Digital Insights for Marketing Success
Witnessing the eternal flurry of brands absolutely smashing their marketing can sometimes feel like drowning for those businesses who haven’t quite found their voice. It’s important to lean back sometimes, clear away the noise and take stock of what’s truly resonating for audiences and why. Well, here we are to help with that, your digital marketing guides, to help you cross that bridge from marketing abyss to marketing success.
Our experienced team of digital leaders, trainers and consultants have gathered up their favourite brands who are marching forward in 2025 and beyond, and most importantly the insights into why it works and actions you can take to supercharge your marketing strategy.
The Rise of Personal Branding
Let’s begin with Edwina Mullins, our CEO and long-term digital marketing trainer. From Guardian Masterclasses to judging the OTC Marketing Awards, her digital expertise and insight is infinite:
1. Who are your favourite brands of 2025 and beyond?
There has been a continued rise of individuals and their personal brands in 2025. In a world where many corporates are afraid to have a punchy brand and end up with vanilla marketing, personal branding allows an individual to be a curated and often more interesting version of themselves. And us humans love to follow other humans! A personal favourite of mine is Dr Chatterjee: Doctor, Podcaster, speaker, and author. Steven Bartlett has also carved out a great niche for himself.
2. Why do you love their marketing?
Dr Rangan Chatterjee has a really clear niche in wellness, and you know what you are getting with him – consistency with his curiosity and topics which are always slightly left-field but not to an extent that he could alienate people. I love how he practices everything that is discussed on his podcast show, from backwards walking to eyesight training. His business links so well, with his podcast effectively working as market research and promotion for future books. Both sides of the business promote the other, with talks and live shows adding additional revenue. In his social media marketing, he mixes authentic video content with quick tips on how to improve your day from 5 min exercises to inspirational quotes. He’s created a calm but authoritative tone of voice which is both reassuring and questioning. This fits with being a doctor!
3. What is the marketing lesson businesses can learn from them?
Dr Rangan Chatterjee is an individual but is also the frontman for his limited company FBLM Ltd, which is the formal business entity behind his podcast, books, live events, and digital wellness offerings. This is a great example of putting your people front and centre of your brand to get easier market recognition and build value in expertise. This is obviously an extreme example of a frontman, with the company not featuring at all in any external promotion, but many companies can take some tips from Rangan. He is the bridge between his different offerings, he can easily diversify and take brand trust along with him for future new ventures.
4. Do you have a favourite example of when they knocked it out of the park?
Here is a lovely post about encouraging others to start podcasting. It shows how supportive he is about everything and celebrates his 7 years of podcasting himself.
Online (and Offline) Community Builders
Moving on to Amy Hobson, our Digital Marketing Lead Trainer. She has over 30 years’ experience in the digital marketing industry and loves to find the light bulb moments with the companies that she trains:
1. Who are your favourite brands of 2025 and beyond?
I love the Muthahood and Strong Girls Club brand. Started by mum of 2 Gemma, she has built a strong community of loyal fans. Gemma is open and honest about her mental health struggles, PTSD after the birth of her second daughter, and the struggles of running a small business in the clothing industry whilst trying to be sustainable and make ethical decisions. I have followed the brand since early on and have purchased several items. The brand is so strong that I have had people who recognise her clothing say to me, “I’m in the club too”!
2. Why do you love their marketing?
Gemma is very honest and open about her struggles, particularly on Stories on Instagram, which makes her feel human and very relatable. She openly shares the journey of her designs, the choices that she makes regarding fabrics and why she chooses the companies that she will work with. This makes you feel like you are part of what she is creating. She also supports other small female-led businesses, sharing accounts and purchases that she’s made. She shares the good and the bad in a way that feels honest and authentic.
3. What is the marketing lesson businesses can learn from them?
I feel that Gemma leans into her superpower, which is being honest and transparent about what she is trying to do and achieve. As a Mum, she shares when things go well and when they don’t. She recently shared she had had a call from school to say that she had forgotten to pick up her daughter. A mix-up over the day, a cancelled club and a mad dash, whilst feeling super guilty – something that lots of busy Mums can relate to (and if they’re honest, have probably done!).
You don’t have to share your struggles or personal life online, but whatever you are comfortable sharing needs to be authentic. Gemma uses a combination of Posts, Stories and Reels to share her story.
4. Do you have a favourite example of when they knocked it out of the park?
As a business, Muthahood are in the process of bringing their warehouse and logistics in-house and Gemma has shared her excitement and fears of making this big decision. She has shared everything from ordering the wrong size pick bins, getting the measurements wrong in the warehouse, expanding her team, her favourite M&S snacks for stressful times and also what it means for all of their new stock and exciting new ranges that they will be stocking and sending out from their new warehouse.
Leading with Value-based Marketing
Up next is Georgia Ventiroso, our Digital Marketing Account Manager. She manages a portfolio of B2B and B2C clients, with a particular focus on digital strategy, SEO and Paid Social:
1. Who are your favourite brands of 2025 and beyond?
As a mother to a one-year-old rapscallion, I have needed to sift through tonnes of marketing for baby products, trying to target me at all hours of the day (and night). The one standout for me, who I am now a life-long loyal customer of, is The Little Loop. They are a second-hand children’s clothing outlet who focus on selling organic, quality brands to improve the sustainability cycle and minimise the impact from the fast fashion industry.
2. Why do you love their marketing?
They are a value-based business from their product ranges through to their processes on to their social media presence. It is so palpable throughout their messaging; I just wholeheartedly trust that there are good people working behind that business and I am enthusiastic to support them. I love the quality-checked condition of their clothes, their social media content ranges from fun to meaningful, the customer service feels so personal. I have saved thousands of pounds from shopping second-hand. Where I feel overwhelmed and lost on platforms such as Vinted, The Little Loop feels simple, straightforward, and human.
3. What is the marketing lesson businesses can learn from them?
Your values as a business matter. Whether you are B2B or B2C, you are selling to and connecting with humans. The integrity of those values resonates with your audience. Business values aren’t just a nice-to-have, they are an essential. If someone asks you, “what are the values of your business?”, do you have a clear answer for them? Are you following them through? What are the examples you are showing to your customers? If not, then take some time to sit down and really assess what your business values are and the way you can showcase them to your audience in-action. That will land and resonate, build trust and lifelong customers.
4. Do you have a favourite example of when they knocked it out of the park?
They’re positioning themselves as re-looping partners with premium brands such as Roarsome, who would have otherwise been completely out of some people’s price range, but become possible purchases through the second-hand model. This approach helps them reach their partner’s audiences and verifies trust-building by showcasing the quality of clothing on offer.
Email Marketing Still Works
Let’s hear from Rich Clarke, our Head of Digital Delivery. He has 10+ years in digital marketing specialising in SEO and PPC:
1. Who are your favourite brands of 2025 and beyond?
I’ve been enjoying Bike Club; they are a subscription model for kids bikes which allows you to swap bikes as your child grows.
2. Why do you love their marketing?
Their email marketing is well thought out. The tone of voice is friendly and informative. The emails have great original photography, simple design with white space that makes the information easy to digest, with 1 clear CTA. Every step of the sales process had a short but informative email, so I knew what was happening, what was next, (e.g. order status, DHL delivery updates, direct debit set up/details). On top of the textbook customer service emails, they also send informative emails which build trust in the brand as experts, as well as loyalty and advocacy (I would 100% recommend them). These include saddle height adjustments, helmet fitting, games to play, what to do if they don’t want to ride, etc. The blogs are also well structured, easy to read, same tone of voice, and have useful information.
3. What is the marketing lesson businesses can learn from them?
The customer is guided through the sales process, always knowing what to expect with support offered and a reassuring tone. The example below offers the guide to setting up the bike but also includes the main issue faced within the email body. Pedals turn different ways so as not to fall off when pedalling! Trust is built through the informative email campaign and blogs combined. There is a subtle difference in the email style, so I immediately know whether I need to read it or it’s an extra that I want to read.
4. Do you have a favourite example of when they knocked it out of the park?
Marketing Insights from Top Brands
It continues to ring true that valuing the human behind the screen makes the biggest impact; speaking to their needs and offering them solutions, treating them as though they matter and that you want to connect with them on a real level.
That goes across all markets and channels; although AI interaction may be increasing, we are still driven for human connection.
If you are struggling to resonate with your audience or you’re not sure which approaches truly land, we are here to be your digital guides. With years of experience and strategic insights, our collective brain can become an extension of your team. Through training, consultancy or digital projects; we are always happy to collaborate in a way that works for you.
