THE BOLT: Innovative, Immersive, and Unfiltered — Breaking Down the End of 2025⚡️

December delivered a lineup of bold campaigns, emerging trends, and immersive brand experiences, all reflecting audiences’ growing demand for authenticity and connection in an increasingly automated world. Welcome to this month’s edition of The BOLT, where we break down the ideas, movements, and creative innovations shaping the end of the year.

PANTONE'S SOFT SPOT FOR 2026

And the color of year goes to…. Cloud Dancer. Predicting trends, influencing fashion, and mirroring our collective mood as a society, Pantone’s color forecast is back for another year, and to say we are surprised is an understatement. On December 4th, Pantone revealed their color of the year, Cloud Dancer, a soft yet elevated white inspired by the search for calm within an increasingly chaotic world. Marking the first time Pantone has chosen a white based hue, Cloud Dancer symbolizes the need for simplicity and quiet reflection. Expect to see it across branding, interiors, and fashion as a grounding neutral that lets ideas, textures, and form take the lead. In an oversaturated landscape, Cloud Dancer isn’t about absence it’s about intention, challenging a culture obsessed with more and inviting brands and creators to slow down and strip back, making it one of the most quietly disruptive color choices yet.

Credit: Pantone

MAN VS. MACHINE: TIME'S PERSON OF THE YEAR

Time Magazine left their readers in awe after appointing the “Architect of AI” as their most recent Person Of The Year. Dictated based on an individual, group, or object’s leading influence in the news and world events, Time Magazine’s Person Of The Year highlights a defined idea that molds the year’s most important moments. Why is this important? In the last year, AI has evolved from debatable to unavoidable in daily life, completely transforming the economy, healthcare, geopolitics, and how we access and interact with information. This is the first time AI influence has been acknowledged in this form, on scale with Time’s Person of the Year designation.

Credit: Time

AUTHENTICITY IN UNEDITED

After years of polished algorithms and curated feeds, content is finally letting go of its filter. With the ever growing presence of AI, individuals are craving authenticity and connection now more than ever, and digital marketers are listening. Brands and creators are cutting through the noise by offsetting polished feeds with raw, unedited, and semi humorous content that goes against the grain of illusive perfection. Zendaya’s collaboration with On offers a clear example of this shift in digital marketing. Rather than highly polished content, she shares unedited clips from her time in Switzerland while promoting the brand. Even in more editorial moments, Zendaya appears in uncurated environments, presented in a way that feels natural and authentic.

MAYBELLINE GETS A GRIP ON EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING

Maybelline’s newest immersive ad is turning heads across the marketing world. The beauty brand took to the streets of New York, hanging posters coated with its Grippy Serum Primer. The beauty brand also invited influencers to take part by hanging the posters themselves using the primer, creating organic, behind-the-scenes content that feels both authentic and shareable across digital platforms. By turning the posters into a live demonstration, the installation shows off the primer’s grip and durability in a striking, memorable way, further highlighting a broader shift away from traditional advertising toward immersive experiences that deepen audience engagement.

MCDONALDS FESTIVE FLOP

McDonald’s was quick to pull its newest AI-generated ad, The Most Terrible Time of the Year, following online backlash. The ad featured a series of AI-generated humans experiencing holiday misfortunes. Viewers took to the comments, later turned off by the fast-food franchise, remarking on the lack of artistry and the unsettling overall feel of the ad. The controversy sparked a broader conversation about the role of AI in marketing, especially in the context of holiday campaigns, where emotional connection plays a central role. While AI can speed up production and reduce costs, it still struggles to capture the warmth and humanity audiences expect during the holidays.

Credit: NBC

Credit: Screenshot via X

Trending Now

TikTok brainrot. Instagram addicts. We scroll a lot, so trust us, we know what works (and what doesn’t). As we head into January, there are plenty of trends worth leaning into. If you're a business owner, this one is for you — jumping on social trends that make sense for your brand can increase visibility and engagement.

1. Transcendent Moment

2. A Sign

3. Year Recap

4. This and Nobody Telling Me

5. Who Im Doing All This For

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