As we wrap up 2025, we’re taking a moment to reflect on a year that reminded us why we do this work. From digital storytelling that generated thousands of heartfelt submissions to launching new products for Vermont’s most beloved brands, this year reinforced what we’ve always believed: the best marketing doesn’t just reach people, it resonates with them.

Numbers Reaching New Heights

This year, Hagan Marketing campaigns generated over 250 million impressions across digital, social, and traditional media channels. And behind those numbers are real connections: people discovering new products, sharing memories, planning trips, and engaging with brands they love.

Let’s dive into some of the work we’re most proud of from 2025.

 

Lawson’s Finest: Celebrating a Decade 

One of our favorite campaigns this year came from helping Lawson’s Finest Liquids celebrate their 10th anniversary. For their “Sip Down Memory Lane” campaign, we executed a digital strategy that invited beer lovers to share their most cherished Sip of Sunshine memories.

The response was overwhelming in the best way: 1,520 heartfelt story submissions from fans across the country. People shared first dates, backyard barbecues, mountain summits, and quiet moments on a porch. This campaign reminded us that the best brand stories aren’t the ones we tell—they’re the ones we help communities tell themselves.

Vermont Public: Rising to the Challenge

When Vermont Public faced an unexpected funding challenge this summer, we were there to help them navigate the transition. Supporting public media in Vermont isn’t just another client relationship for us. It’s about ensuring vital community resources continue to thrive. We’re proud to have helped them meet this moment with strategic campaigns that engaged their audience and reinforced the value they bring to Vermont communities.

Bag Balm: Reaching New Audiences

We helped Vermont’s Original Bag Balm launch a new selection of mini tins this year, including an exciting partnership with Wrangler and professional skier Paula Moltzan. Watching a 125-year-old Vermont brand connect with new audiences through strategic partnerships and fresh product formats has been incredibly rewarding. From ranchers to skiers, Bag Balm continues to prove that quality products transcend generations and markets. 

Vermont Creamery: New Looks, Bold Flavors

Vermont Creamery brought us two exciting challenges this year. First, we promoted their cultured butter packaging rebrand, helping position this premium product for both loyal customers and new audiences discovering artisan dairy. Then we supported their launch of Maple Chipotle Fresh Goat Cheese—a flavor that perfectly captures Vermont’s creativity in the specialty food space. Sweet, smoky, and distinctly Vermont. In 2026 expect to find Maple Chipotle Goat Cheese near you with expanded distribution coming in the new year.

Leahy BTV: Flying South

For Leahy BTV this year, we promoted the new Charleston route with Breeze Airways, partnering with Hello Burlington and Vermont Department of Tourism to flip the script and advertise Vermont’s appeal to the Charleston market. Instead of promoting Charleston as a destination for Vermonters, we showcased Vermont’s mountains, culture, and charm to southern travelers. This influx of interest led to additional Breeze destinations for Vermonters. The campaign reminded us that Vermont has stories worth sharing far beyond our borders.

 

Staying Ahead: Learning, Growing, Evolving

2025 was a year of significant platform shifts. Google introduced collapsible search ads and expanded AI Overviews, fundamentally changing how people interact with search results. We watched click-through rates shift, costs rise, and saw our understanding of culture, economics, and trends keep our clients ahead of the curve.

At Hagan, we stayed focused and dove in to stay ahead of these changes. We attended Adobe Summit, Pinterest Presents, Destination BTV, DataBricks AI Summit, and other industry events to ensure we continue to bring the latest insights and strategies to our clients. We published thought leadership on Q4 strategies in tight economies, navigating Google’s search redesign, and maintaining performance despite AI’s growing presence in search results and leaning into even more CTV. 

 

Team Moments Worth Celebrating

It wasn’t all conferences and campaigns. This summer, the Hagan team headed to Centennial Field for a Vermont Lake Monsters baseball game, and yes, we met Champ! (The mascot, not the legendary lake creature… though we’re keeping our eyes on Lake Champlain just in case.)

These moments remind us that while we take our work seriously, we don’t take ourselves too seriously. We’re a team that believes in supporting good businesses, enjoying Vermont summers, and celebrating the community we’re part of.

What Hasn’t Changed: Our Commitment to Our Clients

While platforms evolve and tactics shift, one thing remains constant: our commitment to helping brands grow and connect with their communities throughout the USA and beyond.

From Burlington International Airport to Lawson’s Finest Liquids, from Bag Balm to Vermont Creamery, from Vermont Public to the countless other brands we support, we’re proud to work with businesses that make a community special. As a certified partner with Meta, Reddit, Pinterest, Bing, Amazon, and Google, Hagan combines local Vermont roots with cutting-edge digital expertise to help brands build meaningful connections with their communities.

Being a woman-owned agency in Essex Junction means we’re not just working for our clients in Vermont, we’re part of the Vermont business community ourselves. That perspective shapes every campaign we create and every strategy we develop.

Thank You

To our clients who trust us with their brands, their budgets, and their big ideas, thank you! Your success is our success, and we don’t take that responsibility lightly.

To the business community, thank you for continuing to support our agency and marketing expertise. Whatever your business is, Hagan is here to do the right thing, challenge assumptions, and bring creative media solutions to your brand challenges.

And to everyone who engaged with our clients’ campaigns this year—whether you shared a Lawson’s memory, bought Vermont Creamery cheese, planned a trip through BTV, discovered Bag Balm for the first time, or supported Vermont Public… you’re the reason these brands thrive.

Here’s to a great 2025, and to even better stories in 2026.

Ready to make 2026 your best year yet? Let’s start the conversation. At Hagan Marketing, we help brands—big and small, established and emerging—reach the right people with strategies that actually work.