Hails & Fails – November 14th 2025
It’s been a big week for brand brilliance, with smart storytelling and pop culture power plays dominating the headlines. Waitrose delivered a festive rom-com smash hit, KFC dropped a Stranger Things crossover fans couldn’t ignore, and charity Fuck Cancer made a meaningful mark. Meanwhile, Apple ended up trending for all the wrong reasons. From clever collabs to eyebrow-raising price tags, here’s what hit the mark – and what missed it entirely.
HAILS
Waitrose’s Keira Knightley ad wins Christmas
Waitrose has gone full rom-com for its Christmas ad, and it’s a huge triumph. Starring Keira Knightley and Joe Wilkinson, the film feels like a love letter to Christmas itself: warm, funny and beautifully made. It’s emotionally rich, brilliantly cast and perfectly British. We saw plenty of standout ads last week, but this one might just have stolen the crown for 2025’s best festive campaign.
KFC opens Hawkins Fried Chicken in the Stranger Things universe
KFC has tapped into one of the biggest TV franchises of the decade with a brilliant Stranger Things crossover. Launching “Hawkins Fried Chicken”, complete with themed menu items and 80s-style branding, the activation blurs the line between fiction and fandom. It’s a fun, nostalgic and pitch-perfect way to keep the Colonel culturally relevant.
Cancer charity turns radiation marks into works of art
In a deeply moving campaign, charity Fuck Cancer has partnered with tattoo artists to transform survivors’ radiation marks into meaningful tattoo art. The initiative reframes a painful chapter into a symbol of strength, giving people back ownership of their bodies and stories. Purpose-driven creativity at its most powerful.
FAIL
Apple’s £220 ‘sock’ sparks backlash
Apple is being mocked online for its latest accessory, a £220 “iPhone Pocket” that looks, well, like a cut-up sock. Social media users were quick to ridicule the design and price tag, calling it peak tech-world absurdity. It’s another reminder that while Apple usually nails premium minimalism, sometimes less really isn’t more.
