13th March | Julia Pietro back

THE MAKING OF ‘THE NOTORIOUS P.I.E.’ WITH BROOKLYN BREWERY AND YARD SALE PIZZA

There are some projects that feel like a neat tick on a to-do list. And then there are the ones that quietly tap into your own history, take over your calendar, your camera roll, your group chats, and remind you why you wanted to work in culture-making in the first place. The Notorious P.I.E. was firmly the second for me. What started as early conversations around how we could inject Brooklyn Brewery into London’s foodie scene beyond the beer slowly evolved into a full-scale collaboration between Brooklyn Brewery UK and Yard Sale Pizza, London’s ultimate delivery pizza joint. A project that went much further than a limited-edition product: we created a genuinely multi-layered campaign that lived across food, drink, social, PR, events and culture. Here’s what went down from my POV, as a Senior Account Executive working on the project.

FROM BROOKLYN TO LONDON (WITH A DETOUR THROUGH NEW JERSEY)

You can’t talk pizza and me without talking about the four years I spent in New Jersey for university. Most weekends were split between Brooklyn and Manhattan, and almost always ended with pizza. If you know, you know. Every proper NYC pizza shop has that little shaker set on the counter: oregano, chilli flakes, parmesan, garlic powder. So when flavour conversations began with Garrett Oliver, Brooklyn Brewery’s Brewmaster, and the Yard Sale team, that familiar reference naturally came up. Not as something new to invent, but as something deeply ingrained in New York’s pizza culture. Garrett immediately connected with it, and it became part of a broader discussion about how to ground the pizza in something authentic, recognisable and unmistakably Brooklyn. From there, the flavours took shape quickly. Inspired by classic vodka sauce, the base brought rich, saucy depth, layered with fior di latte mozzarella and bold chorizo, then finished with fresh basil and that essential NYC sprinkle of parmesan, oregano and chilli flakes. A veggie version sat alongside it, using the same vodka-style base and seasoning, topped with romano and peppadew peppers inspired by the kind Garrett grows in his own garden. Both pizzas felt like a genuine mash-up of London and New York, shaped by Garrett’s favourite flavour cues and built to be eaten with a crisp, flavourful Brooklyn Brewery beer in hand. I was lucky enough to be in the room for initial tastings too, watching an idea move from conversation to actual slice crafted by Yard Sale Pizza’s head chef and pizzaiolo Paolo. There’s something surreal about that moment, when something abstract suddenly becomes very real, and absurdly delicious.

NAMING IT INTO CULTURE

Then came the name. Brooklyn calls pizza a “pie”. Brooklyn gave the world Biggie. And suddenly ‘The Notorious P.I.E.’ gained life thanks to Georgia, our Associate Creative Director. The name unlocked everything else. The pizza box became a statement piece beyond packaging: the design nodded to Brooklyn’s cinematic history, traditional slice shops and the iconic Brooklyn Bridge I’d walked across many times, romanticising life as does every 20-something in New York City. Every touchpoint felt intentional and rooted in the borough’s influence. It was about letting Brooklyn Brewery exist naturally in a space it already belonged.

ON THE GROUND: SHOOTS, SLICES AND SOCIAL

This campaign was always designed to live beyond the feed. We were on the ground for promo shoots, tastings, and the launch moment itself. A proper pizza party at Howl at the Moon. Suddenly I was handing out free slices and tokens for cold beers, and slowly what started a quiet evening at the pub became a packed bar with queues outside, despite the rain (it’s London after-all). The kind of atmosphere that reminds you why you do this in the first place. That night became a content engine. Vox pops with Snake Denton, people genuinely excited to be there, pizza boxes, pints – and pub dogs – popping up across Instagram Stories before we’d even wrapped. It set the tone for everything that followed. Influencers creating buzz on social with over 80% of gifted creators posting content organically. One social collab alone, with London meme powerhouse Socks House Meeting, reached over 1.7 million people, showing just how far the story travelled. From there, the collaboration rolled out seamlessly. Influencer gifting, a pizza-making and beer-tasting masterclass hosted by Yard Sale Pizza with Garrett Oliver in London, and a PR sell-in that helped the story travel further. Social collabs, meme-led content, lo-fi clips and higher-production storytelling all worked together to bring the partnership to life. Each element fed into the next, creating a natural synergy between Brooklyn Brewery and Yard Sale Pizza. The Brooklyn Brewery bundle quickly became a Yard Sale Pizza best-seller – with The Notorious P.I.E. exceeding sales expectations and becoming a collab to remember.

WHAT THIS KIND OF WORK REALLY TAKES

I think The Notorious P.I.E. worked because it respected the ecosystem it entered. Food culture, social culture, London’s pizza scene and Brooklyn’s heritage. It showed up in a way that felt natural. But for me, it was more than a strong campaign. It felt full circle. Hearing Garrett talk about flavours of home while thinking about my own years between New Jersey and Brooklyn, with evenings fuelled by Brooklyn beers (my favourite was always the Bel Air Sour). Watching people queue in the rain for pints, and slices we’d helped bring to life. That’s the part I’m proudest of. Not just the reach or the sell-out bundles, but the real-life moments, people holding a slice, sipping a pint, laughing with friends. It reminds us that what we do is striving to build something that belongs. And this one genuinely did. This collaboration started as an idea and ended with real people holding and tasting authentically delicious products and asking when it would be back. That’s always the goal. Want to bring your brand to life with memorable campaigns? Give us a shout.

20th February | Simon Mowbray back

LFH AND HFSS ADVERTISING RULES – THE TRADE MEDIA OPPORTUNITY FOR BRAND OWNERS

The UK’s advertising restrictions on ‘less healthy foods’ (LHF) are no longer theoretical. Since January 2026, the rules governing how less healthy food and drink (formerly referred to as products that are high in fat, sugar or salt (HFSS)) can be promoted online have fundamentally changed the advertising landscape. Much of the early attention has focused on consumer-facing channels. But now, with the rules embedded into day-to-day practice, a more strategic question is front of mind for food and drink brand owners in the trade advertising space: what does effective trade advertising look like in a post-HFSS ban world, what’s allowed, and how can brands find a competitive advantage? For many organisations, the first couple of months of enforcement have triggered a reassessment of long-established – and often bad – trade marketing habits. Product-led tactics that have traditionally dominated digital trade media — hero pack shots, launch banners and promotional call-outs — now require careful handling or are no longer suitable in open-access environments. Yet, as we explored in Beyond the Ban: Finding the Opportunity in LFS & HFSS Guidelines, regulation does not remove the opportunity to advertise. Instead, it reshapes it, creating the conditions for stronger, more disciplined and more strategic brand building.  

WHAT HAS CHANGED — AND WHAT HASN’T?

Since January 2026, paid online advertising of identifiable LHF/HFSS products has been restricted in open-access digital environments. Print trade media remains unaffected, and fully verified B2B channels — such as logged-in newsletters and targeted mailshots — continue to allow identifiable product promotion where robust audience verification is in place. Crucially, the legislation is centred on product identifiability in the digital space where consumers may potentially still roam, but does not include a ban on brand visibility. As in the consumer space, this distinction has become one of the most important strategic levers available to advertisers. In other words, brands are not being pushed out of digital trade media; they are being challenged to show up differently. Corporate branding, masterbrand assets, range-level messaging and non-product-specific creative remain permitted – and, when executed well, will be highly effective.  

A LONG-OVERDUE REBALANCING IN TRADE ADVERTISING

For years, trade advertising leaned heavily towards short-term activation. New product. New pack. New message. Repeat. But while this approach may have delivered immediacy, it arguably also made many brands overly reliant on tactical product visibility to generate recall and impact. By contrast, the new regulations are forcing a rebalancing, and the brands that adapt most successfully will be those that invest in brand meaning, consistency and distinctiveness — qualities that will continue to work even when products themselves are not front and centre. Indeed, there is a clear parallel with the consumer advertising landscape. As LHF/HFSS restrictions tighten, there is an opportunity for brands to invest in distinctive brand assets, tone of voice and long-term storytelling rather than retreating from visibility. Transitioning display activity towards category growth narratives will win out, offering the opportunity to use bold brand assets alongside messaging about shopper missions, merchandising support and rate-of-sale performance to direct trade buyers. Add in a call to action to click through to verified environments for product detail, and trade advertising could finally (and consistently) offer the discipline that has so often been lacking in trade communications… creating genuine and compelling calls to action through owned landing pages that genuinely inspire audiences to engage and interact.

THE REAL BARRIERS: MINDSET, CREATIVITY AND CONFIDENCE

Where brands struggle under the new rules, the issue is unlikely to be down to following the new regulations alone. More often, it will be a reluctance or uncertainty on how to move beyond familiar, product-first habits. Brand-led trade advertising requires creative confidence and discipline. Distinctive brand assets must do more of the work. Messaging must be sharper and more purposeful. And internal teams — from marketing to legal to sales — must align earlier in the process, with compliance considerations embedded from the outset rather than treated as a final-stage check. The brands that will perform best will be those that view LHF and HFSS advertising regulation not as a limitation, but as a catalyst to raise the overall quality of their trade communication.

WHAT GOOD TRADE ADVERTISING SHOULD NOW LOOK LIKE

In the post-HFSS trade environment, effectiveness will be less about what you show and more about what you signal. The strongest campaigns will communicate commercial value clearly, without relying on identifiable product imagery. Examples of effective approaches are likely to include:
– Brand-led digital display advertising that uses distinctive colour, typography and logo assets to maintain high visibility, paired with messaging focused on category leadership, growth potential or shopper demand.
– Sponsored thought-leadership content in trade media exploring themes such as reformulation, responding to regulation, supply chain resilience or emerging consumption occasions — positioning the brand as a credible and forward-thinking partner.
– Event and awards sponsorships that place brands at the centre of industry moments, reinforcing scale, stability and commitment to the sector even in the absence of product imagery.
– Integrated trade campaigns that combine open-access brand advertising with targeted, verified B2B activations — such as newsletters or mailshots — where product-level communication is both permitted and contextually relevant. One particularly strong opportunity will be how brand-led advertising can be used to drive traffic to brand-owned trade platforms – something that should previously have been a no brainer, but which was often found sadly lacking in many B2B campaigns. Contrast that with this pre-LHF advertising ban campaign in the convenience retail channel to support McVitite’s and Jacob’s owner pladis’ new Better Biscuits platform, where compelling digital advertising linked through to something genuinely tangible and useful for the reader… Following examples like this will allow brands to remain compliant in open environments while still providing buyers with access to full product ranges, commercial tools and the sales support on offer behind the click. And the best thing is that now, more than ever, digital trade audiences are going to be seeking such information, because the product detail they’re used to seeing in many trade adverts will no longer be there.

SO WHO WILL WIN UNDER THE NEW LHF/HFSS RULES?

A clear pattern is likely to start emerging. The winners will not necessarily be the biggest spenders, but the brands that:
– Invest consistently in trade brand equity
– Understand the nuances of different trade environments and audiences
– Balance long-term salience with short-term activation
– Act early, testing and refining approaches rather than reacting under pressure Over time, these brands will build stronger mental availability with buyers — a critical advantage when listing, ranging and promotional decisions are made.

WHY SPECIALIST TRADE EXPERTISE NOW MATTERS MORE THAN EVER

Navigating LHF and HFSS regulation successfully is going to be about far more than compliance. It will be about effectiveness, confidence and commercial impact, and this is where agencies with specialist trade knowledge like R&T can play a critical role. By combining regulatory fluency with a deep understanding of trade audiences and media environments, R&T helps brands to grow their reputation and voice within the trade universe, developing campaigns that remain compliant across open-access channels, while still speaking the language of retailers and decision-makers. LFH/HFSS regulation may have changed the rules of the game, but it has also clarified what great trade advertising can look like when done well: strategic, brand-led, commercially relevant and creatively confident. The brands that embrace this shift now will be the ones that continue to lead trade conversations long after the regulation itself fades into the background. Navigating compliance is one thing. Making trade advertising work harder under the new rules is another. If you’re reassessing your approach, and would like to chat, get in touch.

27th November | Georgia Andrewes back

Social media: It’s not enough to just be there

A long time ago social media brand marketing was about presence. AKA have a profile, post sometimes, ride the trends. Today? Well, if your brand still treats social as a checkbox activity, you’ll get drowned in the noise. It’s no longer about presence. It’s about making a presence. At R&T, after developing our strategy we look at what conversations our clients can lead, the ones they can authentically join, and what kind of content people want to see from them. Authentic content that shows who they are, what they stand for and who they’re for. Not just what they sell. From this, we’re constantly testing and evolving. What works one day might not the next but staying authentic matters just as much as staying agile. It’s about learning and adapting without jumping from one idea to another for the sake of it.

Lead or join? Decide your lane

You can’t be everywhere and about everything. That leads to mushy, forgettable social media. Instead, it’s about choosing the conversations that fit. Sustainability, creativity, self-care, music, or whatever you stand for. That focus keeps your story clear, while leaving room to evolve as culture and conversations shift. Then, within that space, decide where you join in and where you lead. Join when it makes sense, when a trend or cultural conversation naturally aligns with your brand’s tone and values. Lead when you’ve got something fresh to say. AKA your own ideas, campaigns or perspectives that others will want to follow. The balance between the two is where brands thrive. Grounded in their identity, yet always part of the wider conversation.

Content that fits their life, not intrudes

Being part of your audience’s lifestyle means your content sits next to their personal posts, not standing completely apart. You want things they scroll past and share with a friend, not think “oh there’s an ad.” Let your brand sound like a human, not a billboard. Try mixing formats and thinking “what do they want to see”. Maybe it’s behind the scenes, humour, questions, even moments of imperfection. At R&T, we’re lucky to work with brands that trust our approach and give us room to experiment. Take Brooklyn Brewery UK, we’ve been managing their social channels for the past three years, and every year, or even month, has felt new with constant evolution and fresh ways to connect. This year, two standout moments were our Glastonbury and Yard Sale Pizza collaborations, both chances to mix up content, tell unique stories, and go big on creators, influencers, and cultural trends. And it paid off. We saw engagement rise an average of 9% during the one-month Yard Sale partnership and a 12% average during our three-month Glastonbury campaign. For Rustlers, we’ve spent the past year redefining their social presence. Developing a distinctive tone of voice that matches their brand personality and testing how different styles perform across platforms. The result? An average engagement rate of 12.4%, plus a surge in community interaction driven by a passionate fanbase. And these were campaigns optimised for reach yet achieving well above industry average (0.12% via Rival HQ).

Don’t just trend hop. Trend with purpose

Yes, social media trends are tempting. A viral sound, a dance, a cheeky audio clip. If you jump too broadly, you’re stepping back to the days of the sea of generic posts saying, “Happy Friday, enjoy your weekend with our product” or the dread day of the year posts, cough cough World Friendship Day anyone… That kind of content kills distinctiveness and doesn’t really say anything. Trends should be used when there’s a clever match to your brand. Twist it, subvert it, inject your voice. Don’t copy it. Otherwise, you contribute to the “everyone looks the same” problem.

Evolve, don’t imitate

We talk about “standing out to fit in” but often brands play it safe instead of testing what might actually work. The truth? Playing safe rarely gets noticed. And that’s not going to help with building a brand on social media. Take Loewe. Most luxury brands assume that showing up on social means clinging tightly to their polished tone of voice and picture-perfect editorial visuals. Loewe flipped that idea on its head. They’ve struck a balance between their signature, high-fashion aesthetic and content that’s unexpected and meme like. They’ll poke fun at themselves, share BTS snippets, or riff on trends. All while keeping their craftsmanship front and centre. The result? Well, Loewe hasn’t lost its premium edge. If anything, they feel more alive, more culturally relevant, and they meet younger audiences where they are without cheapening their identity. And then there’s KFC. The UK channels have made a conscious pivot to win over Gen Z, and they’re definitely not doing it with stylised food shots. Instead, they’ve leaned into partnerships with unexpected creators and embraced the chaotic, tongue-in-cheek “Gen Z brain rot” style that dominates feeds. Sure, some of it looks silly at first glance, but that’s exactly why it works. It mirrors the way younger audiences consume and create content online. By stepping outside their comfort zone, tapping into trends with personality, and letting individuality shine, KFC is pulling in wild engagement rates. More importantly, they’re showing that even a heritage fast-food brand can stay relevant by experimenting boldly and collaborating beyond the food niche. Both brands prove the same point. You don’t need to abandon your brand identity when you loosen up. You evolve it.

Don’t get comfortable

Even by the time you finish reading this blog, odds are new formats, aesthetics, sounds are emerging. Although I’ll still forever be stuck on “me as a baby” TikTok… That being said, what worked last week might already have aged. Social media doesn’t wait. At R&T, our approach is simple (but not easy), build your foundational brand strategy, your lane, your voice, your content pillars, but always stay fluid. Test new content alongside your core business as usual style posts. Essentially new formats, new voices, new creators, new styles alongside what’s currently working. And if something lands, that becomes the new “business as usual”. If it doesn’t, well, it’s time to move on and try something else. We don’t just accept that change is constant. We lean into it. Because social media doesn’t reward those who sit still, it rewards those willing to test, tweak, and try again.