We are delighted to announce the shortlist for our Brand of The Year 2025

The Marketing Society Brand of the Year award, in partnership with Sky and in association with Campaign, celebrates the brands that have innovated and adapted to the social and economic challenges in yet another challenging year.

Last year’s winner was Monzo with previous recipients of the accolade including Lucky Saint, Dove, Sainsbury’s, John Lewis, The Guardian, Cancer Research, Channel 4 and O2.

We launched the Award in 2009 and 2025's celebration will be held at The Annual Dinner on 25 November at City Central at The HAC, where our audience will have the chance to vote and crown the winner via a live vote.

The online vote is now closed - we will have a final live vote on the night at The Annual Dinner

Judging for the award considered factors including brands’ ability to adapt to changing customer needs, the creativity and originality of campaigns, commercial impact, and the brand’s wider impact on the plant.

THE SHORTLIST

Andrex

This very British brand tackled one of marketing's boldest challenges in 2025: modernising an identity that had become outdated while staying true to its purpose. Moving beyond the iconic puppy, Andrex tapped into human insights around toilet taboos to create a unique brand point of view. Their seriously bold creative work addressed people's anxieties around a topic rarely discussed but with real impacts on health and wellbeing. Campaigns focused on school children's anxiety about using toilets at school and the surprisingly lucrative 'work poo' moment. Brilliant contextual placements included positioning the 'work poo' campaign in the FT and around Canary Wharf, while a digital van with the headline 'Let it go' appeared outside the Frozen theatre production. The brand generated significant conversation, with organic discussions appearing on platforms like Baby Center and cultural moments like their Oasis-themed mural in Manchester. The bravery to evolve such an established brand symbol whilst maintaining relevance has delivered both creative recognition and commercial results.

British Heart Foundation

If any brand deserves recognition this year, it's one that credits marketing with driving record-breaking results. The British Heart Foundation achieved a 22% increase in funding, bringing in £108 million from legacy funding and £58 million from further fundraising efforts. In their 680 stores selling 25 million items annually, they've transformed operations with AI to ensure donations reach the right channels. They've diverted 54,000 tons of goods from waste by working with businesses, and they're now the largest charity seller on eBay, thinking strategically about whether items perform better in-store or across multiple online channels. The ‘Every Minute Matters’ campaign came to life through their partnership with Sky Bet, engaging football fans to learn CPR through BHF’s free RevivR tool. As part of their campaign, they delayed the EFL 2025 Play Offs by 1 minute to emphasise that Every Minute Matters. The partnership has engaged over 300,000 football fans with lifesaving CPR through RevivR. Their heart helpline increased reach by 20%, and most importantly, the BHF itself credits marketing with delivering this record-breaking year.

Currys

Written off by many as destined for retail park obscurity, Currys has defied the high street exodus through brilliant creative and a clear understanding of consumer needs. Embracing traditional broadcast media alongside social, they've leaned into their omnichannel USP with their 'Beyond Techspectations' tagline. In an era racing toward AI chatbots, Currys understood the real consumer pushback: people want to understand sophisticated tech products by talking to actual human beings in-store. Their net cash is the strongest it's been in 10 years, with like-for-like sales up 4% in a brutal market. Mindful of cost-of-living pressures, they've promoted recycling and repair approaches rather than just pushing new sales. They've also created their own Retail Media Network, allowing partner brands to target customers using first-party data both on and off-site, driving additional revenue streams whilst defending their market position in an incredibly competitive space.

Domino's

What brand would you have never voted for last year but deserves recognition this year? Domino's has galvanised an entire business through the power of marketing. In a sector facing a marked slowdown in consumer confidence and under pressure from delivery companies, their campaigns have created incredible energy across the UK, with people of all ages getting behind it. Digital journeys are now fantastic, they are continuing to innovate with fresh flavours and fan favourites, and their marketing campaigns have given their distribution network and franchisees confidence to continue to drive growth. As its pizza competitors have declined, they have grown share to over 50% of the UK pizza takeaway market. Beyond the marketing flair, consumers love Domino's for their reliability and exceptional service. Average delivery times are now under 25mins, which is unrivalled in the industry and their value perception has reached an all-time high. The distribution network to every corner of the nation is ultra reliable and is getting greener with its strategy to reduce carbon. A brand investing for the future as well as delighting customers in the present. 

EE

EE is the UK’s best network, offering superfast mobile and broadband connection to millions across the UK. It’s become more than just a mobile network however, positioning itself as a technology company that plays a more meaningful role in customers’ lives. This summer, EE launched its “Safer SIMs” campaign, building on its longstanding commitment to supporting young people’s digital wellbeing. Following research that found families want help managing smartphone use, EE launched its Safer SIMs plans and in-store online safety appointments, alongside a campaign to help parents and kids feel supported when deciding on the first phone. EE is also the lead partner of the Home Nations Football Associations and of BAFTA’s Films Awards, of which the cultural partnership is one of the longest in the UK. During this year’s Women’s Euros, EE announced its “Everyone Needs a Squad” campaign, revealing the off-pitch benefits of football in reducing the negative impact of social media on teenage girls’ confidence. Both campaigns form part of EE’s ambition to be the best network for families, helping to establish this brand position and driving change across the UK. No brand has grown more in the category for Masterbrand consideration, with record levels of growth in comms consideration over the year.

Heineken

This 152-year-old brand continues to prove that social life never goes out of style. In a declining beer market, Heineken retained value by staying true to its heritage, celebrating connection, and reimagining it for a new generation. Its innovation “The Flipper” encouraged people to put down their phones and talk again. It renamed pubs The Office to celebrate the return of after-work culture, and honoured UEFA fan superstitions in the Champions League. From moderation with Heineken 0.0 to preservation through Pub Succession and Pub Museums, every idea showed how creativity can spark connection beyond the bar. The brand’s work transcended beer, creating conversations that lived in culture, not just in advertising. Global Heineken volume grew 8.8%, Heineken 0.0 rose 10%, and the brand remained the #1 beer in global sales value for the second consecutive year, as well as the UK’s number one lager in Brand Power. Heineken proves that heritage brands don’t have to age, not when they keep the world talking, and toasting, together.

M&S

After years of questioning whether the great British institution could survive, M&S has not just turned around it's thrived. Strong Christmas 2024 results led to brilliant year-end performance around March 2025. The brand feels back, doubling down on product development across food and clothing with improving store experiences. But what stood out this year was the cyber attack response and the extraordinary public reaction. Rather than losing trust, the nation rallied behind them. People went into stores to thank staff and offer support. It became a cultural moment showing M&S had regained a position in British hearts that had been lost. The outpouring suggested people wanted this great British brand to recover. Whilst the cyber attack will impact long-term commercials, the business remains on an upward trajectory. Creatively, they're hitting their audience brilliantly in both food and clothing. Their supply chain excellence and continuation of Plan A demonstrates ongoing commitment to responsible business. M&S shows that when trust is rebuilt, brands can withstand significant challenges.

Monzo

Last year's winner has stepped out of being an edgy challenger and moved fundamentally into the mainstream, but in a way that keeps the consumer at the heart of everything. Marketing is clearly considered a commercial driver within the organisation, evidenced by increased investment now reaching around £100 million annually in the UK. This above-the-line investment has helped put their brand at the forefront for a much broader audience than was first the case. They're thinking intelligently about different consumer needs and how to service them. During the cost-of-living crisis, they released 'The Book of Money' and set up a pop-up bookstore in Soho, a perfect example of providing reliable financial advice in an accessible way that exemplifies what the brand is about. The brand has grown impressively across various socioeconomic groups, with reported brand metrics showing strong performance. Their recent investment in sport, particularly football, signals ambitious plans for future growth. Revenues have now stepped into the billions with low single-digit growth in a challenging market, and they've been well rewarded within the industry, winning the Cannes Creative Effectiveness Award. Monzo demonstrates how marketing can fundamentally drive both business growth and brand expansion across diverse audiences.

Specsavers

The 'Should've Gone to Specsavers' campaign is over 20 years old, yet continues to generate fresh, award-winning creativity embedded deep in British culture. It's become a phrase in the vernacular, showing incredible enduring power. But Specsavers isn't resting on creative laurels they've expanded from eyewear into hearing health, pivoting their entire business model from glasses and eyewear to becoming a healthcare provider. Their home visits for those with hearing loss or mobility issues demonstrate going above and beyond typical retail offerings. The communications campaign, product development and experience changes all work together to meet evolving consumer needs. By expanding their service offering and maintaining creative consistency, Specsavers proves that strong foundational ideas can continue to drive both cultural relevance and commercial expansion into new categories.

Vaseline

After 155 years, this iconic brand has stepped out from Dove's shadow to become irresistibly relevant to Gen Z. Their 'Vaseline Verified' campaign took the trust and verification brands desperately seek and made it real by testing viral beauty hacks, verifying safe ones and stopping dangerous ones. They leaned into influencers discussing everything from cuticle care to runners' nipple hacks to photography hacks, getting other brands like Doritos talking about them. The petroleum jelly pack size jumped 43% as they became synonymous with 'slugging' the beauty trend of sealing in moisture overnight appearing in nearly half of all TikTok mentions. Their Cannes Grand Prix-winning 'Mended Murals' work demonstrates pride in caring for skin, whilst 'See My Skin' helps people with darker skin tones see representation for conditions like dermatitis. With global tagline 'Some traditions aren't passed down, they're rubbed in', they're unafraid of culture and controversy. Now part of Unilever's billion-dollar brand portfolio posting double-digit growth year-on-year, they're the number one brand growth in consideration amongst Gen Z and number three overall four times the category benchmark. Vaseline proves heritage brands can achieve turnaround success when they authentically connect with new generations.

Join us at The Annual Dinner on 25 November to crown the winner via live vote and to celebrate the ingenuity, passion and drive of our industry.

The online vote is now closed.

How the winner is decided: the online vote will be counted and those votes will be carried forward to the night with each brand given a weighted score which will be added to the results of the live vote. 

Shortlist announced first in Campaign, with permission to share content.