Friday 14 November 2025: PR & Marketing News Round-Up: Toy Story 5, Apple x Issey Miyake Collab, Gail’s Viral Photo, Nutella Advent Calendar & M&S Breakfast Party Food
It’s Friday and Team Visible is back with this week’s PR & Marketing News Round-Up! As the festive spirit spreads, brands everywhere are serving up everything including a supermarket’s first-of-its-kind brunch package, blockbuster-worthy emotional moments (think: a kids’ movie that tugs the nation’s heartstrings) to epic user-generated content which went viral. Read on for unexpected brand mashups, ingenious festive launches and stories that create true talkability through culture-driven campaigns.
Read on for Visible PR’s top picks of the week, spotlighting the most memorable moves from across the industry…
Toy Story 5 Teaser Promises an Emotional Rollercoaster for Parents
The toys are back in town! The teaser trailer for Toy Story 5 was launched this week, seeing the toys pitted against tech. But, it has sparked strong reactions from fans who believe the new storyline will be highly emotional and challenging for parents. The teaser for the 2026 movie hints at a dramatic plot that continues the series' tradition of tugging at heartstrings, with many anticipating intense family themes and potential surprises that could "wreak havoc on parents" watching alongside their children
Why it matters for PR & Marketing: Disney and Pixar have been dropping teaser trailers like this for years, but no franchise does it quite like Toy Story. With a generation who grew up on these stories now having kids of their own, the teaser ignites debate and speculation, giving Pixar valuable storytelling hooks and opportunities to drive cultural conversations - especially when it comes to generational change, family experience, and the toy vs. tech narratives. 30 years on and these toys are still tugging on our heartstrings!
Apple x Issey Miyake join forces with a Futuristic, Wearable iPhone Pocket
Apple and Issey Miyake have launched the iPhone Pocket, a limited-edition, 3D-knitted accessory designed as a wearable, stretchable pouch for your iPhone and everyday essentials. Inspired by Miyake’s "A Piece of Cloth" philosophy and Apple’s minimalist design ethos, it reflects a mutual commitment to innovation, functionality, and style, but with a rather hefty price point of £219.95.
Why it matters for PR & Marketing: Like it or loathe it, this partnership draws on the unique design heritages of both Apple and Issey Miyake. Limited release, minimalist design, and a high price point communicate exclusivity and desirability - and they sold out overnight, so someone somewhere must like them! Like other hyped cross-industry launches, this partnership amplifies aspirational value and the sense of community among fans.
Viral Photo at Gail’s Bakery Channels Edward Hopper’s ‘Nighthawks’
This week, Gail’s Bakery generated buzz after a photo resembling Edward Hopper’s famous "Nighthawks" painting was captured at their Greenwich location. The image featured a woman sitting alone in the bakery window, unintentionally evoking the mood and composition of the iconic artwork. The candid photo quickly went viral on social media, captivating audiences and sparking playful discussion about urban solitude and modern café culture.
Why it matters for PR & Marketing: This viral image provided Gail’s with that money can’t buy, unexpected organic moment, and visibility that offered reactive momentum they could jump on. Gail's quickly took to their Instagram page to share the image, generating thousands of views. They even offered the woman a year's supply of free coffee, and a signed print from the photographer Richard Walls. Bravo Gail’s!
Nutella launches its first ever advent calendar
The Nutella advent calendar sees the brand make its first-ever Christmas countdown product, and it quickly became one of the most talked-about launches this season. Shaped like a giant Nutella jar, it offers 24 windows filled with mini Nutella spreads, crunchy biscuits, B-ready bars, Nutella&GO! snacks, and even keepsake items such as socks, a luggage tag, a bauble, a cookie cutter, and a card game - sign us up!
Why it matters for PR & Marketing: Not only is the brand’s advent calendar debut enough to drive conversation, but fans of all ages have already praised its size, variety of contents, and playful, collectible extras. With its innovative design and surprises, Nutella is shaking up the advent offering, setting a new benchmark and tapping into the huge holiday demand for unique, experiential gifting.
M&S Unveils First-Ever Festive Breakfast Party Food Range
Canapés for breakfast? Well, not quite! This Christmas, Marks & Spencer has launched a pioneering breakfast party food range, giving ‘brunch with friends’ a whole new twist. The first-ever range includes delectable delights like maple & bacon pancake stacks, mini ham & cheese croissant bites, and an impressive hash brown topple tower. When you think of Christmas, you think of M&S, and with party food one of the best sellers during the festive season, it's great to see the brand take on another unique offering that could divide shoppers!
Why it matters for PR & Marketing: Marks & Spencer’s is known for its unique offerings at Christmas, with previous offerings including light up gin bottles and musical biscuit tins. With these first-to-market breakfast party products, once again, the M&S taste testers at the top have succeeded in creating a national buzz that taps into seasonality, with a twist, reinforcing their leading position with the market.
Final Thoughts
As festivities ramp up and the Christmas countdown truly on, this week's round up showcases what brands are doing to stand out. With a range of captivating brand campaigns and collaborations, to a swift and savvy response to a viral photo, it proves that success lies in the perfect timing (planned or unexpected) As we build up to the big day next month, I’m sure we’ll see more brands come forward with campaigns that masterfully ignite emotion and drive meaningful conversation among the masses.
Want to see more from your PR and comms? Get in touch with the Visible PR team today at hello@visiblepr.co.uk