It’s been another busy year. To help make sense of it all, Mark Ritson has taken a moment to reflect on what he believes are the 10 most notable marketing moments of 2024. We countdown the first five below…

10. Coca-Cola’s AI Christmas ‘Turkey’

Ritson called out Campaign’s decision to label Coca-Cola’s AI version of its long-running festive ‘Holidays Are Coming’ ad its ‘Turkey of the Week’ – a column that critiques and comments on creative work – claiming the team “got it wrong”.

Instead, he points to System1 stats, which use empirical data and diagnostic information instead of editorial opinion to measure an ad’s effectiveness. According to System1, the AI ad achieved the highest score for its potential to drive long-term brand growth.

“We don’t care what someone who works in a professional magazine thinks about this, what we care about is what the market might say,” he says.  

In true Ritson style he doesn’t stop there, calling the article and subsequent opinion piece targeting System1 “snarky bullshit” and “pathetic”.

9. Liquid Death’s peculiar prevalence

Liquid Death has dominated marketers’ attention and received consistent praise over the past year, argues Ritson. From LinkedIn posts to marketing events, the brand and its founder Mike Cessario have received a constant stream of coverage.

Earlier this year, Ritson highlighted this “peculiar prevalence” in a column, questioning whether marketers should celebrate a brand that wasn’t even yet profitable. Liquid Death’s fame shows how badly marketers neglect product

Despite his critiques, Ritson admits he likes Liquid Death. His issue lies with marketers’ “fanboy adoration”, arguing those praising Liquid Death as the pinnacle of marketing success may be overreaching.

8. McDonald’s pricing gotcha

Price is the ultimate driver of profit. Increasing prices directly boosts profit and McDonald’s is a prime example of effectively using pricing.

Ritson highlights how McDonald’s has achieved a 100% price increase since 2014, alongside a 36% rise in gross profit, despite inflation. This success stems from its use of behavioural economics, particularly in how the fast food chain communicates and frames prices.

As Ritson puts it: “The way we present price is more important than the price itself.”

The era of price-led profit growth is coming to an end

7. Consistency at Christmas

Consistency is key and brands which stuck with repeat Christmas ads this year delivered the strongest long-term brand building and short-term effectiveness, according to data. 

Kantar found Cadbury, KFC and Coca-Cola, all of which aired repeat ads, outperformed competitors like Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury’s, which launched new campaigns but saw weaker long and short-term results.

However, Ritson notes the challenge lies in convincing marketers of the value of consistency, emphasising: “We should do the same shit, because it works better than new shit.”

6. McCain’s IPA Grand Prix

 

McCain claimed the 2024 IPA Effectiveness Awards Grand Prix for its frozen potato chips campaign, celebrated as the best in the UK. However, less than a decade ago the brand faced significant challenges.

Ritson outlines McCain’s battle against declining revenue, driven by competition from private-label chips, German discounters and the commodification of the category. Stuck in a cycle of sales promotions, McCain committed to sustained investment in brand advertising.

What can McCain’s Grand Prix win teach us? Nothing new

The results were almost immediate. Sales rose and continued to climb, even in the face of rising costs, intense competition and macroeconomic shocks. Over nine years, the strategy reduced price elasticity by 47% and boosted base sales by 44%, proving the power of long-term brand investment.

Come back on Monday to see Ritson count down his top five marketing moments of 2024.

The next Mini MBA in Marketing begins on 8 April, while the next Mini MBA in Brand Management and Mini MBA in Management start on 15 April. Visit the Mini MBA website for more information and to book your place.