The Best Marketing Trends of 2025 (So Far)

2025 isn’t even over yet, but it’s already clear which marketing trends are standing out and which ones are being left behind.

From immersive experiences to aesthetic micro-moments, brands (especially in beauty) are leaning into bold, nostalgic, and sensory-driven tactics. Here’s your insider look at the trends that are shaping the market this year and how you can tap into them.

Butter Yellow

Minimalism is out. Soft, saturated colours are in. Butter yellow is the color of the season and is everywhere: packaging, campaigns, product design. It’s warm, optimistic, and visually comforting, a smart move for beauty brands wanting to feel both fresh and friendly.

Photobooths & Claw Machines

The return of playful retail: photobooths and claw machines are being reimagined as content goldmines. Pop-ups with these elements are generating long queues, endless UGC and a sense of childlike joy that connects deeply with Gen Z and Millennials alike.

Coffee Trays

Café culture has officially entered the marketing chat. Brands are investing in curated coffee trays and branded coffee corners to turn product sampling into an Instagramable experience. It’s not about the coffee, it’s about the moment.

All Things Matcha

Matcha isn’t just a drink, it’s a lifestyle, a color palette, and a vibe. From matcha inspired skincare to matcha green packaging, it’s becoming a strong visual and thematic cue, especially for wellness-forward beauty brands.

Vending Machines

Beauty vending machines are levelling up. Think curated product edits, full branding and strategic placements in airports, malls, and train stations. It’s convenience meets visibility with a strong visual identity.

Miniature Products

Smaller is smarter. Mini-size beauty products are having a major moment, not just as travel essentials, but as collectible, try-before-you-buy marketing tools. They’re perfect for gifting, sampling, and creating low-barrier entry points into your brand.

Pop Up Culture

Pop-ups continue to dominate, but with a twist: 2025 is all about highly immersive, sensory-rich activations. From florals and fog machines to personalised gifting stations, the goal is to make people feel the brand, not just see it.

Nostalgia is a Power Move

From Y2K to early Tumblr aesthetics, nostalgia sells but only when done intentionally. It’s less about copying the past, and more about evoking emotion. Beauty brands are digging into shared memories to create content and collections that feel deeply personal.

Floral Marketing

Florals aren’t just for spring anymore. We’re seeing it across seasons, across formats in packaging, retail design, scent profiles, and campaign art direction. The twist? It's less romantic, more surreal or abstract.

Airport Marketing

High footfall + high spending mindset = a goldmine. Smart brands are turning airports into brand theatres, with digital billboards, vending machines, and sensory pop-ups that capture attention in transit.

Messy Sinks

The perfect shelfie is out. 2025 is about real usage moments, messy sinks, product textures, half-used bottles. It’s authentic, relatable, and gives content creators the freedom to show products in context, not just in display.

Sensory

From textures and sounds to scents and flavors 2025’s marketing is a full-body experience. Whether it's scented mailers, textured packaging or ASMR-driven ads, the brands that activate the senses are the ones being remembered.

If there’s one thing this year’s trends show us, it’s this: emotion beats perfection. Playfulness, authenticity, and sensory depth are replacing polish and predictability. Whether you’re building a new beauty brand or refining your strategy, these are the trends to keep on your radar.

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