Don't Look Back In Anger - the episode where we look back at the biggest stories we covered on The Singles and see how those brands have gotten on this year. So What happens after the marketing headlines fade? Let's we revisit some of the biggest brand stories of 2025 — and test them against what actually changed over time. Using always-on brand health data from Tracksuit, Conor Byrne is joined by Dan and Jasper to look back at Tesla, American Eagle, Rhode, and Deliveroo, six to nine months after the noise. Not opinions. Not predictions. Just evidence of where attention turned into demand — and where it didn’t.

Across very different categories, a consistent pattern emerges: “The campaign didn’t hurt sales — but the brand is weaker than it was.”

In this episode, we explore:

• Why Tesla still dominates innovation perception but is leaking trust and preference in both the US and UK
• How American Eagle’s controversial campaign held short-term revenue while brand fundamentals quietly eroded
• What Rhode’s acquisition by e.l.f. gets right — and the brand risks that come with scaling distribution
• Why Deliveroo, post-DoorDash acquisition, faces a preference problem in a category defined by low loyalty and easy switching

This is a conversation is about thinking about long-term demand, pricing power, and resilience not just quarterly performance. If you care about the gap between being noticed and being chosen, this episode is for you.

02:40 – Tesla: innovation without reassurance

11:40 – American Eagle: sales hold, brand weakens

17:45 – Rhode: scaling without dilution

23:05 – Deliveroo: preference in a default-driven category

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Which Christmas ads did Irish viewers love in 2025?

In this special Christmas edition of That’s What I Call Marketing, Conor Byrne is joined by Ciara Reilly from Red C Research, Linda Bradley (Head of Planning, Diageo Ireland), and Marc Smith (Global Director of Insights & Analytics, Mark Anthony Brands) to reveal the Top 20 Christmas Ads in Ireland, as ranked by real consumers on the Red Star testing platform.

We analyse the biggest festive campaigns of the season, including:

Tesco, SuperValu, Lidl, Spar, Sky Mobile, An Post, Vodafone, Boots, Dunnes Stores, Home Store + More, M&S, Woodie’s, Eason, Aldi, Amazon, and Coca-Cola.

Across the episode we explore:

• Why some Irish Christmas ads performed far better than expected

• The surprising gap between marketer opinion vs consumer reaction

• What emotional storytelling gets right and wrong at Christmas

• How branding, memory structures and fluent devices shaped the rankings

• Why consistency helped brands stand out

• The role of humour, reality, nostalgia and AI in this year’s festive campaigns

Whether you work in marketing, advertising, strategy, media, or creative, this deep dive into the best Christmas ads of the year reveals what truly resonates with audiences and what doesn’t.

🎄 Brands discussed: Tesco, SuperValu, Lidl, Spar, Sky Mobile, An Post, Vodafone, Boots, Dunnes Stores, Woodie’s, Home Store + More, M&S, Eason, Aldi, Amazon, Coca-Cola.

📍 CHAPTERS

03:03 The lowest ranked ads

05:18 John Lewis debate emotional truth vs emotional fit

07:41 Functional ads & the problem of “sameness”

13:28 Sea Swim: why it keeps winning hearts

15:27 Sky Mobile & the Roy Keane effect

17:23 National Lottery: a new less fun direction

21:25 An Post Tin: Man does the story need a new chapter?

23:33 M&S Food: when style overtakes substance

26:20 Home Store + More the surprise hit

27:56 Coca-Cola Holidays Are Coming (AI version)

30:56 Dunnes Stores Shine Bright: the craft that endures

32:50 Aldi & Kevin the Carrot: did they need a 3 parter?

36:00 Eason: an emotional standout

38:56 Amazon: a global festive story returns

41:54 Woodie’s crowned #1 in Ireland https://www.youtube.com/shorts/22prv5XcpSM

44:50 The panel’s all-time favourite Christmas ads

Check out the Red Star Testing Platform https://redcresearch.com/product/red-star/

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The episode begins with the new Netflix × Spotify partnership, where Spotify's video podcasts will sit on Netflix from 2026. Conor, Dan and Jasper discuss what this means for streaming, how it challenges YouTube’s dominance in video podcasts, and why Netflix’s broad familiarity.

Next, the conversation moves to banking in the UK, where legacy brands like Barclays face pressure from digital challengers including Monzo, Revolut and Wise. Tracksuit data shows Barclays’ awareness remains high at 89%, but consideration and investigation are slipping — especially among 18–34s — as Monzo builds strength through simplicity, transparency and real-time product features. The team unpack why refer-a-friend programmes, user experience, and “is for people like me” perceptions are shifting the category.

The third story looks at Movember and Rebel Sport in Australia, exploring how both brands use emotional connection, identity and community to drive engagement. With Rebel’s awareness falling from 79% to 75% and usage also declining, the team discusses why emotional relevance matters, how Rebel’s “Town Without Sport” campaign reframes sport as cultural belonging, and how Movember has evolved into a global identity brand around men’s wellbeing and shared participation through the iconic moustache.

The episode closes with a debate about Coca-Cola’s AI-generated Christmas ad, the role of distinctive brand assets, and whether AI is truly “pushing the boundaries of creativity” or simply versioning existing ideas. Conor challenges Coke’s framing, while Dan and Jasper discuss industry reactions, production choices and early System1 results from this year’s work.

Whether you're a brand leader, strategist, or marketer working across multiple markets, this month’s Singles offers grounded data, clear examples, and practical discussions shaped by Tracksuit’s real-time brand metrics.

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