Digital PR is more important than ever for brands looking to increase visibility, build trust and support SEO through meaningful, contextual link building. At a time when automation and AI can make digital experiences feel a little disconnected, the campaigns that stand out are the ones rooted in smart ideas, strong storytelling and genuine human relevance.
Here, we’ve rounded up some of the digital PR campaigns that stood out this year, along with our take on why they worked.
If you’re looking for even more inspiration, we’ve also rounded up some of the best digital PR campaigns of recent years, which highlights long-term trends and standout brand activity.
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2025’s best digital PR campaign examples
Below are five standout campaigns from 2025, each of which show a different side of what digital PR can achieve.
Astronomer: Gwyneth Paltrow “Temporary Spokesperson” crisis-PR moment
After a viral “kiss-cam” incident involving Astronomer’s CEO and Head of HR, the company unexpectedly became global meme territory. Instead of retreating, Astronomer leaned into the moment. Partnering with Ryan Reynolds’ agency Maximum Effort, they launched a tongue‑in‑cheek “FAQ” video featuring Gwyneth Paltrow as their “temporary spokesperson.”
What the campaign involved
- Celebrity collaboration: Gwyneth Paltrow fronted a playful video response, reframing the scandal with wit.
- Creative agency partnership: Maximum Effort crafted content that blended humour, controversy, and celebrity power.
- Digital-first release: The video dropped online, generating millions of organic views before traditional media picked it up.
Why it worked
- Narrative control: Astronomer hijacked its own scandal and reframed the story.
- Perfect media cocktail: Celebrity + controversy + humour created irresistible coverage.
- Massive reach: Millions of views before the official response even landed.
- Crisis PR masterclass: Showed that leaning into chaos can build credibility rather than destroy it.
The impact
Astronomer turned a potential reputational disaster into a world‑class case study in crisis PR. By embracing humour and celebrity, they shifted coverage from scandal to strategy, proving that sometimes the boldest move is to laugh with the world, not hide from it.
WWF coffee beans & habitat destruction
WWF’s investigation into illegal robusta farming inside an Indonesian national park exposed how everyday coffee choices impact endangered wildlife. The striking ‘Hidden Cost’ campaign images were designed by Nikolaj Lykke Viborg.
What the campaign involved
- On-the-ground investigation: Interviews and research uncovered illegal farming practices.
- Visual storytelling: Assets showed gorillas, orangutans, and other animals hidden within coffee imagery.
- Media outreach: Coverage secured across BBC, Guardian, Reuters, and global outlets.
Why it worked
- Emotional power: Visuals were shocking, memorable, and highly shareable.
- Behavioural impact: Searches for “ethical coffee” and “sustainable farms” spiked post-launch.
- Policy pressure: The campaign created real-world urgency for supply-chain reform.
The impact
This campaign proved that digital PR rooted in investigative work can drive both awareness and action. By combining facts with emotion, WWF shifted consumer behaviour and applied pressure on global coffee supply chains.
AI-doll / Action figure trend
Sometimes the best campaigns aren’t built, they’re ridden. The “AI doll” trend exploded after a Forbes spotlight, with users uploading selfies into generative AI tools to create toy‑box‑style action figure portraits.
Major brands like Royal Mail and Dementia UK joined in, adapting the trend for social storytelling and tapping into cultural nostalgia, as well as adding another important dimension in the case of Dementia UK, with their ‘missing’ figure.
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What the campaign involved
- User-generated creativity: Thousands of people created and shared their own AI dolls.
- Brand participation: Organisations like Dementia UK used the trend to spark conversations.
- Cross-platform virality: TikTok, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn amplified the movement.
Why it worked
- Identity-driven fun: People loved seeing themselves and others as figurines.
- Ultra-shareable: Zero barrier to entry made participation effortless.
- Cultural resonance: Nostalgia met cutting-edge AI.
- Commercial ripple: Etsy sellers saw demand surge for 3D-printed figurines.
The impact
The AI doll trend showed how brands can harness organic cultural moments to drive engagement. By joining the conversation rather than forcing it, they tapped into identity, creativity, and nostalgia, proving that sometimes the smartest PR move is simply to ride the wave.
Estate diamond jewellery x Taylor Swift ring
When Taylor Swift revealed her vintage-inspired engagement ring, search and media interest exploded overnight. Estate jewellery brands like Austen & Blake and Wilson’s Estate Jewelry seized the moment, creating Swift-inspired collections and publishing guides on old mine and old European cuts.
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What the campaign involved
- Trendspotting: Swift’s Instagram post became the cultural spark.
- Product tie-in: Brands launched collections inspired by her ring style.
- Content creation: Close-up comparisons and curated social assets amplified visibility.
Why it worked
- Celebrity moment: Tapped into one of the biggest cultural stories of the year.
- Authentic connection: Estate jewellery was a natural fit for the vintage aesthetic.
- SEO & traffic boost: Guides and blogs saw spikes in searches and backlinks.
- Visual appeal: Ring comparisons performed strongly across social platforms.
The impact
This campaign was a textbook example of newsjacking done right. By elegantly tying their products to a cultural phenomenon, estate jewellery brands captured attention, boosted traffic, and positioned themselves at the centre of a global conversation.
PillTime x carers: Supporting women who care for loved ones
We couldn’t finish up a list of our favourite campaigns this year without including one that meant so much to us at No Brainer.
For a UK NHS pharmacy like PillTime, standing out in a crowded healthcare marketplace is no small feat. Beyond their weight loss services, PillTime’s core offering – safe, convenient medication management – needed a campaign that built credibility, drove sign-ups, and positioned them as a trusted authority for carers and patients alike.
But this time, we wanted to go deeper.
We know that women caring for elderly parents and partners often carry the invisible load of managing health, medication, and daily routines. Our campaign was designed to show them that we understand their challenges – and that PillTime can make their lives easier.
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What the campaign involved
- Behavioural and audience research: Focused specifically on women aged 35–55 caring for parents aged 70-85+, to understand their pain points and daily struggles.
- Community partnerships: Mumsnet and Gransnet collaborations, including display ads, editorial content, and Q&A forums. These tapped into spaces where carers are already sharing experiences, reaching over 1.29m impressions and 16,000+ pageviews.
- Influencer collaborations: Partnered with TV presenter Anna Richardson and Olympian Michelle Griffith-Robinson to generate authentic content around caring for elderly parents and managing medication. Their stories resonated with women balancing careers, families, and caregiving.
- Survey-led storytelling: Commissioned research with 2,000 women aged 35–55 to uncover the realities of managing elderly parents’ health. These insights powered media coverage and gave carers’ voices a platform.
- Proactive media outreach: Secured coverage in trusted trade titles like Chemist+Druggist and consumer outlets such as Living360 and Bristol 24/7, reinforcing PillTime’s authority.
Why it worked
- Empathy-driven focus: By centering the campaign on women carers, we showed genuine understanding of their challenges.
- High-impact reach: Over 3.5m audience reach across national, regional, and trade press.
- Strong engagement: Influencer content delivered 20,000+ reel views and hundreds of interactions.
- Authority building: Coverage in healthcare and lifestyle titles reinforced PillTime’s credibility.
- Evergreen content: Creation of a carers hub and SEO-optimised resources ensured ongoing visibility and sign-ups.
The impact
This campaign demonstrates how digital PR, influencer partnerships, and content strategy can combine to deliver both awareness and conversions. By focusing on women who care for elderly parents and partners, PillTime not only strengthened its brand presence but also built lasting trust with audiences who rely on them for safe, reliable medication management.
Why digital PR campaigns still matter
Digital PR isn’t just a “nice to have.” It’s a core part of modern marketing, connecting creativity, audience insight and SEO impact. When done well, it can:
- Build brand fame and visibility
- Earn trust and authority through third-party endorsement
- Improve organic search performance via contextual linking
- Support performance channels by reducing reliance on paid
- Strengthen brand storytelling at a time when authenticity matters more than ever
For anyone planning ahead, our guide on the five steps to building a digital PR strategy breaks down how to turn great ideas into measurable outcomes.
Looking to create a digital PR campaign that hits headlines?
If you want help developing a standout digital PR strategy, one built on insight, creativity and search opportunity, our team at No Brainer would love to chat.
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