Spark Results: Client Wins to Inspire 2026 Marketing Moves

2025 was a year of creativity, collaboration, and work that moved the needle. Discover our curated inspo list for some of the best marketing campaigns and projects—four innovative campaign concepts that sparked imagination across our team—and results for our clients.

Keep reading to ignite ideas for your next marketing move in 2026.

Top-Performing Paid Social Campaign: Data That Drove ROAS

The Project: South Moon Under Meta Advertising

South Moon Under, an established apparel and lifestyle company with 27 brick-and-mortar shops and a robust online store, faced a familiar challenge: a reduced online ad budget paired with rising expectations for return on ad spend (ROAS). Rather than pull back, the brand doubled down on a smarter strategy, shifting from promotional-only messaging to dynamic product-led Meta sales campaigns grounded in seasonality and shopper behavior. To support the shift, they partnered with Ironmark to restructure and refine their approach.

Catalog ads became the engine. By organizing seasonal, evergreen, and high-priced merchandise into distinct product sets, South Moon Under was able to serve more relevant, varied ads to a wider online shopping audience without increasing spend. The brand also streamlined audience segmentation and strategically integrated lookalike audiences to enhance performance.

The Results: Strategy Fueled Better Returns

South Moon Under proved that the right structure can outperform even the biggest ad budgets. Geographically-focused campaigns around key store locations and retargeting efforts maximized established market engagement, while broader parameter campaigns and limited geographic constraints opened new customer segments. By letting the data guide targeting, they consolidated the budget so it could be allocated more efficiently toward high-performing ad sets.

The payoff was immediate. Even with a smaller budget, website purchase conversions remained high. As Social Media Strategist Nicole Clyde notes, “In the first quarter following Ironmark’s takeover of South Moon Under’s paid social campaigns, performance improved dramatically. Despite operating with a 67% reduced budget compared to the previous year, ROAS increased by 62%, online purchases doubled, and website purchase conversion value grew by 112%.” So, whether you’re working with a streamlined budget or scaling aggressively, strategic optimization is non-negotiable. The brands that win in 2026 will be the ones that let the numbers lead their strategy.

Smartest Brand Evolution: An Evergreen Identity for an Ever-growing Association

The Project: Financial Planning Association (FPA) Rebrand

FPA—the largest financial planners association, which serves members across experience levels—needed more than a refresh; they needed a brand that would endure. Their previous rebrand was heavy on trends but lacked staying power, especially across their four flagship events: Gather, Summit, Shift, and Lead. Our team reimagined everything: naming, identity systems, color palettes, websites, and social assets. The goal? An energetic, youthful feeling that was fresh but not fleeting.

The Results: A Brand Ready for What’s Next

While the full rollout is still underway, the process has been remarkably smooth. With clarity, alignment, and clear communication, the new identity is resonating—and ready for its next phase, from banners to trade show materials to event collateral. The team lead notes, “The challenge was to make these events feel like big conferences with new names and branding; it needed to still feel like their current brand but be executed in a different way. It went very well, and we are excited for the next phase.” As they look to the future, this ever-growing association’s branding will stay evergreen. And as you plan for 2026, let this be your reminder: trends come and go, but strong identity sticks.

Most Impactful Brand System Expansion: From Digital Vision to Cohesive Event Presence

The Project: Seekr eBook Series & Event Assets

In a moment where AI brands are everywhere—and differentiation is everything—Seekr set out to create a unified government brand that reflected the sophistication of its visionary AI solutions. As a startup developing secure and accurate AI solutions for enterprises and government agencies, the brand required materials that communicate trust and transparency with immediacy across every touchpoint. With the AI landscape growing louder by the minute, Seekr knew its identity had to stand out with substance, not volume—online and in-person.

To build a foundation that could scale, Seekr expanded its digital-first identity by investing in a polished collection of eBooks designed to make complex AI concepts feel clear, credible, and accessible. Seven full-length eBooks now support sales, education, and on-site conversations—each one carrying the sleek, transparent aesthetic behind Seekr’s flagship product, the SeekrFlow™ enterprise AI platform.

As Seekr prepared for an ambitious 2026 event and integrated marketing strategy targeting government, with more than ten exhibitions on the horizon, the brand took the next step. They extended their digital identity into the physical world. Ironmark aligned messaging, visual direction, and interactive materials with their existing booth environment to ensure the brand’s sleek new brand identity carried seamlessly into their storefront presence, promotional items, and event presence. A streamlined operational plan now supports Seekr’s tradeshow and exhibition cadence, giving the team a repeatable system for logistics, asset organization, and on-site readiness.

The Results: Consistency That Built Credibility

With a unified digital and physical brand presence, Seekr has elevated its reputation in the crowded, high-stakes AI marketplace. The refined eBook ecosystem, cohesive event materials, and streamlined operational strategy position the brand to engage potential customers with confidence at every touchpoint. Seekr is proving that when a strong brand system is executed with precision across channels, it fuels understanding, trust, and momentum. In an AI-driven world, clarity and cohesion aren’t optional—they’re differentiators—with big impact.

Related: Go Omnichannel with the Right Channels

Best Branded Promo Item: Completely Capturing the Theme

The Project: Bullis Branded Gift 

Bullis, a private K-12 college prep school, was preparing to debut its stunning brand-new Lower School. The space featured a movement room, art studio, science lab, sprawling garden access, and even a million-dollar playground—and the team needed a donor gift that felt just as imaginative as the event (and the space) itself. Centered around the theme of “childhood,” the reception welcomed major donors, board members, and key stakeholders to explore the three-story facility funded through the “Elevating Excellence” campaign. They set out to create a branded gift that was meaningful, memorable, and absolutely not another thank-you card in a tote bag.

The Results: Turning Gratitude Into an Experience

Remember the View-Master from when you were a kid? So did Communications Specialist at Bullis, Koryn Kennedy. She found a custom viewfinder that was perfect for the moment; instead of standard swag, attendees received a playful, nostalgic item that invited them to literally look back on the school’s journey—seven images total, tracing a visual history of the school. Talk about a creative advertising example.

Ironmark helped Bullis brand the viewfinders, giving top donors (about 100 guests) a keepsake that blended history, storytelling, and childlike wonder. She explains, “We do a lot of discovery learning and experiential learning, with an emphasis on doing as well as traditional academics. So having something fun like that is very on brand.” The donor buzz said it all. The viewfinders brought the event to a vivid life and made the appreciation unmistakable.

Related: The Five Best Mashups for Your Next Marketing Campaign

What These Campaigns Tell Us About 2026

There’s a lot to look forward to! Across paid media, brand environments, identity systems, and rebrands, one theme is clear: the best work blends creativity with strategy and integrates teams, platforms, and channels. These are innovative campaign concepts you can apply in your own work. And as we look to 2026, the future of advertising is clear—purposeful, collaborative, and measurable work always wins the day. Let’s make this year yours and turn these sparks into the fire that fuels your next big win. 
 
Let’s Spark an Idea