £91,000 in sales.
Takeaway: AI isn’t here to replace authenticity, but it can amplify it.
Week 7 – Scottish Widows: A Legacy Brand is only as Strong as its Next Chapter
Scottish Widows retired the iconic widow image after more than 200 years. A bold, inclusive rebrand aimed at engaging younger audiences, and making saving feel relevant, was put in its place. Their new focus was upon digital-first visuals, intuitive journeys, and an empowering tone. It sparked conversation across LinkedIn, drawing in financial services professionals and a new generation of savers alike.
By building trust with new generations, making financial planning accessible, and creating a platform-first identity that actually worked across modern channels, this wasn’t a facelift but a full rebuild.
Takeaway: Evolving isn’t about abandoning history, its about making it work for the future.
Week 8 – John Lewis: Reinventing a Century-Old Price-Promise
John Lewis didn’t just bring its iconic “Never Knowingly Undersold” promise back, but it catapulted it into the AI age by using tech to monitor and match prices across 25 competitors in real time. The result? A revitalised price guarantee that rebuilt trust and delivered impact.
With support from Deloitte, Dataiku and Quicklizard, the brand saw a 5% increase in sales, £75M rise in operating profit, and identified that 63% of customers were more likely to shop there.
Takeaway: This wasn’t just about bringing back a price promise, it’s was about modernising a legacy to stay ahead.
Week 9 – Estée Lauder: Data, But Make It Beautiful
Estée Lauder Companies showcased what AI can do beyond automation. Through tools like ConsumerIQ, Trend Studio, and a GPT-powered lab, they’re turning massive data sets into trend foresight and product innovation. Internally, these tools cut product development cycles. Externally, they position the brand as a beauty-tech leader.
Turning 80 years of brand equity and global insight into a competitive advantage by putting AI at the centre of their strategy. AI is not just making them faster, it’s making them smarter.
With a 90% reduction in research time and increasingly responsive product development, Estée Lauder is using AI to unlock creativity, not just speed.
Takeaway: Brands that treat AI as a productivity hack are keeping up. Brands that use it to drive strategy, creativity, and innovation, lead.
What We’ve Learnt from 9 Weeks of Change
- Where you show up matters as much as what you say: Brands that embraced the tone, culture and quirks of each platform saw the biggest wins.
- Timing is everything: The best campaigns tapped into wider conversations, leaned into moments, and moved with culture – not behind it.
- Relevance is earned, not inherited: Even legacy brands had to prove their place in today’s market through reinvention, not reputation.
- Tone builds trust: From cheeky to heartfelt, getting your voice right isn’t fluff, it’s how people remember (and recommend) you. Campaigns crafted for where they show up perform better.
- Cultural timing matters: Every great campaign here tapped into something broader than itself.
- Legacy doesn’t guarantee relevance: Relevance is earned, not inherited.
- Tone is everything: Whether playful, provocative or poetic, brands that get tone right win attention and trust.
You Decide…
Which campaign stood out for you? Head to our LinkedIn poll and cast your vote for your favourite Winner in Change of the quarter.
Got a brand that should be featured next? Tag us, message us, or send a bird (RSPB-style).
