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 built for marketers and agencies to answer the question “Is my strategy working?”
Today’s newsletter includes: Athleta partners with San Francisco Ballet; Ben Stiller launches Stiller’s Soda; Burberry unveils its new Autumn 2026 campaign; PUMA reimagines an icon with Suede Bloom; Old Navy taps Cardi B and a star-studded cast to celebrate denim; H&M HOME collaborates with Kelly Wearstler; Jo Malone launches Sea Salt & Bergamot; Urban Decay teams up with Mika Abdalla; Graza brings its irreverent personality to the world of NASCAR with The Hot Lap Test; and Knorr turns the internet’s chicken cooking fails into a show with Meg Stalter.
Athleta announces partnership with San Francisco Ballet
Athleta becomes the Official Athletic Apparel Partner of San Francisco Ballet through a collaboration that harnesses dance and movement to promote confidence, connection, and new opportunities for women and girls.
The partnership kicks off with a series of social media content published across Athleta’s channels, featuring San Francisco Ballet principal dancers Madeline Woo and Nikisha Fogo.
The collaboration also has a strong local dimension. Both brands are rooted in the Bay Area and are putting community at the heart of the partnership, with initiatives designed to foster connection through dance, expand access, and engage the next generation.
“We know that movement is more than physical; it has the power to shape lives and move communities forward," said Maggie Gauger, CEO, Athleta. "We're proud to partner with San Francisco Ballet to create more opportunities for women and girls to discover the confidence, connection, and sense of possibility that movement can unlock."
Ben Stiller enters the better-for-you soda market
Almost a year ago, Ben Stiller launched Stiller’s Soda, a new line of soft drinks designed to offer a healthier alternative to traditional sodas.
Unlike competitors that focus on prebiotic formulations, the brand has deliberately left prebiotics out, targeting consumers who want a lighter soda without sacrificing the taste of a classic soft drink.
Tracking The Brand Waves - Stiller’s Soda
The latest data from our partner Tracksuit suggests the launch has gotten off to a promising start.
In just six months, Stiller’s Soda has grown from 0% to 4% awareness, outperforming smaller competitors such as Mayawell (2%) and Tractor (3%).
More importantly, consumers are already describing the brand using the very attributes it set out to own.
“Classic” and “Health conscious” stand out as distinctive brand associations, while comments such as “natural ingredients, classic flavours” closely reflect the brand’s intended positioning.
A celebrity may help a brand capture initial attention, but attention alone doesn’t build brand equity. What really matters is whether consumers begin associating the brand with the values and attributes it wants to stand for.
This is the kind of insight Tracksuit shares fortnightly in their newsletter, Shorts: brand tracking analysis, consumer insights and case studies designed to understand what is really driving brand growth.
