July 2025 delivered a masterclass in marketing. From unexpected celeb cameos to car washes powered by crackers, brands stepped up their game with bold, creative campaigns that broke the mold — and our scrolling patterns.
Here are the five best ads of the month that stood out for their originality, cultural relevance, and just plain fun.
1) Taco Bell x Bad Birdie: Golf Gets Saucy
Taco Bell hit the green with golfwear brand Bad Birdie for a campaign no one saw coming. The duo hosted a youth golf tournament and dropped a limited-edition capsule collection that blended streetwear with country club cool.
Tacos and tees? Unexpected, and totally viral.
Why it worked:
- Opened Taco Bell up to new audiences through a fresh sports crossover
- Gained traction on social media thanks to the stylish merch drop
- Showed brand confidence by breaking out of its category
💡 Trend highlight: Unlikely brand collabs spark curiosity and major shareability. Weird is working.
2) Goldfish: The Crumb-Crushing Car Wash

Families on the Jersey Shore got a surprise this July: Goldfish crackers were offering free car washes and 15 flavors of snacks.
The “Goldfish Retrieval Service” was a fully-branded pop-up experience, complete with themed backdrops and cracker samples. It was delightful, useful and perfectly made for social media.
Why it stood out:
- Combined practicality with brand playfulness
- Created a family-friendly experience that doubled as a content magnet
- Proved snack marketing can still feel fresh
💡 Trend highlight: Experiential marketing is back — but it’s not just flash. Usefulness meets fun is the new formula.
3) Polaroid: AI Can’t Touch This

Polaroid went analog — and aggressive — with its NYC billboard takeover. Slogans like “AI can’t generate sand between your toes” were scrawled across real Polaroid snaps in a direct challenge to digital fatigue.
It was a beautifully lo-fi way to reclaim real-life moments in an over-edited, over-filtered world.
Why it worked:
- Strong point of view in a noisy conversation
- Visual consistency that honored the brand’s analog legacy
- Stopped people mid-scroll and mid-sidewalk
💡 Trend highlight: Nostalgia still converts, especially when paired with a rebellious edge.
4) Waitrose: Anything’s a Kebab

Waitrose skewered a building — literally — to promote summer BBQs. The 3D billboards in Camden and Westfield featured giant kebab sticks piercing juicy ingredients and stretching across multi-story facades.
It was playful. It was disruptive. It made people stop, stare, and laugh. Everything great OOH is meant to do.
Why it stood out:
- Dramatic use of space and scale
- Seasonal messaging made instantly unforgettable
- Turned a food ad into a spectacle
💡 Trend highlight: Creative OOH is thriving. With the right visuals and context, physical space becomes social content.
5) Hiscox: The Wine-Stained Letter No One Could Ignore

In a category known for being dry (pun intended), Hiscox splashed red across the page — literally. The insurance company mailed out wine-stained letters to high-net-worth prospects, simulating the aftermath of a clumsy, costly accident.
The stain was more than a gimmick. It was a smart metaphor for what happens when you’re underinsured, and it lit up LinkedIn with praise from marketers and creatives alike.
Why it stood out:
- Visually visceral — you could feel the mistake
- Clever use of physical media in a digital world
- Targeted the right audience with an unexpected twist
💡 Trend highlight: Tactile storytelling is making a comeback. Physical mailers that provoke emotion (and a photo moment) can break through the scroll.
What July 2025’s Best Ads Tell Us
- Physical still hits when it tells a story. Hiscox showed how a well-placed stain can outperform a digital ad when the story lands with impact.
- Unpredictability pays off. Taco Bell and Bad Birdie reminded us that strange collabs = instant buzz — if they feel true to your tone.
- Analog is the new rebellion. Polaroid’s billboards tapped into a growing backlash against AI overload with nostalgia and clarity.
- Usefulness is the new delight. Goldfish made cleaning your car and feeding your kids feel like an adventure, not a chore.
In a summer full of sameness, these five brands didn’t just show up — they stole the show.