Vol 59. The Top Case Studies of 2024

A look back at our subscriber's most liked case studies of last year.

Author

Case Studied
January 08, 2025

Now that 2024 has wrapped, we’re spotlighting some of your favorite case studies that we covered from our newsletter. From groundbreaking data storytelling to cultural moments that reshaped industries, these case studies aren’t just success stories—they’re playbooks for the future.

Discover how brands like Coke, Spotify, and Duolingo pushed boundaries, inspired millions, and set new standards for innovation.

Are you ready to level up your 2025 plans? Let’s dive into the top 5 marketing campaigns of last year to get your team ready for whatever is in store.

The Brief:

Now that 2024 is officially behind us, it's time for some reflecting. What did we learn last year? What surprised us? What delighted us?

From groundbreaking data storytelling to major cultural moments, Case Studied was there to bring you campaigns that your team could learn from.

That's why this week, Case Studied explores the top five most-love editions from last year (and what we learned from them).

Coca-Cola's "Share a Coke" campaign, launched to reconnect with the youth. It replaced its brand name on bottles with 250 common teen names making them personable. This initiative used organic and paid media, including influencer partnerships and social media hashtags, creating buzz and driving significant engagement. It resulted in an 11% revenue increase and 1.25 million more teens consuming Coke. Key takeaways include focusing on audience segmentation, aiming for long-term brand loyalty, and tracking specific KPIs for campaign success.

The 3 key takeaways are:

  • Personalization drives engagement: Coca-Cola used personalized packaging to create emotional connections, successfully resonating with a younger audience.

  • Focus on audience-specific strategies: By identifying teens as a key segment, Coca-Cola tailored its campaign to address their unique perceptions and needs.

  • Track measurable outcomes: The campaign emphasized specific KPIs, such as teen consumption, demonstrating the importance of setting and monitoring clear metrics for success.

You can read the full newsletter here.

Spotify's 2024 Wrapped marked its 10th anniversary with innovations like audiobook and podcast stats, "Music Evolution" micro-genres, and an AI-generated podcast recap. Despite backlash for removing fan-favorite features like Sound Towns, it achieved record-breaking engagement, with day-one interactions up 26% from 2023. This shows Wrapped's success as a masterclass in data storytelling, annual consistency, and shareable, personalized content that solidifies its place in the cultural zeitgeist and amplifies organic user engagement worldwide.

The 3 key takeaways are:

  • Data storytelling fosters engagement: Spotify's Wrapped campaign transforms user data into compelling, shareable narratives, creating deep connections with audiences.

  • Consistency builds anticipation: The annual tradition of Wrapped highlights the importance of maintaining consistent, evolving campaigns to keep audiences engaged over time.

  • Cultural relevance drives impact: By aligning with user behavior and social trends, Spotify ensures Wrapped remains a prominent part of global conversations, solidifying its cultural significance.

You can read the full newsletter here.

Duolingo’s “Speaking English Doesn’t Cost” campaign in Brazil leveraged TikTok’s native culture and localized messaging to connect with users. They emphasized the importance of English for professional success and created the need for users to use their platform. By combining organic trends with targeted paid ads, such as One Day Max videos, Duolingo reached 38 million users, achieved 90 million views, and exceeded app install benchmarks. The campaign demonstrated the power of mirroring platform trends, localizing marketing efforts, and integrating organic and paid strategies to drive growth, resulting in a 1,400% follower increase on TikTok.

The 3 key takeaways are:

  • Localized strategies drive impact: Duolingo’s tailored TikTok campaign in Brazil achieved remarkable success by addressing specific cultural and market needs.

  • Platform-specific trends boost engagement: The campaign effectively leveraged TikTok's native culture, combining organic trends with targeted ads for maximum resonance.

  • User-centric content enhances results: By focusing on culturally relevant, audience-driven messaging, Duolingo increased reach and exceeded growth benchmarks in a competitive market.

You can read the full newsletter here.

Athletic Greens achieved remarkable growth by focusing on podcast advertising, forming partnerships with influential hosts like Tim Ferriss and Dax Shepard to connect with health-conscious audiences. This strategy enabled the brand to build trust and expand beyond its niche, driving 150–200% year-over-year growth and reaching a $1.2 billion valuation. By prioritizing consistent long-term endorsements and leveraging authentic influencer shout-outs, Athletic Greens turned podcasting into a competitive advantage in the crowded supplement market. They showed the value of channel experimentation and how lucrative strategic partnerships can be.

The 3 key takeaways are:

  • Niche channels drive competitive advantage: Athletic Greens utilized podcast advertising to achieve significant growth in a crowded market.

  • Authenticity strengthens impact: Influencer endorsements by trusted podcast hosts established credibility and deep audience alignment.

  • Innovative strategies yield results: Long-term investment in unconventional channels, like podcasts, demonstrates the value of exploring and testing new marketing approaches.

You can read the full newsletter here.

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Mattel’s Barbie movie marketing redefined the brand, turning it into a cultural phenomenon. With a $150M campaign featuring over 165 strategic partnerships, including brands like Airbnb and Balmain, and earned media like the Barbenheimer trend, the film achieved record-breaking success. It grossed $1.4B globally, became 2023's top movie, and boosted Barbie sales by 16%. This campaign underscores the importance of brand evolution, storytelling, and collaboration, as Mattel pivots toward becoming an IP-driven company with 45 films in development.

The 3 key takeaways are:

  • Strategic marketing transforms perception: The Barbie campaign used a multifaceted approach to revitalize the brand, driving both consumer engagement and business results.

  • Storytelling and partnerships amplify impact: Leveraging storytelling and collaborations aligned with cultural trends redefined Barbie as a modern, culturally relevant brand.

  • Evolution ensures enduring value: Aligning product changes with audience expectations and using innovative narratives created long-term relevance and record-breaking success for a legacy brand.

You can read the full newsletter here

The Results:

It's clear that innovation, audience understanding, and cultural relevance were key to driving success in our top case studies.

From personalized experiences like Coke's “Share a Coke” to Spotify’s masterful data storytelling, these campaigns provide invaluable lessons for marketers. Looking ahead to 2025, brands can take inspiration from these industry leaders to create impactful, lasting connections with their audiences and continue to push boundaries while staying true to what makes their brand unique.

Thank you for subscribing to Case Studied in 2024, we are excited to continue bringing you the best in marketing. this coming year.

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