Friday 30 January 2026: PR & Marketing News Round‑Up | Culture, Collabs & Cut-Through
Visible PR is back with this week’s Friday PR & Marketing News Round-Up. From a coffee chain quietly smashing it while the rest of the high street feels the squeeze, to bold collabs and clever city-wide policy shifts, there’s a lot to dig into.
We’re looking at who’s bucking the trend in hospitality, which brands are using smart, strategic partnerships to stay front-of-mind, and the NPD that’s already fighting for a spot in your Easter basket. It’s all about work that doesn’t just sit on a shelf or in-store, it’s about shaping culture, fuelling conversation and getting people talking.
So grab a coffee (or a spicy Bloody Mary…) and dive into this week’s stories driving buzz, behaviour and brand love.
Caffè Nero Bucks the Brew Gloom: Record Sales as Rival Coffee Chains Cool Off
Caffè Nero is quietly having a bit of a moment, delivering record sales while a lot of other high street coffee players are struggling to keep up. The Nero Group has just rung up about £800m in sales over the last financial year, up around 13% year-on-year, with profits also stepping up nicely. The UK is still the engine room, with sales rising to roughly £366m and profits up double digits, helped by things like iced drinks, matcha and new bakery launches pulling in younger and more experimental customers.
Why it matters for PR & Marketing: All this is happening against a pretty tough backdrop where other coffee chains are feeling the squeeze from higher costs and softer consumer spending, which makes Nero’s growth stand out even more. Record sales against a backdrop of rival coffee chains finding it harder to grow makes Nero look resilient, well-run and in demand, exactly the kind of contrast news business desks like. You can link performance to things like better in‑store experience, food and drink innovation, and loyalty, turning dry numbers into a story about smart decisions paying off.
Amsterdam Bans Meat Ads: First Capital City Pushes Plant‑Based Diets Into the Mainstream
Amsterdam is about to make a pretty bold statement: from 1 May 2026 it will become the first capital city in the world to ban meat advertising in public spaces, as part of a push towards healthier, lower‑carbon diets. The city has voted to stop ads for meat appearing on things like billboards and other public spaces, building on a bill backed by the Party for the Animals and the Green/Left party. This ties in with Amsterdam’s wider goal for residents’ diets to be 50% plant-based by 2050, shifting the current balance of about 60% animal protein towards a 60% plant-based split recommended by the Dutch Health Council.
Why it matters for PR & Marketing: Statement moves in advertising like this don’t go unseen by other global heavyweights, and it’s certainly going to set a movement that maybe none of us expected in 2026. This is a great opportunity for Amsterdam to position itself as a frontrunner in climate-friendly food systems, health and animal welfare, with a simple policy that signals serious intent rather than vague pledges.
Absolut Turns Up the Heat: New TABASCO Vodka Brings Brunch‑Ready Spice to the Spirits Aisle
Absolut and TABASCO are teaming up on a new spicy vodka, Absolut TABASCO, landing from February 2026 in 50+ markets, including the US and UK. It’s made by blending Absolut Vodka with a natural essence taken from TABASCO’s fermented red pepper mash, so you get proper heat rather than a fake, sugary flavour. The idea is that it’s smooth on the first sip, then the heat slowly builds and leaves that warm, tingly feeling on your lips – perfect for Bloody Marys and spicy lemonades.
Why it matters for PR & Marketing: Vodka meets hot sauce is such an unexpected combo, especially when both brands come with decades of heritage and instant recognition. It carves out a spicy space in a crowded aisle. Flavoured vodka is noisy, but tying the heat directly to TABASCO, a brand totally synonymous with spice, gives this launch an extra layer of credibility and edge.
Lindt Levels Up Easter: Dubai‑Style Treats & Popcorn Eggs Land in the Big Supermarkets
Lindt has unveiled its new Easter chocolate range, and it’s not just more of the same old eggs. You’ve got Dubai-style filled eggs inspired by its viral Dubai bar – milk chocolate shells with pistachio and crispy Kadayif pastry for that luxe, holiday-dessert vibe. There’s also a Popcorn Easter Egg, basically movie night turned into an egg, with smooth milk chocolate packed with caramelised popcorn pieces and matching popcorn truffles.
Why it matters for PR & Marketing: Dubai-style eggs and a Popcorn Egg have been developed for that “stop scrolling” moment, they sound playful, slightly extra and perfect for anyone looking for something different this Easter. These are the ultimate FOMO and “find it first” energy, the fact these are new flavours, tied to a previously viral Dubai bar and now available in the big grocers, taps into the brand hype perfectly.
Final Thoughts
From record-breaking resilience to fiery collabs, viral Easter treats, and bold policy pivots, this week shows there’s no one-size-fits-all for grabbing attention in 2026. The magic is in leaning into trends, heritage and cultural shifts that feel timely and unmissable. Whether it’s a coffee chain thriving amid the gloom, a vodka-hot sauce mash-up, or a city rewriting the ad rules, the best PR and marketing sparks real conversation by being clever, confident and culturally plugged-in.
Looking to create campaigns that cut through? Get in touch today! hello@visiblepr.co.uk