From bath water-infused soap to flirtatious Halloween spiders, brands are pushing creative boundaries to capture consumer attention in increasingly outlandish ways.

"Brands need to do things that are unexpected. As they do that, the unexpected gets more and more expected and they need to find ways to go over the top," said podcast host Sara Lebow on a recent episode of "Behind the Numbers."

Here’s how brands are using controversy, humor, and cultural moments to break through.

Sydney Sweeney's bathwater tops the list

Dr. Squatch, a men's personal care brand, created the most unexpected campaign by incorporating actress Sydney Sweeney's bath water into a limited-edition soap.

• "This campaign has everything," said Lebow. "It has men's personal care, a huge up-and-coming category crowded with direct-to-consumer brands (D2Cs) that need to find a way to stand out. It has a very relevant actress and it has controversy."
• The timing was strategic, coinciding with Sweeney's movie promotion cycle, creating "a perfect storm," according to our analyst Rachel Wolff.

Encouraging digital disconnection in a connected world

Heineken earned the second spot with its "Boring Mode" app, which transforms smartphones into "dumb phones" by temporarily disabling internet access.

• "At a time where most brands are encouraging consumers to go online or become more digital, I just think it's a really fun thing," said our analyst Arielle Feger.
• The campaign taps into growing consumer desire to disconnect and be more present in social settings.

Breaking taboos with authenticity

Frida, a baby and maternal care brand, ranked third with its "Uncensored" campaign featuring pixelated out-of-home ads hinting at explicit content while casting real women for videos about stigmatized postpartum health topics.

"I found them legitimately daring in a world that deprioritizes or stigmatizes women's health," Lebow said.

Unexpected collaborations create buzz

Bon Iver's collaboration with tinned fish company Fishwife ranked fourth, part of the musician's artisan partnerships for his latest album.

• The smoked salmon product represented an unexpected pairing that expanded Fishwife's reach beyond its niche Brooklyn audience.
• "I think this was smart. Bon Iver is a very popular artist and Fishwife is popular among a niche crowd," said Lebow. "It was a great way to get it more out there."

Brands that capitalize on cultural moments

Coors Light (ranked fifth) intentionally misspelled "refreshment" on a Times Square billboard, then released products playing off the error.

Meanwhile, A1 Steak Sauce (ranked sixth) quickly capitalized when the Secretary of Education mistakenly referred to AI as "A1," creating social media content suggesting schools should have access to their sauce "for educational purposes only."

• "It was a quick and fun thing, and interestingly brave, considering the political landscape that is a little bit challenging for brands to step into," said Feger.

Simplicity stands out

Budweiser's "Beer Behind the Backstage" campaign used actual musician riders (without band names) on billboards in front of iconic venues like Madison Square Garden, highlighting the brand's authentic connection to music and putting it in seventh place.

"It's not flashy, but it's authentic," said our analyst Zak Stambor.

Losing the element of surprise

Liquid Death’s Kegs for Pregs campaign, featuring Kylie Kelce, came in eighth. Kylie is the wife of Jason Kelce and sister-in-law of Travis Kelce, who is dating Taylor Swift.

• However, because Liquid Death has become known for its boundary-pushing campaigns, it got ranked last on the list.
• “Their brand is very unexpected, and as a result, some of those unexpected things almost become expected,” said Lebow.

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This article was prepared with the assistance of generative AI tools to support content organization, summarization, and drafting. All AI-generated contributions have been reviewed, fact-checked, and verified for accuracy and originality by EMARKETER editors. Any recommendations reflect EMARKETER’s research and human judgment.