Making Waves: Lurk and learn. Trust is key. All heroes, no zeros.

1. Groundbreaking research proves “we’ve been using creators wrong all this time”

New research suggests that marketers have fundamentally misunderstood how to use creators – as for too long they have been treated as “short-term activation engines rather than genuine brand-building media”.

New IPA analysis shows that creators deliver near-TV levels of short-term ROI (i.e. you recover investment in ~13 weeks) but, critically, produce much stronger long-term returns than any other channel over a two-year horizon.

In short… Creators are proving to be the first digital channel with demonstrable, lasting brand effects – not just promotional lift.

Why it matters: The strategic role of creators for brands has been redefined. Rather than a ‘nice to have’ add-on, creators must now become a core brand-building medium. For marketing decision makers and brand directors, that means shifting how budgets are allocated, how content is developed, and how performance is measured.

2. Cadbury turns up the volume for ‘All Heroes, No Zeros’

Cadbury is tapping into cultural “icons” from Queen to Santa’s reindeer and Robin Hood to Arsenal Women’s Football Club in a new campaign designed to show that its Heroes collection is “full of bangers”.

“All Heroes, No Zeros” launches with a major new integrated campaign. It aims to position Heroes as the ultimate brand for sharing, where every chocolate has earned its place and draws on the insight that while other assortment brands have obvious fan favourites, Heroes stands apart: there are no fillers, no hierarchy of favourites, no least-loved flavour left in the tub once everyone has got stuck in.

Why it matters: The best advertising ideas (and campaign lines) are beautifully simple. This is that. It makes you think, ‘how has this not been done already?’. The creative doesn’t dramatise or over-explain; it simply gives people permission to take sides and celebrate what they already love. For brands and marketers, it shows how cultural references can refresh a legacy brand without losing any charm.

3. Trust’s impact on consideration and spend

It might seem obvious, but being seen as a truly trustworthy brand plays a vital role in persuading consumers to consider your product or service.

New research from Marketreach, based on a survey of 4,000 UK respondents, finds that trust is overwhelmingly the second most important factor after value for money. And trust extends to the placements and channels your brand appears in.

Amanda Griffiths, Head of Customer Communication Planning and Insight at Marketreach, said in a statement: “Highly trusted channels matter to consumers and to the bottom line. We are proud to see how trusted direct mail is, offering reliability, the number one pillar in trust, building confidence and credibility with consumers.”

Why it matters: Trust isn’t just a feel-good brand value — brands that actively build credibility stand to gain more consideration and, ultimately, higher spend. Channels can play a role in this too, so planning campaigns and content carefully can help to build stronger relationships with customers and fans.

4. The Ordinary’s ‘Periodic Fable’ spotlights beauty industry mistruths

From ‘medical grade’ retinols to serums that promise ‘eternal youth’, the beauty industry is awash with misleading marketing words and phrases designed to lure consumers in.

And it’s working! More than half (51%) of UK skincare shoppers are more likely to trust a product described as ‘luxury’, and one in 10 of their US counterparts would splash out a hefty $75 more on a product that has ‘rare ingredients’.

Enter The Periodic Fable. A scientific table with zero science by skincare brand The Ordinary, which swaps elements for 49 beauty marketing buzzwords, to separate fact from fiction and highlight the urgent need for more transparency in the industry.

Amy Bi, VP of brand at The Ordinary comments,

“Transparency and truth are at the heart of everything we stand for, but communicating this in new, interesting ways is no easy task. When Uncommon presented The Periodic Fable to us, we instantly loved its ability to convey our message so clearly, but with such impact.”

Why it matters: This is a masterclass in purpose-led distinctiveness. The campaign pushes boundaries of creativity in service of the brand’s truth, and delivers one crystal-clear, single-minded message with enough theatricality to earn attention at scale. The “Periodic Fable™” is a beautifully simple (and repeatable) storytelling asset that can live effortlessly across OOH, video, social, web and beyond.

5. Reddit’s advice to brands: ‘lurk and learn’

With Reddit being cited in as many as 40% of answers to AI search queries, it’s important that brands establish a presence there.

Many brands are already on Reddit. But for those that aren’t yet, the window of opportunity as regards LLMs is closing fast. It’s time to act.

While brand websites and publishers are suffering from the rise of zero-click searches, Reddit is seeing the opposite trend, according to the platform’s global head of insight.

“We’re seeing that people are going from LLMs and coming to Reddit. They like the summary they got from the LLM, but they want to go a little bit deeper. They’re using the LLM almost as a launching point for their deeper search.”

Why it matters: From Reddit directly…

“If you’re not on a community now, if you’re not understanding what people are saying about you on the platform, and if you’re not finding ways to join those conversations, or, at a minimum, influence the people in those communities who are influencing the LLMs… Candidly, you’ve got a few months, and then you’re going to be cut out, because those LLMs are moving on, and someone else is going to be taking that space for you.”

That’s it for this month’s edition of Making Waves.

Follow along on LinkedIn and Instagram for more marketing trends, platform updates, and campaign insights from the world of brand, content, digital and beyond.

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