An iconic campaign is back, bringing a familiar idea into a new setting.

The campaign revisits the original concept through a simple story about chivalry and friendship, relying on the situation and humour rather than an overly complicated message.

It also raises an interesting question for marketers: when brands bring back something audiences already remember, is nostalgia an advantage or does the new campaign still need to earn its place on its own?

Does the new version work for you, or is the original still better?

When a Canadian cinema didn’t receive the official Spider-Man: Brand New Day poster, employee Drake Landon was asked to make one himself.

Instead of trying to recreate a polished studio asset, he made a simple hand-drawn version. It ended up going viral, catching the attention of fans and turning a practical problem into an unexpected marketing moment for the cinema.

The cinema later considered keeping the artwork, although Landon said the poster was eventually removed after head office reportedly wanted it taken down to avoid upsetting the studio.

Would you rather see more brands take this kind of human approach, or should official brand creative stay polished?

Flipkart’s latest Freedom Sale ad has sparked a debate around how far brands can push dark humour.

The print creative uses an obituary-style format, placing people’s photographs and details inside memorial-style boxes, with the copy suggesting that while the people will keep living, Flipkart’s deals are about to disappear.

The unusual execution quickly drew attention online. Some users found the approach insensitive, while others saw it as an attempt to use dark humour to make a sale ad stand out.

Beyond this particular campaign, it raises a bigger question for advertising: does getting people talking make a provocative idea successful, or are there lines brands shouldn't cross for attention?

Clever creative or a step too far?

What does it take to lead one of India’s oldest news networks as the media landscape keeps changing?

Rahul Kanwal, CEO and Editor-in-Chief of NDTV, spoke with Ruhail Amin, Neeta Nair and Pankaj Sharma about the business of news, people, technology and where the network is headed next.

Read more: Rahul Kanwal on rebuilding NDTV’s commercial muscle

Beyond the headlines, the conversation looks at some of the bigger questions facing news organisations today - how the business is evolving, how technology is changing the industry, and what leadership looks like in a shifting media environment.

What do you think will be the biggest challenge for Indian news networks over the next few years?

Full video: https://youtu.be/iPKNOC7EJ6I?si=0-NvOw27l3cbB0Ix

Godrej Appliances has taken a familiar product demo and made it part of the billboard itself.

The OOH execution features an actual washing machine within the display, creating a larger-than-life visual around the product and celebrating India.

It’s a simple approach, but it raises an interesting question about OOH: does showing the actual product in an unexpected way make an ad more memorable than simply showing it in a traditional billboard?

Would this make you stop and look?

Video credits: u/kolkata_inframe_ / Instagram

Instagram has refreshed its wordmark for the first time in nearly a decade, giving the lettering a cleaner, more modern treatment while keeping the overall identity familiar.

But the interesting part for marketers is what happened next: brands quickly started using the update as a real-time marketing opportunity, creating their own takes on the change.

Which brand do you think made the best use of Instagram’s refresh?

After nearly a decade, Instagram has refreshed its wordmark, moving away from the familiar cursive-style lettering toward a cleaner, more modern look.

For now, the change is limited to the wordmark at the top of the app rather than being a complete visual rebrand.

It's a small update, but interesting from a branding perspective, especially for a platform whose identity is instantly recognisable.

Do you think Instagram needed the refresh, or should they have left the wordmark alone?

HEINZ, together with Wieden+Kennedy London, has turned one of the most subjective parts of eating into a product feature.

Its new ‘Love Lid’ gives consumers three settings "Like, Love and Crazy Love" depending on how much ketchup they want.

The idea comes from the familiar debate over what counts as the “right” amount of ketchup. Instead of simply talking about personal preference, HEINZ has built that preference into the bottle itself.

Would you actually use the Love Lid? And which setting would you pick?

McDonald’s is expanding its beverage offering with the Red Bull Dragonberry Energizer, combining Red Bull with blue raspberry syrup and freeze-dried dragonfruit.

There’s also a Red Bull Zero version for customers looking for a lower-sugar option.

The interesting part is the category crossover. McDonald’s is taking a familiar energy drink brand and bringing it into its own restaurant ecosystem, giving existing Red Bull fans another reason to visit while introducing the combination to McDonald’s customers.

It’s another example of brands using partnerships to enter adjacent categories without building a completely new product identity from scratch.

Would you actually try a Red Bull drink from McDonald’s?

Last year, United Toyota marked Independence Day with a CGI-led OOH execution featuring a life-size Fortuner.

The SUV's headlights brought the Indian tricolour to life, turning the vehicle itself into the central visual rather than simply placing the brand message around it.

It also shows how familiar Independence Day imagery can be reworked through technology to create something more visually striking.

What do you think makes an Independence Day brand campaign stand out, creativity, technology, or the idea itself? 🇮🇳

Netflix is bringing back a billboard stunt it has used before, but with a new twist.

After previously placing a man inside a billboard, the brand has now put a woman inside one to promote The Last House.

The familiar execution turns a regular OOH placement into part of the entertainment itself, creating a visual people are more likely to stop and talk about.

Hair damage and ageing aren't always easy to visualise. K18 found a way to make the problem impossible to miss.

For the launch of its new hair-longevity serum, the haircare brand created “Tumblehair” a car-sized ball of hair that rolled through New York City.

The installation represents 161 billion strands of hair, which K18 says is the amount New Yorkers could collectively retain using its serum. Instead of simply explaining the product's promise, the campaign turned an otherwise invisible concern into something people could physically see moving through the city.

It's a smart OOH approach: take the product insight and make it the spectacle.

Would something this unusual make you stop and look at a beauty ad?

From “My-sore throat?” in Mysore to “Hydra-bad throat?” in Hyderabad, these billboards use city names to make the message feel more relatable and local.

Image credits : Pratishtha Arya / Linkedin

Japanese craft beer brand Yona Yona Ale took a different approach to promoting responsible drinking.

Its Furatsuku Beer Glass is designed to tip over when someone drinks beer without balancing it with water.

The idea came from a survey where 75% of regular drinkers said they don't drink enough water while consuming alcohol. Rather than simply putting a responsible-drinking message on the product, the brand turned the reminder into part of the experience itself.

After seven prototypes, the final glass made the behaviour visible, and gave people a physical cue to reach for water.

Would a product like this actually change your drinking habits?

Freedom is more than a celebration. It's a responsibility. Liberty Shoes' “In the Name of Liberty” campaign looked beyond the usual Independence Day messaging, reminding audiences that freedom also comes with belonging, accountability and ownership of our actions.

With Piyush Mishra's powerful voice-over and music by Indian Ocean, the campaign turned a familiar patriotic message into a more personal reflection on what it means to truly value freedom.

Year: 2019 Agency: Lyxel&Flamingo

Zendaya is having a huge 2026 at the box office.

With Spider-Man: Brand New Day and The Odyssey together nearing $2 billion worldwide, she has emerged as the year's highest-grossing actor so far. Her run alongside Tom Holland also makes them the highest-grossing acting couple of the year to date.

And there's still Dune: Part Three coming in December.

Beyond the numbers, her year raises an interesting question about modern star power: how much does a performer's box-office pull come from the individual, and how much comes from the franchises and projects they choose?

Cadbury's iconic “Kuch Swaad Hai Zindagi Mein” ad from 1997 was brought back for Independence Day, and the story still feels remarkably familiar.

Created by Piyush Pandey, the film shows a Dahi Handi human pyramid trying to reach a national flag that's stuck above them. What starts as one person's effort quickly becomes a collective one, as the surrounding crowd joins in and cheers them on.

Nearly three decades later, the ad is still a reminder that good storytelling can outlast the trends and formats around it.

Year: 1997

Brand: Cadbury India

Campaign: Kuch Swaad Hai Zindagi Mein

Creative: Piyush Pandey

Which old Indian ad still feels just as relevant today?