How Yahoo, Delta and Peanuts Turned Milestone Anniversaries Into Brand Revivals

Anniversaries may be difficult issues for manufacturers. They invite celebration, however in addition they whisper a warning: For those who’ve been round lengthy sufficient to mark a milestone, you’d higher show you continue to matter. This 12 months, Yahoo, Delta Airways, and Peanuts every confronted that second — and turned it into a chance to remind audiences about not simply the place they’ve been, however why they nonetheless belong.Throughout industries, entrepreneurs are discovering that nostalgia solely works when it seems ahead. Yahoo leaned into its thirtieth anniversary by positioning itself as a digital elder statesman reintroducing itself to Gen Z. Delta Airways used its blockbuster centennial 12 months to double down on emotional storytelling, tracing a century of flight whereas investing in new experiences that really feel decidedly next-gen. And Peanuts, whose characters are almost as outdated as industrial aviation itself, discovered new cultural foreign money via musical collaborations. Collectively, these campaigns present how heritage turned a launchpad for reinvention, as model leaders shared on stage at ADWEEK’s Brandweek 2025.Quirk meets tradition For its thirtieth anniversary, Yahoo needed to reintroduce itself to a brand new technology whereas staying true to its model DNA. That method got here to life in a 15-second Tremendous Bowl spot that includes Invoice Murray, the place viewers might e mail the actor immediately. The stunt sparked rapid engagement, driving lots of of hundreds to e mail Murray that night time, adopted by a shock halftime livestream that drew 2 million viewers, based on Yahoo chief communications officer Sona Iliffe-Moon.The advert in the end turned the fourth most-watched spot of the night on YouTube, surpassing 8 million views, based on Iliffe-Moon. “The key to being a sturdy model is absolutely being genuine and proudly owning your model DNA,” she stated. “For us, that meant bringing quirkiness, humor, and never taking ourselves too critically.”To remain related with youthful audiences, Yahoo has additionally embraced social media tendencies, partnering with creators and channels like TikTok’s On a regular basis Leaf, a preferred ASMR sequence that includes leaf crunching. By Yahoo Climate, the corporate tied its merchandise into trending content material, mixing utility with playful engagement.  A century of individuals and flightDelta Airways’ centennial celebration put the highlight on the individuals behind the model. Delta’s centennial security video exemplified the model’s method, concerning each decade all through the airline’s historical past whereas that includes precise staff. “We’re solely going to see Delta flip 100 as soon as, [and] that connects again to the authenticity that we’re a model about Delta individuals,” stated Gina Laughlin, vp of world model communications. The airline additionally marked the milestone with two plane sporting a particular silver-and-blue livery emblazoned with “100 years” on the fuselage. These shifting model billboards introduced the centennial celebration to each home and worldwide audiences.“We tried to ensure the 100-year brand and visible id have been in as many locations as we might, and an airplane is a very nice place to do it,” Laughlin stated, noting that the design was created by a Delta worker and executed with assist from Airbus and Delta’s personal mechanics. The anniversary branding prolonged to buses transporting staff and different contact factors, making certain the celebration was seen throughout the airline’s operations.Timeless humor, trendy platformsPeanuts marked its seventy fifth anniversary by leaning into the timelessness of Charles Schulz’s work whereas reaching trendy audiences. Over 50 years, Schulz drew almost 18,000 strips, creating an unlimited library of content material that naturally matches at present’s social media platforms.For the seventy fifth anniversary, Peanuts deliberately combined artwork from a number of eras to have fun its historical past in a manner followers might expertise throughout time.“After we provide you with completely different concepts of selling or exposing new audiences to Peanuts, we glance to the strip,” stated Melissa Menta, svp of world model and communications for Peanuts Worldwide. “Snoopy on all fours within the ’50s, after which he stands up, after which he begins to assume. For those who undergo the many years, he seems dramatically completely different.”Peanuts’ storytelling additionally adapts seamlessly to social media. By translating the four-panel strip format to trendy digital grids, Peanuts continues to satisfy audiences the place they’re, conserving the humor, coronary heart, and relatability of the unique comics alive for each longtime followers and new generations.“The sketch was social media earlier than its time,” Menta famous, “so we type of lucked out when issues like Instagram and TikTok began.”