Saints and Sinners of 2024
2024 has been quite a year - for the good and the bad. As we’re moving into ‘25, We wanted to look back at our favorite and less-loved brands of the year - across design, innovation and strategy
01/ innovations
New news vs. new noise
saints
Simple solutions to problems you never knew you had but now can’t imagine life without
Who would have thought that a wavy perforation would be such a TP game changer?
As lip gloss addicts AND carriers of huge bags with a tendency for essentials to fall into the void, Rhode’s bespoke phone case with lip gloss holder helps make sure our two most critical items are always with us.
sinners
Creating “solutions” to problems no one really has (until now)
Before it was just - ‘do you want alcohol or not?’ Now you have to decide exactly what proof fits the bill!
Even for a cookie party, I’d rather have a dozen regular roundies than have to rip apart this bad boy to share around.
02/ Brand extensions
Made opportunities vs. missed opportunities
saints
Extending into places that stretch what you know about the brand while feeling like a natural extension of it.
Birkenstock’s shoes might be ugly-functional, but their new foot care line elevates the podiatrist expertise with style.
Houseplant’s lifestyle & music pairings - because the best highs need a good soundtrack.
sinners
Having the equity and opportunity to get the brand into new spaces and totally missing the mark.
Erwehon could have made their bougey healthy kids meal super disruptive, but instead they made it super un-fun.
Isn’t this just... seltzer? They could have differentiated it SOMEHOW.
03/ nostalgia plays
Making good feel a little bad vs. making bad feel even worse
saints
Smartly using nostalgic visual and verbal language to up the indulgence factor on a better-for-you version of your favorite childhood treats.
Goodles delivers the ooey gooey indulgence we want with the nutrition we need now that we’re all middle aged.
Flings makes it OK for grown-ups to get back into the greatest breakfast cravings of our collective childhoods.
sinners
Lazy throwbacks that use nostalgia to push you to crave all the unhealthiest stuff from before you knew better.
Taco Bell’s throwback menu features some of their most horrendous recipes from over the years.
Gusher’s retro aesthetic just proves they’re candy disguised as fruit snacks (just as we always thought).
04/ celeb brands
From the <3 vs. For the $$$
saints
Brands that feel connected to a celeb’s style or story, but are compelling enough to live on their own.
Matty Matheson’s food brand is just like him - bringing the Canadian quirk that’s a bit rough around the edges.
Born from Tom Holland’s sobriety journey, Bero incorporates his personal touches without being reliant on him as a spokesperson to drive the appeal.
sinners
Opportunistic plays that are clearly lucrative for the celebs, but bad for the integrity of brands at large.
Kids today love Logan Paul, ergo they love Prime, ergo they should love a 3rd rate lunch that somehow makes Lunchables look (and apparently taste) gourmet.
So many problems with this... Why are these wipes just for men? Why is Mario Lopez wiping butts? Are you OK? (Also an important case for why hierarchy is critical!)
06/ value propositions
Brand first vs. empty brands
saints
Standing out in functional categories by leading with brand first, claims second to draw you into their world without even reading the small print or experiencing the benefits.
David isn’t just another protein bar - it’s a compelling story & active lifestyle you want to be a part of. Even just the gold foil makes it feel more special than any other bar out there.
Ceremonia’s hair collection is powered more by the compelling founder story’s roots than the efficacious Mexican ingredients.
sinners
At first glance having a cool concept or fun execution, but have no depth once you get past the surface, making you ask “why would anyone even need this???”
Ha that’s funny. But no, I’ll just take the Liquid Death. Or Poland Spring. Or tap water.
Great Pinterest hack to make sure your iced coffee doesn’t get watered down. But isn’t just freezing your own coffee a whole lot easier?
07/ New Brands
Invigorating stale categories vs. adding MORE clutter
saints
Brands who didn’t go the easy route in sexy categories, but reimagine and breathe life into the driest ones that are ready for a shake-up.
Specialty salts had their moment - now it’s pepper’s time to shine.
Quitting nicotine for good never looked so good.
sinners
New brands who think they’re going to out-cool the sea of thriving (and failing) brands in already overly saturated categories.
The packaging is... fine. But is having King Kylie’s name subtly behind it enough to stand out from the bajillion other RTD vodka sodas?
We get the intent - the category needs a fresh look... but this brand did the impossible task of making butter unappetizing.
08/ Wellness
BFY Bonuses vs. Overhyped functionality
saints
Playful, fun delicious brands that just happen to also deliver health benefits without any overpromises.
Had Poppi led with gut health benefits, their fun & colorful soda undoubtably wouldn’t have become the sorority favorite & pop culture icon it has.
Misfits has transformed nutrition bars from cardboard-esque to a cand-ified treat.
sinners
Brands trying to disrupt pure enjoyment by leading with functional benefits when you really just want a ‘lil treat.
Let’s not make gummy candy medicinal. Some things are sacred.
Ice cream already has protein right? If you really need more, you should probably just eat a protein bar and not a tub of Vanilla Swirl.
09/ Flavor mashups
Unexpectedly delicious vs. Buzz-worthy grossness
saints
Brands who stay on top of trending flavor experiences and capitalize on them while they’re still hot.
The surge of spicy tequila drinks paved the way for Doritos to get into the spirits game.
The world’s favorite cookie AND favorite soda might go together even better than milk & cookies.
sinners
Thinking just because your flavor is trending that you can bring it anywhere - delivering ick-value as much as shock-value.
We love pickle flavored pretty much anything BUT toothpaste.
Sometimes our favorite flavors just don’t translate into liquid form.
10/ Inclusivity
Naturally inclusive vs. Unnecessarily Targeted
saints
Bringing together likeminded people across demographics to share in the joy of what the brand delivers.
Ami Ami brings everyone who loves wine together without having to try too hard.
Who WOULDN’T want to tap into Pleasing’s swagger for their next mani?
sinners
Brands who lead with an us vs. them mentality, targeting a huge swath of people (and often missing), while actively excluding everyone else.
We’re hoping this is tongue & cheek... but still...
Yes we’re shitting on Prime again. But the country is already divided enough without a party-centric flavor.
Let's hail our saints and repent for our sins as we move into 2025... drop us a line and let us know who else is on your saint or sinner list!
