Friday 19 September 2025: PR & Marketing News Round-Up | Nostalgia, Culture & Playful Brand Moments
As autumn starts to kick in, Team Visible is back with this week’s Friday PR & Marketing News Round-Up. From nostalgic collaborations and cultural takeovers, to playful product launches and commuter storytelling, the past seven days have been packed with so many creative campaigns.
Read on to see which caught our eye this week…
C-Haring Cross Tube Station Gets a Keith Haring Makeover
TfL temporarily rebranded Charing Cross into ‘Haring Cross’ station this week, celebrating the iconic US pop artist Keith Haring. The eye-popping installation by Absolut marked 40 years since Haring designed an advertising campaign for the spirits brand. From murals to signage, and free prints for passers-by, the creative takeover paid homage to Haring’s distinctive style, while coinciding with a major exhibition of his work at London’s Tate Modern.
Why it matters for PR & Marketing: Creating a buzz at a station is nothing new, but with this clever blend of art, culture, and transport, TfL created an immersive campaign that made the daily commute feel like a cultural experience at a gallery. It demonstrates how brands can use physical spaces as canvases to build cultural relevance and spark shareable and memorable moments.
Read the full story on Time Out →
Levi’s x Toy Story: A Nostalgic Collaboration for the 30th Anniversary
Levi’s has teamed up with Disney Pixar’s Toy Story to celebrate the film’s 30th anniversary with a new clothing collection. The collaboration features playful denim pieces and accessories inspired by Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and the wider Toy Story universe, tapping into the emotional pull of childhood nostalgia.
Why it matters for PR & Marketing: Another Levis collaboration? Well, the brand is known for its powerhouse collaborations, including this summer’s Cowboy Carter campaign with Beyonce. Pixar movies are synonymous with nostalgia, which as we know, remains one of the most powerful tools in marketing. The Levi’s x Toy Story collection shows how fashion can fuse cultural memory with brand heritage in a clever play for cross-generation appeal, targeting the adults who grew up with the Toy Story films and their kids and younger fans discovering them today.
South Western Railway Puts a Shocking Spotlight on Staff Abuse
South Western Railway has launched an eye-opening campaign highlighting the verbal abuse its workers have been subjected to by agitated customers. The posters capture moments of everyday life, whilst featuring abusive phrases discretely blended into the frame. Using shock tactics, the powerful campaign aims to rebuild positive associations with rail travel, while humanising the brand.
Why it matters for PR & Marketing: Let’s be honest, rail travel in the UK is a sore subject for most of us (particularly following last week's tube strikes!), but nobody should have to face verbal abuse in their work. With this campaign, the success lies in the authentic storytelling, capturing attention with the shocking statements, and tapping into shared experiences and everyday culture.
Read the full story on The Drum →
Greggs Launches Gamer-Friendly Beanbag with Sausage Roll Pocket
They’re back again - and this time Greggs has teamed up with gaming chair brand X Rocker to launch a limited-edition beanbag, featuring built-in storage for sausage rolls and drinks. The quirky collaboration taps into the crossover of gaming culture and food, delivering a tongue-in-cheek lifestyle product designed to spark conversation and social buzz.
Why it matters for PR & Marketing: Greggs powerhouse campaigns and activations have seen plenty of column inches in the past few years, and good on them (and their agencies!). This playful partnership highlights subculture crossover, and how brands can garner attention by simply playing with humour and unexpected product innovation.
Read the full story on Metro →
Final Thoughts
From Keith Haring on the Underground to Woody and Buzz on world-famous denim, and sausage rolls finding their way into gaming gear, this week proved that brands that are leaning into culture, nostalgia and humour are thriving. Whether it’s transforming a commute, rekindling childhood memories or sparking social buzz, creativity that taps into shared experiences is what gets people talking, and brands noticed.
Want to get your brand noticed with exciting campaigns? Drop us a line today - lara.leventhal@visiblepr.co.uk