Top 100 Branding Trends in 2018

From CBD-Infused Matcha Teas to Playful Collectible Tea Packaging

— January 27, 2019 — Marketing
A brand's image can make it or break it and this list of 2018 branding trends shows a few businesses that did it right.

From design-forward visual identities to smart packaging, the possibilities for brands to reach their consumer base in an intimate fashion are ultimately endless. Of course, some boast a more tech-savvy approach than others. Waviboy, for example, is a futurist streetwear label and the brand is represented by a digital influencer. This builds on the popularity of CGI 'humans' with Instagram accounts and is definitely an interesting way to raise awareness of one's business.

Other examples of strategic marketing in this list of 2018 branding trends is surely Gucci's stunning wall murals. Not only do they bring a certain artistic character to the city — the latest mural spotlights performance artist Marina Abramović, but the move also affects the status of Gucci as an art-forward label.

To learn more about branding trends for the year ahead, check out Trend Hunter's 2019 Trend Report.
6.6
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
100
Family Tradition-Inspired Salads
Family Tradition-Inspired Salads
The Grandpa’s Signature Salads are Hearty and Flavorful
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99
Pharmaceutical-Grade Muscle Supplements
Pharmaceutical-Grade Muscle Supplements
The Naked Nutrition Naked BCAAs Improve Your Performance
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98
Guilt-Free Jerky Snacks
Guilt-Free Jerky Snacks
The Tillamook Country Smoker Gourmet Style Snack Sticks are Satisfying
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97
Fiber-Rich Vegan Chocolate Snacks
Fiber-Rich Vegan Chocolate Snacks
The New Peakz Chocolate Flavors are Satisfying
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96
Premium Wagyu Meat Snacks
Premium Wagyu Meat Snacks
The Perky Jerky Wagyu Beef Jerky is the First of its Kind
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95
Sparking Libation-Flavored Crisps
Sparking Libation-Flavored Crisps
The Torres Sparkling Wine Potato Chips are Fried in Spanish Oil
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94
Energizing Pre-Workout Supplements
Energizing Pre-Workout Supplements
Naked Nutrition Naked Energy Contains Just 10 Ingredients
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93
Scent-Inspired Gin Spirits
Scent-Inspired Gin Spirits
That Boutique-y Gin Company Launched an Aromatic Gin Range
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92
Playfully Colorful Tech Hardware
Playfully Colorful Tech Hardware
Pentagram and Map Give Graphcore a Whimsical and Fun Identity
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91
Malleable Sweet Slime Desserts
Malleable Sweet Slime Desserts
The Jello-O Play Edible Slime Comes in Two Flavor Options
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90
Whiskey-Infused Coffees
Whiskey-Infused Coffees
Jack Daniel's Coffee is 100% Arabica Infused with Tennessee Whiskey
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89
Sugar-Free Protein Drinks
Sugar-Free Protein Drinks
The Watermelon Vieve Protein Water Contains 20 Grams of Protein
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88
Pistachio-Inspired Seasonal Drink Menus
Pistachio-Inspired Seasonal Drink Menus
Starbucks Japan Releases a Mouth-Watering Pistachio Drink
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87
Athlete-Approved Supplements
Athlete-Approved Supplements
The Ladder Dietary Supplements are NSF Certified for Sport
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86
Seasonally Indulgent Coffee Creamers
Seasonally Indulgent Coffee Creamers
The Coffee-Mate Holiday Creamers Come in Two Flavor Options
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85
Raw Organic Cannabis Drinks
Raw Organic Cannabis Drinks
The Nubrain California Cannabis Drinks Contain Plant Stem Cells
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84
Fictitious CGI Ecosystem Projects
Fictitious CGI Ecosystem Projects
Ondrej Zunka and Zelig Sound Produce Stunning Imagery for Wacom
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83
Playful Purple-Accented Branding Identities
Playful Purple-Accented Branding Identities
Crack the Code is a Programming School for Youth
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82
Playful Military Drum Tins
Playful Military Drum Tins
Design Bridge Creates Hero-Honoring Packaging for Cadbury
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81
Assertive Skate Clothing Pop-Ups
Assertive Skate Clothing Pop-Ups
Wasted Youth Sets Up Shop at afterbase in Osaka, Japan
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80
Convenience Store Insect Snacks
Convenience Store Insect Snacks
The Eat Grub Smoky BBQ Crunchy Roasted Crickets are at Sainsbury's
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79
Prepackaged Fruity Oat Snacks
Prepackaged Fruity Oat Snacks
Del Monte Fruit & Oats Can be Enjoyed Hot or Cold
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78
Indulgent Liqueur Baking Chocolates
Indulgent Liqueur Baking Chocolates
Baileys Original Irish Cream Baking Chips are Non-Alcoholic
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77
Playful Canine Trampoline Parks
Playful Canine Trampoline Parks
Rover.com' Pushes Unconventional and Entertaining Dog Activities
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76
Restaurant-Inspired Frozen Foods
Restaurant-Inspired Frozen Foods
The Happi Foodi Frozen Foods Have High-Quality Flavors
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75
Elegant Suede Footwear Collaborations
Elegant Suede Footwear Collaborations
The nanamica & Dr. Martens Collaboration is Sleek & Refined
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74
Coffee-Infused Energy Supplement Bars
Coffee-Infused Energy Supplement Bars
The JavaUp Energy Bars are Made with 100% Organic Espresso
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73
Cheesy Football Team Burgers
Cheesy Football Team Burgers
Burger King's New Green Bay Whopper Features Eight Slices of Cheese
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72
Informative Food Packaging Concepts
Informative Food Packaging Concepts
SÍCLIC Attempts to Teach Consumers About Colombia Regions
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71
Prepackaged Exotic Fruit Snacks
Prepackaged Exotic Fruit Snacks
The Del Monte Fruit Express Snacks Come in Six Varieties
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70
Premium Sharing-Friendly Chocolates
Premium Sharing-Friendly Chocolates
The New Lily O’Brien’s Share Bags are Ideal for Indulging
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69
Savory Single-Serve Beef Snacks
Savory Single-Serve Beef Snacks
The Le-Vel Thrive Bites Come in Three Premium Flavors
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68
Kid-Friendly Organic Juice Punches
Kid-Friendly Organic Juice Punches
Apple & Eve's Shelf-Stable Juices Belong in Kid's Lunchboxes
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67
Chicken Nugget String Lights
Chicken Nugget String Lights
McDonald's UK Has Created Chicken McNugget String Lights and Baubles
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66
Branded Minimalist Apparel Lines
Branded Minimalist Apparel Lines
Places+Faces' FW 2018 Boasts Stylish and Comfortable Urban Pieces
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65
Free-From Dessert Nuts
Free-From Dessert Nuts
The Taza Chocolate Covered Nuts Come in Three Delicious Varieties
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64
Canadian Cannabis-Infused Craft Beers
Canadian Cannabis-Infused Craft Beers
The Cannabis Beer from Bell City Brewing will be Gluten-Free
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63
Convenience Brand Coffee Stouts
Convenience Brand Coffee Stouts
The Wawa x 2SP Winter Reserve Coffee Stout is Limited-Edition
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62
Snack Cake-Inspired Cereals
Snack Cake-Inspired Cereals
The Post Hostess Cereals Come in Two Indulgent Varieties
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61
All-Natural Vegan Snack Products
All-Natural Vegan Snack Products
The New Eat Real Snacks Come in Two Tasty Varieties
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60
Fantasy Series Libation Lines
Fantasy Series Libation Lines
The Game of Thrones Single Malt Scotch Whisky Collection is Premium
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59
Animated Festive Holiday Commercials
Animated Festive Holiday Commercials
Coca-Cola Polar Bear Commercial is Always Long-Anticipated
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58
Savory Nut Butter Snacks
Savory Nut Butter Snacks
The FBOMB Salted Chocolate Macadamia Nut Butter is Vegetarian-Friendly
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57
Social Justice Ice Creams
Social Justice Ice Creams
The Ben & Jerry’s Pecan Resist Ice Cream Stands Against Oppression
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56
Rewarding Reusable Coffee Tumblers
Rewarding Reusable Coffee Tumblers
Starbucks' Brewed Refill Tumbler Comes with Unlimited Coffee
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55
Sour Candy Breakfast Cereals
Sour Candy Breakfast Cereals
The Post Sour Patch Kids Cereal Starts Sour Then Turns Sweet
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54
Premium Polish Kombuchas
Premium Polish Kombuchas
The Brothers & Sisters Kombucha Comes in Three Flavor Options
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53
Prepackaged Low-Calorie Snacks
Prepackaged Low-Calorie Snacks
The Protein Ball Co. Trip Pack is Under 100 Calories
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52
Artisan-Inspired Snack Peas
Artisan-Inspired Snack Peas
These New Harvest Snaps Snack Crisp Flavors are Baked and Satisfying
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51
Nutty Naturalistic Breakfast Products
Nutty Naturalistic Breakfast Products
The Ayem Breakfast Protein Pots are Rich in Omega-3s
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50
Premium European Dairy Products
Premium European Dairy Products
The EkoNiva Dairy Products are Available in Moscow
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49
Handheld Bread Snacks
Handheld Bread Snacks
The Country Choice B'Break Snacking Breads are Perfect for a Quick Bite
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48
Artist-Honoring Urban Wall Murals
Artist-Honoring Urban Wall Murals
Gucci Pays Tribute to Marina Abramović with Massive Urban Murals
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47
Evocative Sparkling Wines
Evocative Sparkling Wines
Gancia Sparkling Wines' 'Drink Beauty' Platform Targets Millennials
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46
Celebratory Custom Jacket Designs
Celebratory Custom Jacket Designs
Alpha Industry Nods to Playboy with Latest Drop of Jackets
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45
Empowering Sneaker Design Initatives
Empowering Sneaker Design Initatives
LeBron James and Nike Set the Spotlight on Women of Color
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44
Elegantly Designed Organic Juices
Elegantly Designed Organic Juices
Kiju Organic Boasts Health-Focused Contents & a Sleek Aesthetic
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43
CBD-Infused Matcha Teas
CBD-Infused Matcha Teas
The Matcha Now CBD Tea Keeps Ingredients Separate Until Consumption
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42
Popular Dog Name Reports
Popular Dog Name Reports
Rover.com Releases an Infographic with the Top Canine Names for 2018
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41
Astronaut-Inspired Limited Edition Chairs
Astronaut-Inspired Limited Edition Chairs
Tom Sachs' 2012 NASA Chairs are Available for Purchase
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40
Festive Chocolate Spread Packaging
Festive Chocolate Spread Packaging
The Limited-Edition Nutella Holiday Jars are Made for Gifting
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39
Celebratory Japanese Chocolate Sets
Celebratory Japanese Chocolate Sets
The Kit Kat Japan Anniversary Set Contains 35 Flavors
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38
Tasty Layered Yogurt Products
Tasty Layered Yogurt Products
The Nomadic Lovely Live Yogurts Come Packaged with a Spoon
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37
Playful Independence Day Packaging
Playful Independence Day Packaging
Markobar Boasts Interactive Board Game Packaging in Indonesia
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36
Playful Collectible Tea Packaging
Playful Collectible Tea Packaging
Tom's Teas is a Children's Tea Line with a Creative Aesthetic
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35
Pasta Dish-Inspired Tee
Pasta Dish-Inspired Tee
The PizzaSlime x Jon & Vinny's Pasta Shirt Debuts in Comedic Editorial
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34
Ultra-Exclusive Sporty Sneaker Drops
Ultra-Exclusive Sporty Sneaker Drops
The adidas UltraBOOST Shoe is Available for Only a Week
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33
Elegantly Timeless Restaurant Redesigns
Elegantly Timeless Restaurant Redesigns
Chicago's Alinea Completely Revamps Its Offered Experience
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32
Multi-Sensory Confectionery Packaging
Multi-Sensory Confectionery Packaging
Electronic Equips Churchill's Tins with an Audio Component
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31
Co-Branded Beer Streetwear
Co-Branded Beer Streetwear
Heineken and Union Created the #Heineken100 'Green Collar' Capsule
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30
Alcohol-Free Cannabis Wines
Alcohol-Free Cannabis Wines
The House of Saka Saka Wines Give You a Different Kind of Buzz
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29
Charming Smiling Snack Packaging
Charming Smiling Snack Packaging
The Feliz Snack Packaging Boasts an Inviting Aesthetic
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28
Gigantic Performance Sports Shops
Gigantic Performance Sports Shops
The Under Armour Brand House is the Ultimate Retail Experience
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27
Analog Film-Inspired Skatewear
Analog Film-Inspired Skatewear
Girl Skateboards Embarks on Another Collaboration with Kodak
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26
Short-Form Athlete-Celebrating Platforms
Short-Form Athlete-Celebrating Platforms
Nike's IGTV Videos Spotlight Everyday Athletes
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25
Memorable Digital Brand Identities
Memorable Digital Brand Identities
Zencargo Taps Ranganath Krishnamani for a Browser-Friendly Vibe
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24
Taco-Inspired Wrapping Paper
Taco-Inspired Wrapping Paper
Taco Bell Releases a Line of Unconventional Wrapping Paper Prints
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23
Alcoholic Water Cocktails
Alcoholic Water Cocktails
The Pura Still Spiked Still Water Drinks are Just 90 Calories Each
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22
Soda Can Mini Fridges
Soda Can Mini Fridges
Aldi's Coca-Cola Mini Fridge Serves as Dedicated Soda Storage
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21
Cheerfully Colorful Coffee Brands
Cheerfully Colorful Coffee Brands
Marca is a Mexican Brand with a Whimsical & Vivacious Identity
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20
Single-Day Pop-Up Bakeries
Single-Day Pop-Up Bakeries
Strongbow Dark Fruit Honours Its Fans in Manchester with a Tasty Treat
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19
90s-Inspired Reworked Fashion Staples
90s-Inspired Reworked Fashion Staples
Infinite Archives is Tasked with Reimagining GUESS Jeans USA
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18
Fashionable Pop-Up Exhibitions
Fashionable Pop-Up Exhibitions
A-COLD-WALL* and NikeLab Celebrate Their Collab with an Exhibit
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17
Skin-Specific Cosmetic Brands
Skin-Specific Cosmetic Brands
IMAN Cosmetics Focuses on Women of Color with Its #Melaninarmy
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16
Designer Gender-Fluid Fashion Lines
Designer Gender-Fluid Fashion Lines
adidas Partners Up with Olivia Oblanc for a Striking Capsule
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15
Experiential Coffee Chain Roasteries
Experiential Coffee Chain Roasteries
The Starbucks Roastery in Seattle Offers Guests an Adventure
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14
Dominant Monogram Rebranding Initiatives
Dominant Monogram Rebranding Initiatives
The Burberry Monogram is Featured All Over the Place
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13
Contemporary Streetwear Miami Pop-Ups
Contemporary Streetwear Miami Pop-Ups
Fight Club's Temporary Activation Offers Fashion & Footwear
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12
Beautiful Japanese Comic Campaigns
Beautiful Japanese Comic Campaigns
DOZO Tea Has a Playful Identity Thanks to Gerhard Human & DOERS
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11
Final Anime-Inspired Footwear Releases
Final Anime-Inspired Footwear Releases
adidas Launches the Last Two Dragon Ball Z Sneakers
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10
Interactive Holiday Packaging
Interactive Holiday Packaging
The Coca-Cola Packaging in Japan is District-specific & Collectible
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9
Fictitious Brand-Representing Influencers
Fictitious Brand-Representing Influencers
Lil Wavi is a Digital Human with a Scandalous Attitude
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8
Weirdly Cheeky Branding Identities
Weirdly Cheeky Branding Identities
A Group of Collectives Oversee the Visual Identity of BABOON
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7
Pink-Accented Flagship Stores
Pink-Accented Flagship Stores
Glossier New York Opens a Chic and Elegant Three-Storey Shop in SoHo
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6
Progressively Chic Photographers
Progressively Chic Photographers
Seachange Studio's Custom Wordmark Builds on a Colorful Identity
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5
Customer Experience-Focused Retail Stores
Customer Experience-Focused Retail Stores
The North Face Shop in Brooklyn Boasts Exclusive Ranges
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4
Biodegradable Beer Can Packaging
Biodegradable Beer Can Packaging
These Corona Six-Pack Rings Are Alternatives to Plastic
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3
Recreated Iconic Marketing Campaigns
Recreated Iconic Marketing Campaigns
Kith Treats Enlists Celebrities for a New Got Milk? Campaign
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2
Vintage Fast Food Ads
Vintage Fast Food Ads
McDonald's Celebrates Its Iconic Burger with a Retro Twist by TBWA\Paris
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1
Inclusive Ultra-Chromatic Fashion Editorials
Inclusive Ultra-Chromatic Fashion Editorials
The Daily Paper's Colorful Photoshoot Promotes Unity
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