2024 was a year of bold campaigns, unexpected flops, and marketing moments that made headlines. Some brands stood out as trendsetters, shaping the cultural conversation, while others struggled to keep up.

The Everbrave team has weighed in with their picks for the hottest brands that led the charge and the not-so-hot ones that missed the moment. Here’s what stood out in 2024 and what it means for brands moving forward.

Kelsey Bodnar – Project Manager

Hot Brand: Swig

I must admit—I love me a “dirty soda”. These fizzy drinks, mixed with flavoured syrups and creamy add-ins, are like a dessert in a cup, and no one does them better than Swig. Swig has created a fun and unexpected place in pop culture with its signature dirty sodas. My go-to order is a Texas Tab, which contains Dr. Pepper, Vanilla Syrup, and Coconut Creamer. If you’ve spent any time on their social media, you know that Swig brings an extra splash of personality to their content, like playfully imagining what Sabrina Carpenter or Post Malone would order if they dropped by for a drink. This creative, personal touch helps fans feel part of the Swig experience—even if they’re miles away.

What’s especially cool about Swig’s story is how it’s tapped into a wider phenomenon. Thanks to the popular reality series The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, what was once a regional treat has turned into a trend across North America. Swig’s authentic roots and fun vibe have made it the go-to brand leading the charge, with dirty soda shops popping up all over, including Druid’s Dirty Soda Bar in Edmonton or Covet Sips + Sweets in Okotoks – a favourite to many Everbravers. It’s become more than a drink—it’s a shared experience that’s resonating with fans everywhere, making Swig one of the year’s hottest brands.

Not Brand: Disney Parks

Don’t get me wrong, I consider myself a Disney adult — I recently went to Disneyland for my birthday, and I’m already planning a trip back to the happiest place on earth next year. However, Disney Parks has found a spot on my “not” list for 2024.

When Walt Disney first envisioned Disneyland, he wanted it to be a place where families from all walks of life could come together and escape into a world of magic and possibility. Fast forward to today, escalating ticket prices and the costly Lightning Lane Premier Pass have shifted Walt’s vision into something far more exclusive. The rising costs mean that Disney magic is becoming increasingly out of reach for many families, with a visit now feeling like a luxury rather than an accessible family outing. This shift in accessibility strays from Disney’s core values of inclusivity and shared experience, making the parks feel less like the enchanting world Walt intended and more like a high-priced playground for the few.

Brooke Armstrong – Project Manager

Hot Brand: ClickUp

As a verified ClickUp Power User, I might be a little biased—but their social media content truly deserves a spot on my “hot” list for 2024. Their content is hilarious, over-the-top, and surprisingly clever. ClickUp Comedy’s use of the two recurring characters (which are usually seen in their signature outfits) gives their videos an intentionality that really ties it all together. And don’t even get me started on Baldridge, the off-screen character that the main characters reference but never reveal—it’s such a quirky, thoughtful touch that makes me appreciate the content even more.

From parody videos that are a hilarious hybrid of a music video and corporate presentation, to relatable workplace memes, ClickUp nails the art of having an unexpected social media presence. Their Instagram stands out because it doesn’t outwardly promote their platform—it leans into relatable humor that resonates with those navigating modern work life. It’s a great example of a brand that isn’t afraid to break the mold, delivering content you wouldn’t expect from a project management company but can’t help enjoying.

Not Brand: The Wonka Experience

“The Wonka Experience”—dubbed #Wonkagate online—takes the cake (or chocolate bar?) as my “not” brand for 2024. Marketed as an immersive, magical event, it turned out to be a mess of false promises, poor organization, and seriously unhappy customers. At the event In Glasgow, attendees showed up expecting something special but instead got flimsy decorations, long waits, and activities that barely resembled what was advertised. Time reported that the chaos even involved police stepping in to deal with the sheer number of complaints, and organizers had to issue mass refunds. What people paid for and what they got couldn’t have been further apart.

What made it even worse was how the organizers handled the backlash (spoiler: not well). Instead of owning up to their mistakes, they brushed off complaints as overblown, which only added fuel to the fire. The Guardian highlighted just how tone-deaf their response was, while Brand VM called it a case study in what happens when hype completely overshadows execution. Clearly, this event was no golden ticket—it was a complete flop and ultimately tarnished the brand’s reputation.

Wilson Wong – Partner, Creative Director

Hot Brand: Chinatown Pop Up Movie Club

SHAMELESS PLUG ALERT 🚨 In May 2023, I co-founded the Chinatown Pop Up Movie Club with a few friends to bring people into Chinatown through film screenings, storytelling, and conversations. We host events in various locations around Chinatown, always starting with the history of each building, association, and the people behind them. This is a fully volunteer-based venture, and we’re proud to see consistent attendance and a growing fan base. More importantly, our efforts are helping activate Chinatown and support local businesses.

Not Brand: Prime Video

Amazon Prime is a game-changer on many levels. Yes, I’m aware of the downsides of buying from Amazon versus supporting local businesses, but there’s no denying how it transformed the way we consume products. It’s also opened up global opportunities; if you have a product, you can reach customers worldwide. But on the flip side, there’s something I noticed this year that irks me: Prime Video now plays ads, you can get ad-free if you pay additional fee. One of their original selling points was an ad-free experience, which made it stand out. Now, it feels like more platforms are sneaking in additional charges. They roll out app updates with new terms, and we tend to gloss over the legal language, not realizing we’re agreeing to pay more. This tactic is getting old, and I wouldn’t be surprised if, at some point, a disruptor steps in to change the game once again.

Dan Bergeron – Managing Partner

Hot: Kinjo of Japan 

Most families have a short list of their favourite dining spots that appease everyone’s tastes when they’re looking for a special night out, or just don’t have the time to cook at home. For our family, one spot we can always all agree on is Kinjo, a Japanese restaurant with locations across the city. Generally speaking, Kinjo doesn’t have the best food amongst all Japanese restaurants in the city (although it is very tasty), it doesn’t have any Michelin stars, it doesn’t have food critics raving about some new must try dish. For the location we visit, what it does have is a management team that remembers people and prioritizes relationships. We visit maybe once every 2 or 3 months and it blows me away that the manager always takes the time to stop by our table and visit showing his sincere gratitude for our patronage. When the kids were younger, he would take them to the mini store at the front of the restaurant and let them pick a free treat (on the house). And for a restaurant that serves thousands of customers each month, it takes a genuine talent and care for customers to consistently deliver such a personal experience. 

Not: Car Dealerships (well, most of them) 

I’m an avid car buyer who spends an inordinate amount of time researching my future purchases online well before I make my way into a dealership. And no, I’m not buying luxury rides nor am I sort of collector of hard-to-find models, I’m a typical consumer who likes to find the perfect combination of features and value for a specific budget range. Having purchased / replaced 6 new vehicles in the last 10 years, it never ceases to amaze me how different the car buying experience is in the dealership, compared to the online experience with the whizzy build and price tools. In my most recent purchase journey, one particular dealership that represents one of the most popular import brands in North America, used old school sales tactics to show me a price that was nearly 10% over MSRP (and 10% more than the online build & price result for the exact same vehicle). Maybe it was their dealership junk fees, maybe it was their ‘starting point’ for what they thought was going to be a negotiation, but what it ended up being was the last time I’ll visit that brand again. Car manufactures and dealerships need to align on what they want the virtual and physical buying experience to be once and for all. 

Nicole Enns – Growth Manager

Hot Brand: Pinterest

I’ve always loved making collages and saving folders on Instagram filled with links to recipes, home reno ideas, fashion trends, and more. Pinterest, which I used to use a lot years ago, had taken a backseat. But after hearing Pinterest’s VP of Global Creative, Xanthe Wells, speak at The Gathering, my interest in Pinterest came back. Xanthe shared how the platform has redefined itself by shaping culture rather than just following trends. Initiatives like Pinterest Predicts, forecasting yearly trends, and Pinterest Palette, celebrating the year’s defining colours, are brilliant ways to inspire creativity. What resonated most with me was Pinterest’s mission to become the “most positive corner of the internet.” At a conference underscoring authenticity, this felt perfectly aligned. With a renewed focus on Gen Z, Pinterest is not just living up to that mission, it’s redefining what an inspiring, uplifting platform can be.

Not Brand: Jaguar

By now, I’m sure everyone has noticed Jaguar’s rebrand and the mixed reactions. Once a brand focused on luxury and sophistication, the brand now feels like it’s veering away from its roots in favour of something less in line with its core audience. That said, they’ve achieved one thing brilliantly which is capturing global attention. Perhaps there’s a master plan we’re not aware of yet, and this is just the opening act. For now, we’ll all be watching to see what happens next.

Leilani Olynik – Director of People & Culture

Hot Brand: Crocs

Let’s get one thing straight: I would have been the first person to turn my nose up at a pair of Crocs or judge the grown adult sporting the hole-y plastic monstrosities (don’t even get me started on Mario Batali’s orange Crocs obsession). But call me converted! Crocs has somehow been able to not only transform my skepticism into fandom and solidify their place at a cultural icon. Sure, they collab with super famous people like Post Malone and the luxury powerhouse Balenciaga make them pretty cool, but they’ve proven that they are for everyone (including me).

Aside from the fact that they are actually really comfortable – which is likely how they’ve managed to sell around 150 million pairs annually, I think the appeal really lies in the Jibbitz. My kids’ Crocs are covered in pretty standard options (think Mickey Mouse, rainbows, and baking utensils), but my husband struts around with “C-O-A-C-H 🏀 ” and even I have a Care Bear on mine as a little reminder that I get to ‘Go Caring’ wherever my feet take me. Crocs are a blank canvas you can customize however your little heart desires – and the $250 million that Jibbitz has generated for the business proves that people love being able to bring their individuality out, one cozy step at a time.

Not Brand: Starbucks

I can remember my first sip of Starbucks so clearly. I was 17, newly moved to Vancouver for school, and was hit with the strong aroma of coffee – and droves of people waiting for their morning fuel at the Seabus Starbucks’ (their first international location) every day. I had no idea what to order but when that first taste of hazelnut latte hit my lips, I was converted.

Thankfully, back then I didn’t have to feel even more intimidated for not modifying my order to a “no foam, soy, extra hot, 3 pump, extra whip, half caf, sugar cookie praline pumpkin gingerbread frappalatte” Extreme? Maybe. But I put nothing past Starbucks orders and their overly sweet, mass-produced drinks (I’m lookin’ at you Rainbow Unicorn Frappe 🙄) that leave us coffee enthusiasts feeling disappointed. It isn’t just their menu or quality of coffee that has taken a hit, the warm smiles and personal touch that was often a source of joking when the baristas got your name wrong (and with a name like mine, they got “Leilani” wrong a lot), or the bustling cafe vibes that felt like a community hub are long gone. It shouldn’t come as a huge surprise that with the decline of their personalized experiences and shift towards less coffee-centric beverages comes at a cost; they’re experiencing a 7% drop in global comparable store sales and a 25% decrease in profits.

Starbucks decline is a cautionary tale about the importance of staying true to your brand identity and core values, you risk losing the loyalty of your best customers. It’s a tough brew to swallow, but maybe it’s the wake-up call Starbucks needs to return to their roots.

Dave Thomas – Director of Strategy

Hot Brand: https://memelord.tech/

Jason Levin came up with a genius (and hilarious) way to find new customers thanks to his dog. When dogs pee, their owners usually stand around bored, staring at their phones, right? Jason saw this as an opportunity and started putting meme stickers on poles around NYC specifically the ones his dog led him to, because dogs love to pee where other dogs have gone. The stickers had a cheeky message: “Is your dog peeing? Scan me. I make dank memes.” And guess what? It actually worked. His dog literally helped him grow his business, earning the unofficial title of CMO for memelord.tech.

Not Brand: Skip the Dishes

This one is personal, it has nothing to do with the company, their service or branding. Honestly, I don’t use Skip the Dishes, but I want to punch their commercials, all of them. I don’t know if they increased their media buy in 2024, but I definitely noticed them more because at the end of every commercial they insert a doorbell sound effect for no reason. This may sound minor or even petty however every time that doorbell rings, my two dogs go crazy. Every. Single. Time. Down with doorbell sound effects in 2025.

As we reflect on the brands that defined 2024, both the “hot” trailblazers and the “not” missteps, one thing is clear: success in today’s market requires a delicate balance of innovation, authenticity, and staying true to your brand’s core values. As we look ahead to 2025, these insights remind us that thriving in an ever-changing market isn’t just about keeping up with trends, it’s about building trust, delivering value, and creating meaningful experiences that resonate.

Stay ahead of the curve in 2025, check out The 3 Marketing Trends to Watch in 2025!

Here’s to another year of bold moves and unforgettable moments!