LinkedIn looks different now, and it’s refreshing!

If you still think it’s just job switches and corporate gyaan, you probably missed what May looked like. Because brands showed up. Loud, smart, emotional, in ways you don’t usually expect from LinkedIn. And quietly, more marketers started watching. Rethinking. Taking this platform a little more seriously.

Now, this isn’t just a list of who posted what. Think of it more like a peek behind the curtain — how D2C brands, fintech players, even the B2B folks are reworking their playbooks. From when to show up, to what kind of stories to tell, to the influencers they pick.

Some campaigns made people feel something. Some made us stop scrolling. Some missed the mark, but even those had lessons.

If you’re planning a campaign, chasing new ideas, or just trying to convince your team that LinkedIn’s worth their attention, this one’s for you.

Let’s jump in.

👀 Brands that did LinkedIn influencer marketing for the first time

Vodafone
A beautiful reel from the MahaKumbh, they printed loved ones’ phone numbers on rudraksh bracelets to help the lost get found.

Hook line? “Send this to Cannes.” It worked. Watch here…..

Lays
Soil testing labs in UP and WB. Why? Because great chips start with great soil. Beautiful storytelling. A solid move to promote sustainable sourcing. See it here

Innovist
Free ‘drink for your skin’ with your café beverage. Unexpected collab. Quirky enough to spark curiosity. May drive more café traffic than skincare, though. Hmm. See it here

Sleepycat
That ad reel alone was a win. Enough said. Go watch it if you haven’t. See it here

Razorpay
Launched with intrigue, teased the audience, and then unveiled a tribute campaign to founders, full-sized posters, reshares, storytelling.

Who said B2B is boring? See it here

Philips
Offline launch of their AI-powered razor. But it wasn’t just a launch, it was a full-on street campaign that turned heads. See it here

Danube Properties

OOH storytelling done right. They placed their billboard next to other brands' billboards, where they could use word play and get their message across. Smart. See it here

HyFun
On International Burger Day (yes, that’s a thing), they proudly reminded everyone that their patties, proudly Indian, power the world's favourite burger joints. See it here

Glance AI
What a product. The campaign is unfolding as I write this, but what. a. product.🫡
See it to believe it. See it here

Kredit.pe
A long-running, well-paced campaign promoting 2% UPI cashback on credit card spends. Influencers shared everyday finance stories, spaced well across May. See it here

Masai
Traditionally, on Instagram, they tested LinkedIn waters to promote their IIT Hyderabad collab and ₹99 test. Curious to see if they continue. See it here

Ajio
Back after a long break with their Big Bold Sale. And a bold ad reel to match. See it here

Truebasics
Quiet, clean, and authentic. Influencers shared personal stories around fitness, supplements, and routines. No drama. Just honesty. See it here

topmate
Not entirely new, but they came back after a long time and how — partnering with nano and micro influencers, showcasing multiple services, their digital products, and supporting a cause (#KnowledgeForACause in partnership with Punjab Govt). See it here

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The Regulars: Brands That Keep Coming Back

Bosscoder, Preplaced, HeyCoach
Ever-present. Consistent. You almost expect to see them on your feed now, every day.

Adani
Back again. Low-key but consistent across months. Building brand recall slowly. See it here

Snabbit
Fresh off a fundraiser, they launched a heartfelt campaign on trust and loyalty. Their simple post made some rounds, gaining attention. Take a look

Magicpin
From “Up for 69?” to “Burn Your Clothes” to saluting Operation Sindoor, Magicpin did everything, all at once. From edgy to wholesome to... maybe too much... Can’t tell if it’s chaos or genius. See it here

Instamart
A sweet Mother’s Day campaign - Add yourself to the cart. Resonated well with people. See it here

Flipkart
Zombie-themed "Wait Syndrome" campaign. Nice blend of offline and online strategy. See it here

Lenskart
Free lens replacement campaign. Influencers posted selfies from the store. That small detail made it more believable. See it here

Lovely Professional University
Inviting influencers to campus, yes. But also now doing straight-up admissions campaigns. Feels like a serious LinkedIn push. See it here

Stable Money
They’re onto something. Engaging nano influencers, trying out a creator program. And now we’re hearing other fintechs (and competitors) want to do the same. Hmm. 👀 See it here

Galaxy.ai
Active since April. But here’s the thing — they used the same copy across all influencers. Same design, same caption structure. A unique Hook + rehook made it seem different, but it's not. Makes us wonder: where’s the ROI?

See for yourself - Post 1 and Post 2.

Zouk
Busy month for them. From IPL ads to Kriti Sanon & CGI, they went big. They went big. The content was beautiful. But the messaging? A bit unclear. See it here

Deconstruct
They ran with their “Skincare Internship” idea. They brought back influencers from a previous campaign and had them announce the winners of the internship. It felt like a full circle. Smart loop. See it here

YesMadam
Clever office humor + skincare = viral content. Promoting Korean Hydra facials with flair. See it here

StockGro
Slow start. Big finish. Their #redenvelopesociety rollout got people curious and talking. See it here

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What May Taught Us About Marketing on LinkedIn

If there’s one thing that stood out from all these campaigns, it’s this: LinkedIn is no longer a platform where brand presence alone is enough. The brands that stood out weren’t the loudest, they were the ones that understood the platform’s rhythm.

They adapted campaigns for context, not just reach.
They picked the right creators, not the biggest ones.
And they told stories that made people stop — not scroll past.

We saw B2B brands like Razorpay lean into emotional storytelling.
Consumer brands like SleepyCat and Lays used LinkedIn to push surprising formats.
And early-stage companies ran smart experiments with creators, sometimes with just one strong post.

For marketers, this month was a reminder:
The bar is getting higher. Attention is shifting.
And the gap between doing LinkedIn marketing vs. doing it well is growing.

If you’re planning your next campaign, look beyond what went viral.
Look at what sparked conversation. What felt real. What made you pause.

Because that’s what this feed rewards now.

And if May looked like a turning point… it probably was.