2025’s Brand Winners and Losers: From Dr. Pepper, Gap, Skims and Google to Southwest, Target, Tesla and Fast Fashion

2025 was another year in which brands surprised, delighted, shocked and disappointed us. From major consumer brands dominating headlines to beloved institutions stumbling, the year once again reshaped the landscape of business and culture.  

Major tech players continued to dominate headlines. YouTube officially became the world’s largest streaming platform, surpassing Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ and every major network combined. Walmart completed its transformation into a tech-first retailer with its NASDAQ debut. Meanwhile, a crowded AI category welcomed Gemini, Copilot, Claude, Perplexity and Amazon Q — yet none matched the persistent ubiquity of ChatGPT. MSNBC quietly reintroduced itself as MS NOW, Astronomer found unexpected fame via a Coldplay KissCam mishap and the world debated whether Tilly Norwood might become the first AI-generated movie star. If 2024 was about AI acceleration, 2025 was about AI integration into mainstream business. 

Legacy brands delivered some of the year’s strongest moments. Nike continued elevating women’s sports, Formula 1 solidified its status as the partnership platform every brand wanted to be part of, McDonald’s leaned into nostalgia to bring customers back, Coca-Cola returned to emotional storytelling with “Share a Coke,” while “old timers” Victoria’s Secret, Abercrombie and Bed Bath and Beyond advanced their relevance reinvention efforts by courting Gen Z. Finally, streaming, again, saw historic gains as Stranger Things broke Netflix’s single day viewing record, Severance earned a historic wave of Emmy nominations for Apple and The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives continued to help Hulu surge and search for more secrets! 

Challenger brands shaped culture just as powerfully. Poppi became one of the year’s breakout success stories with its two-billion-dollar sale to Pepsi. Quince leaned into radical transparency, Labubu sparked a Beanie Babies style collecting craze, Owala turned hydration into a movement, and Mike’s Hot Honey became the condiment of the year across grocery carts and fast casual menus. At the same time, Raising Cane’s and Buc-ee’s continued their near mythic expansions, the Savannah Bananas redefined sports entertainment and Bluey remained the ten-minute escape adults and children alike continued to cherish. 

2025 also marked a decisive shift toward health optimization and data-driven living, accelerating the rise of brands built around prevention and performance. Eli Lilly became the first trillion-dollar health company, powered by scientific credibility, deep patient insight and unprecedented demand for T2D and weight loss medications. On Running solidified its place as the lifestyle sport hybrid of the moment, Strava became the social network for movers and Oura entered the mainstream as consumers relied on sleep and recovery data to guide daily choices. With protein culture dominating grocery aisles and creatine entering mainstream longevity conversations, consumers were no longer just health conscious; they became health obsessed. 

Celebrity and creator influence remained a powerful force in shaping the brand narrative. Hailey Bieber’s billion-dollar sale of Rhode to e.l.f. dominated headlines, Sydney Sweeney brought “attention” and record sales to American Eagle. Levi’s extended its cultural resurgence through a high impact collaboration with Beyoncé. Amy Poehler became a top ten podcaster in under eight months; Pope Leo went global and Sabrina Carpenter and Bad Bunny owned both charts and culture. And in true 2025 fashion, a mashup of 4 Non Blondes and Nicki Minaj, sparked by Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick, became the year’s most unlikely anthem. 

Looking ahead to 2026, the questions only grow more intriguing. Will HBO Max rebrand yet again if a Netflix/Paramount deal materializes? Is FIFA drifting into 2026 penalty territory amid early World Cup controversy? Will Prada and Versace manage to share power peacefully now that billions depend on it? Can Paige Bueckers out-dunk Caitlin Clark’s endorsement deals? Which Winter Olympic athletes will capture global attention? Do we actually care about another Avengers release? Why can’t we release Toy Story 5 tomorrow? And, the biggest mystery of all is whether or not Hinge’s positioning around “The Dating App Designed to be Deleted” will result in a swipe-left or a swipe-right? 

As always, time will reveal the answers. For now, we turn to the brands that defined 2025 — the headlining hits, the memorable misses, and the stories that shaped the year. With perspectives from Prophet colleagues around the world, and refraining from any commentary on current Prophet clients, here are our takes on the brands that rose to the top and those that fell flat. 

2025 Brand Winners 

DoorDash 

DoorDash reinforced its position as the dominant player in U.S. local commerce, expanding its footprint beyond food delivery into grocery, retail, convenience and alcohol. Growth in suburban and mid-sized markets remained a core competitive advantage, driving high order frequency and deep household penetration. DashPass continued to be one of the most powerful subscription products in the category, while the company’s merchant-focused model and operational tools made DoorDash a preferred partner for restaurants and retailers navigating an increasingly digital marketplace. 

Dr Pepper 

Dr Pepper solidified its status as one of 2025’s standout beverage brands, firmly holding the number two spot in the U.S. after surpassing Pepsi last year. Its loyal fan base and fast-growing Gen Z following fueled momentum, drawn to indulgent flavors and rising cultural relevance. When the “dirty soda” trend took off on TikTok, the brand moved quickly with its Creamy Coconut limited release, the most successful flavor launch in its history and a catalyst for nearly two million followers and over 12 million likes on the platform. Supported by continued heat from its Fansville campaign and an AI-driven Disney partnership that links beverage consumption to college football viewing for more precise targeting, Dr Pepper showed how a legacy brand can drive modern growth by pairing cultural agility with data-led innovation. 

Gap 

Gap regained meaningful cultural and commercial traction in 2025, driven by the viral “Better in Denim” campaign, which generated more than 8 billion impressions and reintroduced the brand to a younger audience. The company strengthened its positioning by accelerating influencer-led content, elevating its core assortment with higher-quality fabrics and modern fits and expanding its appeal to higher income shoppers. Supported by strategic partnerships and stronger digital execution, Gap demonstrated that a legacy retailer can regain relevance by aligning brand heritage with contemporary consumer behavior. 

Google 

Google emerged as one of 2025’s standout performers, regaining momentum in the AI race and boosting investor confidence. Alphabet’s stock climbed 77 percent in six months, becoming the third-most valuable U.S. company after launching Gemini 3, which, along with its Nano Banana model, outperformed rivals in early tests. Its pivot to AI-powered search paid off. Google Cloud revenue rose 32 percent and search grew 15 percent year over year. In a year defined by rapid innovation and fierce competition, Google didn’t just keep pace, it set a new bar. 

OpenAI 

OpenAI solidified its status as one of the defining technology companies of the decade, spearheading rapid global adoption of artificial intelligence through advances in models, multimodal intelligence and product applications. Tools such as ChatGPT and Sora became essential across sectors including education, healthcare, entertainment and enterprise, positioning OpenAI as both an innovation engine and a trusted partner. Its mix of technical leadership, robust safety research and accessible user experience helped the company anchor a major shift in how individuals and organizations work, communicate and create value. 

Skims 

Skims strengthened its position as one of 2025’s most influential apparel brands, evolving from shapewear disruptor to multibillion-dollar lifestyle powerhouse built on comfort, inclusivity and design innovation. With a valuation above $5 billion, global retail expansion and consistent sellouts, the brand sustained exceptional momentum, becoming the fastest-growing apparel label in America and generating millions in first-week menswear sales. 

Its NikeSkims collaboration underscored its reach, introducing women-first performance design and setting a new standard in activewear. As the official loungewear and underwear partner of Team USA, Skims continued to build credibility in sport. Guided by Kim Kardashian’s strategic leadership and cultural influence, the brand shifted from buzzy newcomer to long-term force in modern essentials. 

2025 Brand Losers 

Fast Fashion (Forever 21, H&M, Zara, Shein) 

Fast-fashion leaders struggled to maintain cultural relevance in 2025 as consumers, especially Gen Z, gravitated toward sustainable alternatives and circular models. Rental platforms such as Nuuly and Rent the Runway posted double-digit subscription growth, underscoring a shift toward quality, transparency and reduced environmental impact. Against this backdrop, fast-fashion’s rapid-turnover model increasingly appeared out of sync with evolving values. For brands long fueled by speed and trend replication, 2025 revealed the limits of a strategy misaligned with the priorities of the next generation of shoppers. 

Southwest Airlines 

Southwest faced significant blowback in 2025 as it moved away from hallmark customer-friendly policies to drive new revenue. The decision to introduce checked-bag fees and begin phasing out open seating signaled a decisive strategic shift but also triggered a decline in customer satisfaction scores following the announcement. While the airline argued the changes would help it compete more effectively on fares and court more business travelers, the moves threatened its long-standing position as the industry’s most approachable, traveler-first brand. The tension between financial opportunity and brand identity defined Southwest’s turbulent year. 

Target 

Target endured a difficult year in 2025 as shifting consumer priorities and lingering operational inconsistencies weighed on performance. The retailer posted its sixth consecutive quarter of declining foot traffic, signaling waning momentum in both discretionary categories and everyday essentials. Efforts to reinvigorate its style-forward identity were overshadowed by inventory misalignment, higher shrink levels and uneven in-store execution that eroded its once-stable appeal to middle-income households. With shoppers becoming more price sensitive and less inclined toward discretionary trips, Target found itself squeezed between elevated expectations for value and a brand positioning more closely tied to lifestyle than necessity. In a year defined by cautious spending, the retailer struggled to articulate a compelling reason for consumers to visit more often. 

Tesla and Elon Musk 

Tesla’s once-dominant position in the EV landscape weakened significantly in 2025 as consumer sentiment cooled and competition intensified. The company’s U.S. EV market share fell to 38 percent, its lowest level in nearly a decade, while global deliveries slipped 13 percent year over year. Product recalls, mounting battery concerns and the expiration of federal EV tax credits added pressure, but the most damaging factor may have been the growing disconnect between Elon Musk’s polarizing public image and the expectations of mainstream buyers. For a brand long fueled by mythmaking and momentum, 2025 marked a rare moment where narrative could not compensate for operational and market realities. 

Tylenol 

Tylenol confronted one of its toughest reputational tests in decades after allegations surfaced connecting its products to autism, thrusting the brand into a crisis that demanded clarity and rapid communication. Instead, the company delivered a fragmented and slow response that contrasted sharply with the decisive crisis management approach that made Tylenol an industry gold standard in the 1980s. Public sentiment declined noticeably across social channels, and the brand’s credibility took a measurable hit in consumer trust surveys. In an era of rapid information cycles, Tylenol’s hesitation proved as damaging as the accusation itself. 

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