Hails & Fails – September 11th 2026
This week’s Hails didn’t just ask for attention, they gave people a reason to act. Greggs made trying a divisive new bake risk-free, Jose Cuervo swapped bad days for free drinks, and Whiskas turned a decades-old slogan into a challenge for Channel 4. Meanwhile, three travel brands found out the hard way that the word ‘eco’ needs more than good intentions behind it.
HAILS
Greggs offers insurance for Stilton sceptics
Steak & Stilton is back on the Greggs menu, and the brand is facing up to the fact that not everyone is sold on this type of cheese. Their response? Every bake now comes with ‘But I Don’t Like Stilton’ Insurance. Try it, decide it isn’t for you and the Stilton Claims Advisors behind the counter will swap it for a classic Steak Bake. Cheeky and self-aware, it’s exactly the kind of campaign that turns a talking point into a taste test.
Jose Cuervo opens The Inconvenience Store
Jose Cuervo has this week launched a temporary corner shop in Soho. The catch? The currency isn’t money, it’s misery. Visitors share a recent everyday annoyance, whether it’s a Tube delay, traffic jam or dodgy WiFi, in exchange for a chilled can of the brand’s new Sparkling Margarita. They successfully flipped the concept of a convenience store on its head, offering something far more fun and relatable than a typical sampling stand.
Whiskas asks Channel 4 to check its maths
Channel 4’s 8 Out of 10 Cats borrowed its name from a Whiskas slogan back in the seventies, but after a recent overhaul and a survey found nine in ten cats prefer the new version, Whiskas has publicly asked the broadcaster to rename the show. It has pledged £10,000 to Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, doubling to £20,000 if Channel 4 agrees, and nine rescue cats, including Rob Beckcat, Sarah Meowlican and Joe Whiskason, have put their paws to an open letter. With full-page ads, bus shelter posters and a digital ad van outside Channel 4’s HQ, nobody could miss it.
FAIL
Eco claims land three travel brands in hot water
The ASA has banned ads from Thomas Cook, loveholidays and DialAFlight for describing hotels as ‘eco’ without explaining what those claims were actually based on. All three argued that the wording came from the accommodation rather than themselves, but the ASA wasn’t persuaded. In a category already under scrutiny for greenwashing, repeating what a supplier tells you without doing due diligence is never going to wash.
