Hails & Fails – August 14th 2026
A Brazen campaign takes the top spot in this week’s Hails, with Florette bringing #SaladTok to life following new research into how social media is changing the way Britain eats. Greggs also showed the value of jumping quickly on an unexpected moment, while Jaffa Cakes found the perfect excuse to revive an advertising classic. Meanwhile, Meta faced a much more serious setback following a major child safety ruling.
HAILS
Brazen brings #SaladTok IRL to life for Florette
A Hail for our very own Brazen team this week after we took the internet’s obsession with maximalist salads off the feed and into the real world for client Florette. New research revealed 75% of Brits discover recipes and food trends on social media every week, while 82% say their ideal salad contains four or more components. That insight became #SaladTok IRL, a London pop-up serving complimentary Florette twists on viral salad trends. More than 500 guests came through the doors, queues stretched around the block and the campaign has already landed 200+ pieces of earned coverage. Big Salad Summer well and truly delivered.
Greggs enjoys the ‘Burnham bounce’
After Prime Minister Andy Burnham revealed his love for Greggs’ “The Sausage Cheese & Bean Thing”, sales more than doubled at the branch near No 10 North. Greggs wasted no time capitalising, officially renaming the bake using Burnham’s own wording and dropping some off outside No 10 North for good measure. It’s a brilliant bit of reactive PR, proving that when an unexpected moment lands in your lap, speed really matters.
Jaffa Cakes brings back an advertising classic
Jaffa Cakes used this week’s solar eclipse as the perfect excuse to revisit its much-loved 1999 “Full Moon, Half Moon” advert. More than 25 years later, the original remains instantly recognisable, making the celestial event a gift of a reactive opportunity. A lovely bit of nostalgia that proves the very best advertising can keep giving decades later.
FAIL
Meta hit by major child safety ruling
Meta has been ordered to pay $567 million, around £421 million, following a major US ruling over child safety failings on its platforms. The company has said it disagrees with the ruling and plans to appeal. Given the seriousness of the issue, this goes well beyond a conventional PR misstep, but a judgment of this scale inevitably carries major reputational consequences and keeps scrutiny of how social platforms protect younger users firmly in the spotlight.
