In 2025, food has become more than just a necessity—it’s a powerful tool for marketing and branding. From viral collaborations to immersive dining experiences, brands are leveraging food in innovative ways to capture audience attention and create unforgettable connections. Here’s how some of the biggest names in fashion, beauty, and lifestyle are using food to advertise their products.
1. Limited-Edition Food Collaborations
Brands are partnering with restaurants, bakeries, and cafés to release exclusive, limited-edition food items inspired by their products. These collaborations create a buzz on social media and drive engagement through experiential marketing.
Example: Rhode, Hailey Bieber’s skincare brand, collaborated with a popular New York bakery to launch a ‘Rhode Glazed Doughnut’—a nod to the brand’s signature dewy aesthetic. Fans rushed to get their hands on the treat, making it a viral moment online.
Why it Works: ✔ Creates a sensory experience that aligns with brand identity ✔ Encourages user-generated content and viral social media trends ✔ Boosts brand visibility beyond traditional beauty or fashion spaces
2. Immersive Pop-Ups and Branded Cafés
Pop-up cafés and immersive food experiences are an exciting way for brands to create real-world interactions with their customers. By designing themed environments, companies can fully immerse their audience in their brand ethos.
Example: SKIMS, Kim Kardashian’s shapewear brand, launched a SKIMS Ice Cream Truck offering pastel-coloured soft serve to match the brand’s aesthetic. The pop-up not only served a delicious treat but also reinforced the brand’s fun and playful identity.
Why it Works: ✔ Engages customers in a tangible, multi-sensory way ✔ Generates high foot traffic and social media buzz ✔ Strengthens emotional connection between brand and consumers
3. Packaging and Product Design Inspired by Food
Brands are incorporating food-inspired elements into their product packaging to create a sense of nostalgia, indulgence, or sensory appeal.
Example: Beauty brands like Too Faced and Fenty Beauty have introduced lip glosses that mimic the texture, scent, and packaging of honey, chocolate, or fruit smoothies. These playful designs tap into consumer emotions and make products more desirable.
Why it Works: ✔ Evokes a sense of familiarity and comfort ✔ Enhances the sensory appeal of products ✔ Encourages customers to share aesthetically pleasing packaging online
4. Food-Centric Influencer Marketing
Influencers are playing a crucial role in the intersection of food and fashion/beauty marketing. Brands are collaborating with food bloggers and chefs to create themed recipes, host tasting events, and develop content that subtly promotes their products.
Example: A luxury perfume brand partnered with a Michelin-star chef to create a dining experience inspired by the fragrance’s notes, allowing guests to ‘taste’ the scent through carefully curated dishes.
Why it Works: ✔ Introduces the brand to new audiences through food influencers ✔ Enhances storytelling by connecting flavours with products ✔ Creates high-end, exclusive experiences that consumers aspire to
5. Branded Food Giveaways and Subscription Boxes
Many brands are using food as an incentive to drive engagement, offering free treats with purchases or launching subscription boxes that merge their products with exclusive snacks.
Example: A luxury skincare brand launched a ‘Wellness Box’ containing their best-selling moisturiser alongside organic teas and superfood snacks, reinforcing their holistic approach to beauty.
Why it Works: ✔ Encourages brand loyalty through added value ✔ Positions the brand within a lifestyle-focused narrative ✔ Enhances the overall customer experience
Final Thoughts: The Future of Food-Driven Marketing
As consumer expectations evolve, brands are using food to create memorable, shareable, and engaging marketing experiences. Whether through exclusive food collaborations, interactive pop-ups, or influencer-led dining experiences, the link between food and brand storytelling is stronger than ever.
Want to explore how your brand can tap into the power of food marketing? Contact Harrix to craft innovative campaigns that leave a lasting impression.
