Thinx, Health-Ade, Diet Coke and Capital One among the week’s standout campaigns

Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Patrón, Pizza Hut, Capital One, Health-Ade and Thinx all launched campaigns this week, ranging from celebrity tie-ins to March Madness activations.

The common thread is brands finding their own way into cultural moments, whether a film sequel, a basketball tournament, a seasonal flavour trend or the spring equinox.

Thinx ‘Blood Spell’ collection

Period underwear brand Thinx has released a limited ‘Blood Spell’ collection for the spring equinox, presenting the product as closer to ritual than routine.

Where many period campaigns rely on soft imagery and euphemism, Thinx embraces the strangeness and makes blood the focus. The collection was created with modern witch Lizzie Davidson, and each of its three styles comes with an “enchantment” for love, money or confidence.

The brand’s approach could easily have become precious or gimmicky, but it keeps the functional story at the centre.

The practical message is kept: each pair still provides as much as 12 hours of leak protection, so the mystical theme adds character without obscuring what buyers care about. The collection went on sale on the spring equinox and is available for one week only, which gives shoppers a prompt to pay attention and a reason to act quickly, something many limited releases fail to create.

Health-Ade and Lindsay Lohan

Kombucha brand Health-Ade has built a campaign around the curiosity that follows a celebrity doing something ordinary. Lindsay Lohan walks down a city street as passers-by stare, picks up a kombucha and says: “Health-Ade Kombucha! I’ve always been a fan of the ‘booch.”

The campaign relies on a familiar instinct: when someone recognisable walks into a scene and does something everyday, onlookers want to know what it is.

The relaxed delivery is designed to make a drink some people still see as niche or overly earnest feel more approachable, while Lohan’s return appeals to a generation that grew up with her.

“Lindsay brings a fearless energy and authenticity that perfectly reflects what Health-Ade stands for. This campaign is about trusting your gut and living life on your own terms,” said Sandra Heidrich, vice-president of marketing at Health-Ade.

The pairing gives the product a personality people can attach to, and Lohan’s mix of familiarity and reinvention echoes how many people now think about wellness.

Diet Coke and The Devil Wears Prada 2

Diet Coke, which featured as a quiet office accessory in the original Devil Wears Prada, is back for the sequel. A specially made ad, set in the fictional Runway magazine offices, restages the familiar scene in which everything halts for a Diet Coke break, and is supported by limited-edition packaging and prize-led activity.

The brand has long been associated with fashion culture, so the partnership picks up a thread audiences already know. The sequel arrives with ready-made attention, given the original film’s influence on a generation’s ideas about fashion and the workplace, and Diet Coke is using that anticipation to take the experience beyond the cinema.

“We are delighted to extend our long-standing relationship with Coca-Cola with this epic Diet Coke collaboration in a way that feels classic and authentic, an iconic brand that embodies the kind of style and confidence our audience, and Miranda Priestly herself, expects,” said Lylle Breier, EVP of partnerships at Disney.

Cloé Von Krause, vice-president of marketing for Coca-Cola Trademark Europe, said: “Diet Coke has long been woven into the fabric of fashion and culture, representing confidence, style and self-expression… We’re excited to bring these two icons together, celebrating fandom and style in a way that feels contemporary, authentic and distinctly Diet Coke.”

Pizza Hut and Space Jam

Pizza Hut has tied up with Space Jam for March Madness, centring its campaign on the Triple Treat Box, which pairs two pizzas with breadsticks and cinnamon sticks and comes in Space Jam packaging, designed to feed groups watching the tournament.

March Madness is built on group rituals, from busted brackets to chaotic group chats and someone always ordering food, and the bundle is designed to slot straight into that behaviour. The Space Jam link gives it a recognisable hook without overshadowing the food.

The brand is also using the period to launch an updated Hand Tossed recipe. Weekly merchandise drops, digital games and a prize of a year’s free pizza are intended to keep fans engaged for the full run of the tournament rather than just its opening weekend.

Patrón and Guillermo del Toro

Guillermo del Toro’s film for Patrón, ‘The Perfect Pour’, turns the act of pouring a drink into a full film production, with a Mexican-led crew, detailed sets and the director’s recognisable visual style. The creative mirrors the brand’s own process, suggesting that what looks effortless rarely is: “Perfection isn’t rushed; it’s built frame by frame, pour by pour.”

Del Toro’s reputation for precision and world-building lends weight to the craft message, and the brand backs it up with behind-the-scenes footage as well as television and digital media. The result invites viewers to look more closely at the pour.

Coca-Cola puts cherry first

With cherry flavours appearing across drinks, desserts, beauty and fashion, Coca-Cola has launched a campaign asking a simple question: which cherry version is your favourite?

The question gives the campaign its structure and turns flavour choice into something worth arguing about.

The campaign covers the brand’s cherry range, including Diet Coke Cherry, Coca-Cola Cherry and the newly launched Coca-Cola Cherry Float, with arcade-style creative built on small wins, flashing lights and the suspense of a prize machine. It is aimed in particular at younger consumers who like familiar products with a touch of novelty.

Sampling on campuses, influencer work, a pop-up and eye-catching outdoor sites give people several ways to join the debate, turning preference into something participatory.

Capital One’s March Madness road trip

Capital One has brought back its road trip campaign for March Madness, in which a band of well-known personalities set off on a journey as unpredictable as the tournament. Five spots move between slightly absurd scenarios linked to how fans experience the competition.

The campaign leans into the chaos of the tournament, where brackets collapse, plans change and much of the fun lies in things going off script. Returning to the same idea each year gives it consistency and lets the brand appear across channels without repeating itself.

The cast of Charles Barkley, Samuel L. Jackson, Magic Johnson, Jennifer Garner and Caitlin Clark mixes established names with newer stars, echoing the tournament itself. The idea runs across TV, social and in-stadium activity.

“The Road Trip lets us show up in a way that feels true to the tournament by celebrating the moments fans care about while keeping the Capital One brand front and center throughout the month,” said Ryan Carroll, executive creative director at GSD&M.