25 of the best creative product drops of 2025

Brands are getting smarter about how products, merch and packaging can earn attention.

Sitting between novelty and necessity, promo products have been a popular feature of creative marketing in 2025.

From generosity broken into chocolate squares to phones tucked into tiny beds, packaging, products and design become conversation starters driving online buzz and media coverage.

Here’s a selection of widely shared hits (in no particular order) – as featured in the weekly Famous Five newsletter and on our LinkedIn page.

#1 Cadbury Dairy Milk rewards everyday heroes

The brand’s long standing purpose around generosity takes a fun pivot as it ‘divides’ the bar (and reward/gratitude) in proportion to the communal effort around domestic acts such as cooking or car journeys.

#2 Stella Artois serves up limited edition white can for Wimbledon

Wimbledon’s strict all-white dress code isn’t just for players anymore. Stella Artois suited up for Centre Court season with a limited edition can wrapped in crisp white save for a flash, nodding to the tournament’s rules that allow only a trim of colour.

#3 IKEA gives its iconic meatballs a designer plate

Design studio Gustaf Westman teamed up with IKEA to design something unique: a porcelain plate made specifically for serving Swedish meatballs. The elongated, turquoise-blue dish is the first item revealed from the designer’s upcoming 12-piece collaboration with the brand, set to launch this September.

#4 McDonald’s blanks out the Happy Meal box to help kids ‘draw how they feel’

McDonald’s UK removes the iconic red from its Happy Meal box for the first time ever — replacing it with a completely blank design. The white “Draw How You Feel” boxes, launched in partnership with BBC Children in Need, come with crayons and invite kids to decorate their own packaging — a creative prompt to help families talk about emotions.

#5 Guinness launch the Guinnbrella

…..so your pint stays dry in the rain. By Born Social.

#6 Crocs jumps from feet to phones

Crocs is no stranger to unexpected partnerships, but this one might be its most tactile yet. The brand teamed up with Seoul-based techwear label SLBS to launch a smartphone case that takes design cues from its unmistakable clogs.

#7 Heinz released a ketchup smoothie

The summer of weird food trends continued. If strawberries and cream sarnies didn’t send you over the edge Heinz released a ketchup smoothie that plays into the age-old question “is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable?” the internet has been asking, “if tomatoes are a fruit, is ketchup a smoothie?”

#8 LEGO’s brick-built Game Boy

LEGO and Nintendo are tapping into handheld history with a new 421-piece set that recreates the iconic 1989 Game Boy – at true-to-life scale.

#9 Mentos launches Fizzooka in Fortnite creative

The classic Mentos and cola reaction got a new twist – with the launch of the Mentos Fizzooka in Fortnite Creative by BBH. The real life bazooka is over a metre long and can shoot a soda geyser with the force of a firehose. Powerful enough to knock down a small shed.

#10 Ricola releases scented scarves for flu season

The Swiss brand known for herbal lozenges has launched a limited-edition collection of scented scarves, each lightly infused with the same Swiss alpine herbs that flavor its signature products. The Ricola Scarf lands just in time for cold and flu season.

#11 Cheetos release limited-edition trousers that double up as a napkin

Cheetos enter the fashion-sphere with the launch of Cheetos Pants, a truly jaw-dropping blend of absurdity and genius, designed to solve the eternal problem of Cheetle-coated fingers!

#12 Kahlúa unveils sneaky espresso martini glass for St. Patrick’s Day

Cocktail lovers no longer need to fake their love for stout this St. Patrick’s Day, thanks to Kahlúa’s latest creation – the ‘Schneaky’ Espresso Martini glass. Designed to look like a pint of stout, this cleverly disguised hand-blown glass lets revellers enjoy an Espresso Martini while blending in with the crowd. Check the brilliantly witty promo video.

#13 Heinz grillz make sachet opening a whole lot easier

Heinz launched a new campaign featuring custom tooth grillz designed to tackle notoriously tough sauce packets.

#14 Clearblue adds sparkle to pregnancy reveals with bedazzled keepsake

Clearblue turns pregnancy news into a glitzy keepsake with the launch of a new rhinestone-adorned version of its iconic test stick – designed for memory-making rather than diagnostics.

#15 Domino’s taps into 80s nostalgia with limited-edition merch drop

Domino’s celebratated 40 years in the UK with a throwback merch collection that channels the brand’s mid-80s delivery roots. The pizza chain has teamed up with vintage lifestyle brand Unified Goods for the Hot Since ‘85 capsule, a mix of rare finds and new designs inspired by Domino’s original uniforms.

#16 KFC unveils the Finger Lickin’ Fork – a stylish fix for saucy rice bowls

Born from social chatter about how finger-lickin’ just won’t cut it when it comes to Rice Bowls, the quirky product release from Mother answers back with style and silverware.

#17 Vogel’s Bready to Wear

Vogel’s Breadywear, a fashion-meets-food innovation designed to help expats sneak their favourite loaf past airport baggage limits, one crumb at a time.

#18 Frida x Breast Milk ice cream

Frida, the parenting brand teamed up with OddFellows Ice Cream Co. on a limited-edition breast milk-inspired flavor. The release coincides with National Breastfeeding Awareness Month and is designed to spark conversation around early motherhood.

#19 Bose leans into buttercore for speaker launch

In a nod to 2025’s unexpected obsession with “butter yellow,” Bose has teamed up with CNC agency to whip up a limited-edition packaging concept that makes its SoundLink Plus speaker look like it came straight from the dairy aisle.

#20 IKEA launched tiny beds for smartphones

IKEA plays its next card in the sleep game, but this time the mattress is pocket-sized. The UAE arm are selling a miniature bed set for smartphones with an embedded NFC chip. The beds connect to the IKEA app, tracking how long a user goes screen-free. Seven hours of phone rest for seven nights in a row earns shoppers a £20 voucher.

#21 Aldi dropped a jacket potato jacket

Spud Chic? Aldi (and Taylor Herring) leant into autumn rituals with a campaign that turns one of its staple comfort foods into a wearable puffer.

Sticking with topical jackets…Lidl (with The Romans) marked the music reunion of the year with a jacket inspired by Liam Gallagher’s Berghaus campaign.

#22 Greggs takes a bite out of interiors with homeware range

Greggs brings its signature bakes to the sofa with a new homeware line that turns pastry fandom into soft furnishings . In a collaboration with interiors brand Icon, the bakery chain has launched a collection of cushions and bean bags inspired by its most iconic items.

#23 Peroni launched a beer sorbet

Created with chef Giada De Laurentiis the limited-edition release is a lemon Italian ice made with Peroni and up to 5% ABV.

#24 Liquid Death helps mums-to-be stay ultra-hydrated

Liquid Death is making sure mums-to-be stay ultra-hydrated with its latest release: Kegs For Pregs. The brand, known for its irreverent take on hydration, has introduced limited-edition 5-litre mini kegs in the U.S – with an irreverent promo starring Kylie Kelce.

#25 Razom’s air raid alarm clock sounds off for Ukraine

To mark the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, NGO ‘Razom for Ukraine’ has created an Air Raid Alarm Clock. Synced with Ukraine’s official air raid alert system, the clock blasts the same sirens heard in the war-torn region – 42 times a day on average, serving as an inescapable reminder of the ongoing crisis.

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