Friday 15th August 2025: PR & Marketing News Round-Up | Pop Culture Power Plays, Puma, Taylor Swift & AI Battles
Welcome back to our Friday PR and Marketing News Round-Up - Visible PR’s weekly spotlight on the campaigns, trends, and industry moments that are making headlines and driving impact.
This week’s media landscape has been buzzing, with clever creatives, game-changing strategies, and cultural campaigns that have been sparking conversations with pop culture taking centre stage.
Read on for Visible PR’s take on this week’s stories that got us chatting…
Puma's ‘Biggest Goal’ Ahead of Premier League Kickoff
Puma has unveiled its ‘Biggest Goal’ initiative ahead of the new Premier League season, featuring high-profile collaborations and a bold campaign narrative. The aim is to solidify its position in football culture as fans gear up for match days.
Why it matters for PR & Marketing: With England’s football frenzy kicking off, leveraging the national passion through a sports centric campaign can deliver massive cultural resonance, especially when tied to storytelling and hero-brand dynamics.
Read the full story on Marketing-Beat →
Oasis Reunion Sparks ‘Britpop Dad Summer’ Across Generations
The Oasis reunion tour made its final UK stop in Edinburgh last weekend. With the record-breaking tour claiming ‘biblical’ ticket sales, and rumours of a 2026 leg already rumbling, the tour has also kicked off ‘Britpop Dad Summer’ - where teenagers are bonding with their parents over Britpop nostalgia at packed stadium shows.
Why it matters for PR & Marketing: Nostalgia is one of the most powerful tools in marketing, but cross generational appeal is the golden ticket. Brands embracing big cultural moments like the Oasis tour can engage multiple demographics and tap into emotional resonance - but execution is everything.
Read the full story on The Times →
Meta vs. Google vs. OpenAI vs. Apple: The AI Browser Battle Heats Up
Tech giants including Meta, Google, OpenAI, and Apple are locked in fierce competition to dominate the emerging AI-powered browser space, with each positioning their AI assistants as the next frontier of user experience.
Why it matters for PR & Marketing: The browser that you optimise for today may well vanish tomorrow. Smart brands will look to diversify, prepare for more rapid shifts in the worlds of AI, and start testing adaptive strategies now to land on solid ground when the time comes to make the switch to a new provider.
Read the full story on Performance Marketing World →
How Taylor Swift Turned a Podcast Album Announcement into PR Gold
Swifties everywhere rejoice! New music is on the way from the world’s biggest pop princess. But when Taylor Swift chose to announce her new album on boyfriend Travis Kelce’s NFL podcast, she wasn’t just dropping big music news, she was actually delivering a strategic PR power play that bridged two massive industries.
Why it matters for PR & marketing: This was a masterclass in PR powerplay. Swift tapped into the NFL fan base while Kelce gained visibility with her global audience, all while controlling the narrative by announcing on their own channel. Framing it as a casual couple moment also gave the reveal an authentic, off-the-cuff feel, even though it was almost certainly a carefully planned move to announce her new album.
Read the full story on the BBC →
Pantone Turns Wembley Steps into Coldplay ‘Yellow’ Swatch
Ahead of Coldplay’s 10-night sell-out run, Wembley Park has partnered with Pantone to create ‘Yellow 25’ – a public art installation celebrating both the 25th anniversary of the band’s debut album, Yellow, and their upcoming record-breaking residency at Wembley Stadium. The famous steps have been transformed into a giant Pantone colour chip, with all 58 steps transitioning from pale yellow to rich gold.
Why it matters for PR & marketing: This installation turns a simple pedestrian walkway into a memorable, immersive brand moment, no ads needed. It taps into music nostalgia, community engagement, and sensory storytelling, offering fans a perfect photo moment and creating a genuine buzz and cultural resonance.
Read the full story on Wallpaper* →
Final Thoughts
From football hype to Britpop nostalgia, the battle for AI innovation, all topped off with a pop culture PR masterclass from Taylor Swift, the news this week proves just how powerful cultural storytelling can be when it’s aligned with brand strategy.
Whether it’s tapping into cross-industry audiences, owning your own channels (and narrative), or turning a simple location into an immersive brand moment, the strongest campaigns use relevance, emotion and timing to cut through the noise.
So what has this week’s news taught us PR and marketing pros? Brands must stay culturally tuned into the news agenda, move fast, and never underestimate the power of a good story.
Want your brand in the headlines for all the right reasons? We can help! Get in touch today by emailing lara.leventhal@visiblepr.co.uk