Episode 22: End-of-Year Marketing Reckons: Who Nailed It, Who Blew It

It’s the Canned Christmas special — and we’re not handing out participation trophies. Hosts  Steph Quantrill (Cue Marketing) and Ben van Rooy (Human Digital) are joined by brand strategist and cultural commentator Eugene Healey for a sharp, no-holds-barred breakdown of the brands that defined 2025 — for better and for worse. From Cannes side-quests to culture-war campaigns, this episode cuts through the hype to ask one brutal question: did it actually work?What You’ll Learn in This EpisodeWhy Cannes feels more like a tech festival than a creative oneWho really owns the agenda now — and why “creativity” is often just the theme, not the point.The danger of confusing discourse with demandWhy brands can win the internet and still lose the market (hello, American Eagle).How New Zealand continues to punch above its weight creativelyAnd why small markets can still make globally relevant work.What great brand recovery actually looks likeWhen leaning into chaos is smarter than running from it.Why regulation is not an excuse for boring marketingAnd how the best brands find space to move anyway.What separates talkable campaigns from effective onesThe difference between cultural noise and commercial impact.Bonus NuggetsWhy Eugene calls Cannes “a tech conference wearing creativity as a costume”The real reason Australian industries feel creatively paralysedHow IKEA nailed its NZ launch by obsessing over lived experienceWhy Coca-Cola’s AI Christmas ads feel like “elevator music for television”Naughty & Nice List HighlightsNaughty: American Eagle – cultural heat, commercial coldNice: Herpes NZ – purpose-led creativity that actually moved behaviourNaughty: Optus – when brand teams pay for operational failuresNice: IKEA – brand codes, executional detail, zero shortcutsNice: Cadbury Made to Share – product, packaging, and consumption moments alignedMeh: Coca-Cola – tradition on autopilot, now with AINice (and tear-jerking): John Lewis – proof emotion still beats assetsWhy Listen?If you’re sick of marketing commentary that confuses attention with effectiveness, this episode is for you. It’s a smart, funny, sometimes uncomfortable conversation about what actually builds brands in today’s fragmented, hyper-cultural landscape — and why courage, clarity, and taste still matter more than trend-hopping. Perfect listening for marketers who want to sharpen their thinking before 2026.www.cannedmarketing.com Stephanie Quantrill - LinkedinBen Van Rooy - Linkedin