Below deck: January 2025

We’re only one month deep into 2025, but that doesn’t mean we’re short on things to discuss. Meta moved the misinformation goalposts, Apple went big with the Severance marketing budget, and the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched its probe into Google’s search monopoly. And that’s only part of the picture.

Here, we give you the lowdown on our favourite industry updates from January, breaking down the details so you don’t have to. Want the intel? Dive in…

Apple shows us how to build serious hype

Billboards, teasers, interviews – when it comes to promoting a new series, it’s all been done before. And with so much noise flooding the entertainment space every day, it’s becoming even more challenging to cut through. So, when we saw Apple’s strategy to get people talking about Severance series two, we were instantly hooked. And so was the rest of the internet.

No multi-sequence campaigns or slow-burning nurture series. Instead, Apple got all the show’s iconic actors in a clear box to stunt the dystopian fiction in real life. From working on computers to cleaning the carpet, they performed mundane activities from the Lumon Industries office to catch the attention of curious passers-by. And where better to do so than Grand Central Terminal? Over 750,000 people travel through the station each day. That marketing team is genius.

Izzy Massey, senior account manager

The CMA launches its probe into Google 

Earlier this month, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched its very first investigation under the new Digital Markets Act. Probing Google’s search services, the watchdog’s regulatory regime will assess Google’s strategic positioning, explore whether it poses an unfair advantage to competition and innovation, and determine if it is unlawfully collecting consumer data. It could take up to nine months to investigate the search engine giant. But what does this all mean for the sector?

Ultimately, it depends on how it all plays out. If Google is deemed to be exploiting its monopoly, a wider range of tools and platforms could be welcomed into the search landscape. This doesn’t just mean boosting other big firms. There could also be room for emerging players to get their feet in the door, enabling SEO professionals to explore niche strategies that set them apart. At the same time, this heightened scrutiny could prompt Google to tweak its algorithms or policies, forcing the sector to adapt once again. Being vigilant and adaptable will therefore be key this year.

Max Singh, SEO manager

Dorito teases a tweak to its iconic triangle crisp

Dorito, famed for its triangular tortillas, hinted at a possible shake up to its iconic design this month. The cryptic Instagram post featured a square crisp alongside the tagline: “The shape of things to come.” From playful jabs like “April 1st already?” to panicked pleas such as “Don’t mess with my triangle!”, it got followers buzzing in the comments. And rightly so – it’s a bold branding move, and the kind of attention grabber that’s supposed to spark debate. 

Of course, this is a stark contrast to Jaguar’s recent rebrand, which drew widespread criticism for playing it safe and missing the mark. I like what Doritos has done, and it has executed it in a way that feels fun, fresh, and clever. If it works, they’ve got an exciting new product under their belt. If it doesn’t, they can easily frame it as a publicity stunt. Either way, it’s a smart play. I’d actually like to try one! 

Doug Main, creative director

Meta changes its strategy to battle misinformation

For years, fact checkers have been a staple of Facebook’s strategy to prevent misinformation from spreading. And with such low barriers to posting anything you want online, it seems only right to have some form of policing in place. Of course, it’s not quite that simple. Meta has since found these independent, third-party fact checkers to be too politically biased, incorrectly censoring content, and frustrating users all round. This is why it’s taking a leaf out of X’s book (yes, really), and putting users in the driving seat with Community Notes. 

While this move is set to reduce the bias of censorship and improve user engagement, it could be bad news in many other areas. Meta has admitted it will catch “less bad stuff” with this change. Not to mention, the platform has quietly revised its policy on hate speech – not only can users call women “household objects,” they can refer to transgender and non-binary people as “it,” and admit to racism, homophobia, and Islamophobia. We only have to look at the place X has become to see how Meta might follow. And with the mass exodus in advertisers we’ve seen over there too, who’s to say the same won’t happen for Meta? Only time will tell. 

Rosie Holt, content writer

TikTok reinstated after just 14 hours of ‘darkness’ in America

TikTok’s Chinese parent company has been under scrutiny for years, with US officials concerned about its threat to national security. So much so, the Supreme Court upheld a federal law to ban the app if it didn’t sell to a new US company. When that didn’t happen, and the deadline date of Sunday 19 January rolled around, the app went dark for 170 million American users.

Yet, just 14 hours later, its services were completely restored. The U-turn was a result of President-elect Donald Trump’s rally efforts the day before he took office, promising to find an alternative option in the form of a “joint venture”. According to TikTok, it was the reassurance that he wouldn’t fine its tech partners that allowed it to bring back user access. In the meantime, it’s happy scrolling for users and back to creating as usual for brands, until a new solution is reached. 

Lauren Boyles, junior social media manager