Brand Waves This Week
Hawaiian Tropic turns sunscreen into a viral choreography with Alix Earle, H&M and LOTTO tell football through archives and characters, Kith launches its Summer 2026 collection with Jonah Hill.
Welcome to The Brand Waves, your weekly snapshot of the most innovative marketing campaigns from around the world. In this edition, discover stories, strategies, and creative ideas that are redefining how brands connect with audiences.
This newsletter is sponsored by Tracksuit, the always-on brand tracker that shows whether you’re building awareness, driving consideration and gaining ground on competitors. You’ll always have the evidence to back your next brand move.
Today’s newsletter includes: Hawaiian Tropic launches its new campaign with Alix Earle; Aerie strengthens its positioning around authenticity with Pamela Anderson; Burberry partners with Hôtel Belles Rives; Hinge explores the emotional state before love in dating apps; H&M collaborates with LOTTO; Kith builds its Summer 2026 collection; Liquid I.V. brings hydration into 2000s pop culture alongside FLO; and Vita Coco expands its Treats universe.
Hawaiian Tropic launches new campaign starring Alix Earle
After the success of last summer’s Tana Sutra campaign, Hawaiian Tropic returns with a new campaign featuring global social media personality Alix Earle.
At the center of the campaign is a music video built around I Touch Myself, the iconic ’90s hit by Divinyls, reinterpreted through a choreography designed to go viral on social media.
Developed in collaboration with BBH USA and directed by Aerin Moreno, the campaign aims to modernize the communication around sun protection, transforming a functional product into a lifestyle and self-expression statement.
The choreography, created by Grammy Award-winning choreographer Robbie Blue, playfully incorporates Hawaiian Tropic products into the dance movements, simulating the application of SPF on the body and turning it into a visual, ironic, and instantly shareable social media ritual.
Aerie launches 100% Aerie Real with Pamela Anderson
Aerie introduces its new 100% Aerie Real campaign featuring Pamela Anderson, reinforcing its positioning around the concept of authenticity.
The brand continues the path it began when it decided to eliminate retouching from its campaigns by choosing as its protagonist an actress who, since 2023, has chosen to appear publicly without makeup, including during events and press appearances
Tracking The Brand Waves - Aerie
In the current marketing landscape, the debate around artificial intelligence is increasingly becoming a matter of brand positioning rather than simply production efficiency. Aerie is a particularly interesting case because it is a brand that has historically built its identity around the concept of authenticity.
However, Tracksuit US data (October ‘25 - March ‘26) shows that, despite strong brand visibility, equity signals remain relatively weak. Among consumers aware of Aerie, only 31% associate the brand with the statement “it is a brand I trust”, while 29% perceive it as “a brand for people like me”.
At the same time, commercial signals appear more immediate. According to the company, in Q4 2025 brand awareness grew by double digits, while sales increased by 23% compared to Q4 2024. The fact that the new “no AI” pledge also became the brand’s most-liked post on Instagram further indicates strong cultural resonance and high engagement.
This analysis is powered by the kind of continuous brand intelligence Tracksuit shares fortnightly in their newsletter, Shorts. If you want marketing advice, consumer insights, and case studies like this delivered to your inbox, subscribe below.
Hinge launches the Can’t Believe We Met on Hinge campaign
Hinge introduces Can’t Believe We Met on Hinge, the third chapter of its creative platform It’s Funny We Met on Hinge, a series celebrating the authentic love stories of couples who met through the app.
Through the stories of seven real couples from the United States, the United Kingdom, and - for the first time - Australia, Hinge explores skepticism, frustration, cautious optimism, and even the temptation to stop looking for love altogether.
Rather than focusing on the moment couples meet, the campaign highlights the emotional mindset people experience before finding someone meaningful on Hinge.
“Dating can be deeply challenging, and right now a lot of people are feeling that. There’s a real desire to see love stories that reflect the honesty of that experience. Can’t Believe We Met on Hinge captures the emotional ups and downs of dating today, while still holding onto a sense of hope for what’s possible,” said Tamika Young, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer at Hinge. “When people see authentic stories and the conversations it sparks across communities, it helps them feel less alone in the process and reminds them that love can still happen.”
Burberry brings British charm to Hôtel Belles Rives
Burberry brings its aesthetic universe to Hôtel Belles Rives, a historic symbol of the French Riviera and a place deeply connected to the literary and creative culture of the early 20th century, which hosted figures such as Ernest Hemingway and Gertrude Stein.
The High Summer 2026 collection fits seamlessly into this setting, with swimwear and coastal-inspired details that reinforce the continuity between product and environment.
Reinterpreting the hotel’s Art Deco glamour through a Burberry lens, the house has refreshed its iconic check in the distinctive blue of Hôtel Belles Rives.
Elements such as branded ice lollies, sunsets at The Fitzgerald Bar, and activities like waterskiing all contribute to transforming the holiday experience into an extension of the brand narrative, making Burberry part of leisure time rather than just the wardrobe.
H&M launches new collection in collaboration with LOTTO
H&M announces a new collaboration with LOTTO, the historic Italian sportswear brand, at a time when sports aesthetics continue to exert a strong influence on contemporary fashion. The menswear collection draws on the Italian brand’s archives, reinterpreting them through a contemporary lens.
Inspired by football and the cultural universe surrounding it, the collection builds a narrative made up of “characters” - the player, the manager, the referee, the team, and the fans - which become creative tools to shape highly distinctive and recognizable looks.
The result is a collection that celebrates the codes of sportswear and makes them fluid, allowing them to move seamlessly between the pitch and the street.
"Working with LOTTO's archives felt like opening a very specific chapter of sports culture, one with true nostalgia and credibility. We wanted to honor that while making something that belongs entirely to this moment, drawing on both brand's heritage of creating fashionable sportswear," says Andreas Löwenstam, Design Lead Menswear at H&M.
Kith presents the Summer 2026 collection featuring Jonah Hill
Kith presents the campaign for its Summer 2026 collection with Jonah Hill as the face of the season. Hill’s presence is not just an aesthetic choice, but a key element in the brand’s positioning, as it continues to move between cinematic storytelling and contemporary lifestyle.
Kith Summer, a core season for the brand, significantly expands its offering this year with shirts and garments designed to accompany different moments of summer, from casual days by the seaside to evenings in major international cities.
From a creative standpoint, the season focuses on an evolution of the brand’s visual language through new graphics and prints, handcrafted details such as hand-applied beading, and silhouettes designed to support movement and summer travel.
Alongside the main collection, Kith Classics returns for Summer 2026, continuing to balance heritage and innovation. The lineup includes reinterpreted signature pieces and new silhouettes, such as the Thompson Camp Collar Shirt with new embroidery and a seasonal palette that alternates between vibrant tones and more neutral, established shades.
Liquid I.V. launches its new summer campaign with British R&B group FLO
Liquid I.V. kicks off the summer season with a new campaign created in collaboration with British R&B group FLO, positioning hydration within an aesthetic strongly tied to pop culture, music, and 2000s nostalgia.
At the center of the initiative is Hydration Multiplier® Sugar-Free Ring Pop Cherry, the brand’s first co-branded sugar-free flavor, inspired by nostalgic summers of the past.
The brand builds the entire narrative around the idea of YES moments, transforming the product into an ally for fully experiencing summer, music, and social life. From this perspective, hydration is no longer communicated as a functional need, but as an integral part of the emotional and cultural experience of consumption.
The campaign, featuring FLO’s upcoming track Remedied, highlights the importance of hydration in moments when it is needed most, such as getting back on the dance floor.
Vita Coco and Baboon to the Moon launch a travel capsule inspired by the Frosted Lemonade flavor
Vita Coco and Baboon to the Moon introduce a limited-edition collaboration that translates the new Vita Coco Treats® Frosted Lemonade flavor into a capsule collection of travel accessories.
The Sweet Escape Essentials collection draws inspiration from the brand’s beverage world and transforms it into physical products designed for travel, reflecting a common strategy of extending brands beyond their original product category.
The project is part of Vita Coco’s broader strategy to expand its Treats line, positioned between a functional beverage and an indulgent experience, and it does so through a highly experiential language.
If you’re looking for even more inspiration, check out last week’s edition of Brand Waves This Week for more standout campaigns and unmissable creative ideas!
Brand Waves This Week
adidas presents Backyard Legends for the FIFA World Cup 2026; Zendaya and On build a Dream Lab; The Ordinary deconstructs the pricing logic of the beauty industry; Lulu and Georgia launches "There’s an Art to It".
The wave doesn’t stop here.
We’ll be back next week with more stories shaping the future of brands, tech and culture. Catch the next one with us.