Team black or team green?<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n Earlier this year, HBO launched an incredibly moving ad for the new season of its hit series \u201cHouse of the Dragon.\u201d It featured pictures of House of the Dragon banners in renowned landmarks globally, including The New York Stock Exchange.<\/p>\n Each spot vowed allegiance to a team or \u201chouse\u201d in the series.<\/p>\n\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n The ads and buzz around the series made me go check out the show (all hail Queen Rhaenyra!). That got me thinking about ads and their impact, which eventually led me to wonder, \u201cWhat is the best ad of all time?\u201d<\/p>\n Now, it was a little difficult for me to come up with just one \u201cbest\u201d advertisement of all time \u2014 which is why there are 23 in this post instead. Let\u2019s dive in.<\/p>\n Table of Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n Impactful Advertising Across the Ages<\/a> <\/a> <\/p>\n But why are these some of the best ads of all time?<\/p>\n Because of the impact they had on brand growth and how they hit on some universal truth that makes them memorable. In fact, some of us might not have even been alive when these campaigns first aired.<\/p>\n Two of the biggest challenges in advertising are measuring the value of the advertisement and ensuring it resonates with the right people.<\/p>\n Reaching everyone your desired customers can be tough. Your target audience are dispersed across so many different channels. Plus, the vast volume of competing ads makes it hard to stand out and make an impact on your audience.<\/p>\n As the nature of advertising evolves, it\u2019s important that you do too. People can advertise anywhere, and today\u2019s best type of ad might not be the best type tomorrow.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n As you can imagine, there are many types of advertisements<\/a> \u2014 all of which run in different mediums, on different channels, and have different goals in mind for their business. Let\u2019s see the most common ads marketers should know.<\/p>\n The first print ad ran in England in 1472, according to Infolinks<\/a>. Since then, this type of advertising has become unavoidable.<\/p>\n Print ads have run in newspapers, magazines, brochures, billboards, and flyers. In this method, the advertiser pays the publisher to place their ad in the publication.<\/p>\n Direct mail involves creating and distributing printed materials to a targeted mailing list. These materials can include postcards, catalogs, brochures, letters, and promotional offers.<\/p>\n This method was first discovered in 1835 when the American Anti-Slavery Society (AAS) mailed print materials to southern religious and civic leaders.<\/p>\n Soon after, direct mail became a common advertising method used by businesses to raise awareness for their brand.<\/p>\n Direct mail<\/a> is a tactic that should be thoughtfully deployed. I\u2019ve received more than my fair share of junk mail that ends up directly in the trash.<\/p>\n However, I\u2019ve noticed if local businesses contact me, service providers for my home reach out, or my favorite brands send coupons, I\u2019ll keep them.<\/p>\n United States radio stations launched their first commercial broadcasts in 1920.<\/p>\n And while we might all drive around with our iPhones plugged in for music these days, don’t let that fool you.<\/p>\n Radio is still a viable marketing and advertising platform today for expanding the reach of sponsored events and new products.<\/p>\n In this ad method, the advertiser pays the radio station to play their ad during designated breaks between music or a radio show.<\/p>\n Television ads originated in the 1940s with the promotion of practical items and political campaigns. Advertisers can now use television to promote food, toys, stores, business services, and more \u2014 both to local TV channels and to national broadcast networks.<\/p>\n In this ad method, the advertiser pays the TV network to show their ad during designated breaks in the network’s regular programming.<\/p>\n Internet advertising took root in the mid-1990s with the launch of \u201cbanner\u201d advertisements for various telecommunications companies.<\/p>\n Marketers place these ads in interstitial spots on a webpage. Basically, advertisers pay the website owner to place their ads in exposed spaces peripheral to the website’s own content.<\/p>\n But that\u2019s just the tip of the iceberg. Internet advertising has gone on to include video, search engine marketing, and more.<\/p>\n Social media advertising<\/a> is a form of internet advertising that emerged with the introduction of social media in the 2000s.<\/p>\n In this ad method, advertisers promote products, services, or content through paid ads on social media platforms. That includes Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and TikTok.<\/p>\n There are also many different ad formats to choose from when advertising on social media, such as image ads, video ads, carousel ads, sponsored posts, and more.<\/p>\n Since the early 2000s, mobile advertising<\/a> has been a popular method due to the widespread use of cell phones and the amount of time people spend on them.<\/p>\n It involves delivering promotional messages or advertisements through text messages, mobile apps, mobile websites, and push notifications.<\/p>\n With this method, advertisers can leverage data and create highly personalized ads based on location, behavior, and user interests.<\/p>\n Podcast advertising gained popularity in the mid-2000s with the introduction of MP3 players, such as iPods, which made it easier for users to download and listen to podcasts on the go.<\/p>\n Similar to radio advertising, podcast advertising<\/a> is where advertisers pay podcast owners to promote their product or service through sponsorship or ad spots in podcasts.<\/p>\n These ads can be inserted before, during, or after a podcast episode.<\/p>\n In essence, the advertising types listed above have evolved dramatically since their inception. What was once quite one-dimensional messages now carry clever, funny, or profound undertones that make the ads memorable for years to come.<\/p>\n After reading Jennette McCurdy\u2019s memoir about her life as a child star, I tuned into her podcast \u201cHard Feelings.\u201d The ad breaks in her show were witty, showcasing her personality.<\/p>\n In one, she takes a bite out of a Hello Fresh lettuce wrap, and you can hear the crunch. Memorable, indeed!<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n No matter which method of advertising you use, one thing remains true: The best advertisements capture the attention of consumers right from the start.<\/p>\n I asked 10 advertising and marketing professionals what makes an ad stand out to them. This is what they said.<\/p>\n \u201cMemorable ads stick in your mind often due to consistent branding. When everything from the colors to the messaging aligns seamlessly, it builds a strong identity. This familiarity breeds trust and recognition,\u201d says Cesar Cobo<\/a>, chief operating officer at Webris.<\/p>\n Clear messaging ensures that your audience understands what you\u2019re trying to communicate with them. Without clarity, consumers may misinterpret or fail to grasp the main point of your ad, leading to confusion and a loss of impact.<\/p>\n Beyond that, \u201cA consistent brand message across all platforms ensures that your audience can easily recall who you are, even amidst a sea of competitors. Craft a bold and clear message that cuts through the noise,\u201d Cobo notes.<\/p>\n As consumers are constantly bombarded with advertisements, simple and straightforward messaging can also help your brand cut through the noise and grasp their attention.<\/p>\n \u201cThe most impactful ads don’t just sell a product \u2014 they tell a story that resonates with the viewer. An ad that can genuinely make you laugh, touch your heart, or inspire you in some way has a much better chance of sticking in your mind,\u201d says Will Yang<\/a>, head of growth and marketing at Instrumentl.<\/p>\n I wholeheartedly agree. Extra Gum made one of my all-time favorite commercials.<\/p>\n In it, a dad folds paper cranes out of gum wrappers for his daughter as she grows up. Before she moves away to college, he finds that she\u2019s saved all of the origami cranes he\u2019s made her. Just thinking about the ad makes me tear up.<\/a><\/p>\n Storytelling is essential in advertising because it allows you to connect with your audience on a deeper level.<\/p>\n A well-told story has the potential to hold your audience\u2019s interest for longer, increasing the chances of delivering your message more effectively.<\/p>\n Telling a story can also help you differentiate your brand from competitors. By sharing unique stories that reflect your brand\u2019s values or mission, you can establish a distinct brand identity and develop a loyal customer base.<\/p>\n “At the end of the day, people don’t buy products; they buy stories,\u201d Yang reminds.<\/p>\n Emotions are a fundamental part of the human experience. I get emotional when my favorite character in a show cries or when I order takeout that isn\u2019t as good as I thought it would be.<\/p>\n When advertisements appeal to emotions, they tap into universal feelings, such as joy, sadness, or empathy. This creates a sense of relatability and empathy, allowing viewers to connect with the brand on a deeper level.<\/p>\n \u201cIf an ad makes you laugh, you remember it, if an ad makes you angry, you\u2018ll remember it. If an ad reminds you of your childhood, you\u2019ll certainly remember it.<\/p>\n You remember how you feel, and you associate that with the product or service,\u201d says Brandon Gilliam<\/a>, head of marketing and sales at Happy Grub.<\/p>\n Keep in mind that it\u2018s important to strike the right balance in emotional appeals and ensure authenticity and relevance to the brand and its target audience.<\/p>\n Emotions should be used ethically, responsibly, and in alignment with the brand\u2019s values and positioning.<\/p>\n Whether your ad has a unique tagline or a load of humor, a uniquely creative approach has the power to stick with peoples\u2019 minds and give you a competitive advantage in the crowded advertising landscape.<\/p>\n When I asked what makes an ad memorable to him, Casey Meraz<\/a>, the CEO of Juris Digital, notes, \u201cSurprising elements can really make an ad stick. A twist on something expected grabs attention and leaves a lasting impression.\u201d<\/p>\n Meraz recalls Geico\u2019s \u201cHump Day\u201d ad. In it, a camel walks through the office asking workers to \u201cguess what day it is.\u201d (It was, in fact, hump day).<\/p>\n \u201cThe unexpected camel in an office setting broke through the usual noise. When an ad surprises, it disrupts the monotony and resonates on a deeper level, Meraz says.<\/p>\n When an advertisement leaves a strong impression, it continues to influence consumers. Memorable ads are also more likely to be shared and generate word-of-mouth, amplifying their reach and impact.<\/p>\n My personal example? Mountain Dew\u2019s bizarre monkey-puppy-baby ad, where a slightly horrifying hybrid creature walks into the room with a bucket of soda cans.<\/p>\n To this day, I\u2019m not sure if I liked the ad. But I did talk about it when it came out, and the monkey-puppy-baby haunts my dreams to this day.<\/p>\n The key to effective advertising lies in consistent messaging. One of the things I did when I first started out as the owner of a clothing brand was to craft consistent ads across platforms.<\/p>\n This strategic repetition promotes a sense of familiarity with the brand and its core message.<\/p>\n The goal isn’t to bombard viewers with your content but rather to create a cohesive experience that resonates across different platforms.<\/p>\n This nurtures an environment for message reception, which leads to a more memorable brand experience for your audience.<\/p>\n Peter Hoopis<\/a>, owner of Hoopis Pickleball, notes that this is where a multi-channel approach comes in.<\/p>\n \u201cEach element, from video to social media, presents a unique piece of information, yet all contribute to a central theme. This consistency builds a narrative and reinforces the message with each iteration,\u201d Hoopis says.<\/p>\n Bah da, buh, buh, buh\u2026 Now, you fill in the blank. This would be much easier to convey if I were actually sitting in a room with you, but some of you may have answered correctly. \u201cI\u2019m lovin\u2019 it.\u201d<\/p>\n Laia Quintana<\/a>, head of marketing and sales at TeamUp, brings up the tune when discussing the power of music in ads.<\/p>\n \u201cThe jingle\u2018s catchy melody and simple lyrics create instant brand recognition and recall. This combination of music and message has made the ad timeless \u2014 every time I hear that jingle, I instantly think of McDonald\u2019s,\u201d Quintana says.<\/p>\n Everyone loves a catchy tune. Music is one of the easiest ways to evoke emotions and aid recall. People tend to remember good music, so including this element in your ad will definitely add to its appeal.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s talk visuals! Humans are very visual creatures. Just looking at a delicious meal is enough to make you salivate, and the face of Rhaenyra Targaryen in The House of the Dragon makes viewers want to bend the knee.<\/p>\n Darija Grobova, a team lead for public relations at Omnisend<\/a>, shares another example from the soccer realm.<\/p>\n \u201cThe powerful visuals of the Orange-France women\u2019s National Football Team ad of 2023 stands out in this regard.<\/p>\n Using VFX, they made the female players initially look like their male counterparts, driving home a powerful message: when Orange supports the men\u2019s team, they\u2019re also supporting the women\u2019s team,\u201d Grobova says.<\/p>\n The real kicker (pun intended)? The visuals of the athletes.<\/p>\n \u201cThe use of real footage of athletes created a strong emotional connection and overturned one of the prejudices that all too often surround the players,\u201d Grobova notes.<\/p>\n How your ad looks contributes to its success. Thanks to technology, there is so much you can do to play with your ads\u2019 visuals now.<\/p>\n A good ad creates a sense of urgency and prompts the audience to take action, whether it\u2019s to make a purchase, visit a website, sign up for a newsletter, or engage with the brand in a meaningful way.<\/p>\n A clear call to action guides your audience on what steps they should take next.<\/p>\n Ultimately, prompting action ensures that advertisements are not just passive messages but active drivers of business outcomes.<\/p>\n So how do you create an advertising strategy that resonates? Well, this post should help with that as we explore how we can learn from ads and campaigns.<\/p>\n But, first, an important distinction.<\/p>\n An advertising campaign is a group of similar ads with a unified tone or message.<\/p>\n The advantage of a campaign over a standalone ad is the ability to push the same idea in different ways, across multiple mediums, and for a longer period of time without getting too repetitive or stale for the audience.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Download for Free<\/a><\/p>\n Use HubSpot’s free Advertising Campaign Kit<\/a> to plan out your advertising project and learn more about which advertising type is the best for your project.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Without further ado, here they are in no particular order: 24 of the best advertisements of all time and the lessons we can learn from them.<\/p>\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Did you know that once upon a time, Nike\u2018s product catered almost exclusively to marathon runners?<\/p>\n Then, a fitness craze emerged, and the folks in Nike\u2019s marketing department knew they needed to take advantage of it to surpass their main competitor, Reebok.<\/p>\n (At the time, Reebok was selling more shoes than Nike<\/a>). And so, in the late 1980s, Nike created the \u201cJust Do It.\u201d campaign.<\/p>\n It was a hit.<\/p>\n In 1988, Nike sales were at $800 million<\/a>; by 1998, sales exceeded $9.2 billion<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cJust Do It\u201d was short and sweet yet encapsulated everything people felt when exercising \u2014 and people still feel that feeling today.<\/p>\n Don\u2018t want to run five miles? Just Do It. Don\u2019t want to walk up four flights of stairs? Just Do It. It’s a slogan we can all relate to: the drive to push ourselves beyond our limits.<\/p>\n When you\u2018re trying to decide the best way to present your brand, ask yourself: what problem are you solving for your customers? What solution does your product or service provide? By hitting on that core issue in all of your messaging, you\u2019ll connect with consumers on an emotional level that is hard to ignore.<\/p>\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Big brands are often hard-pressed to do something ground-breaking when they’re already so big. So, what did Coca-Cola do to appeal to the masses? They appealed to individuals by putting their names on each bottle.<\/p>\n The Share a Coke campaign began in Australia in 2011<\/a> when Coca-Cola personalized each bottle with the 150 most popular names in the country.<\/p>\n Since then, the U.S. has followed suit, printing first names across the front of its bottles and cans in Coke’s branded font. You can even order custom bottles<\/a> on Coke’s website to request things like nicknames and college logos.<\/p>\n This was a breaking story across the marketing and advertising industry. It enchanted many consumers, but it confused others. Why make something temporary so personal?<\/p>\n Either way, Coke received immediate attention for this campaign.<\/p>\n Pepsi even released some sassy counter-ads shortly after the campaign launched. Theirs focused on mocking the bottle names, questioning how people truly felt when they got the wrong name.<\/p>\n Coke fans are regular buyers, and the company fully leaned into that sense of individual ownership. Wondering what name you\u2019ll get out of the vending machine was a fun thrill in and of itself \u2014 even if it isn\u2019t yours, it encourages you to \u201cshare a Coke\u201d with whoever’s name is on the front.<\/p>\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Despite having an ambiguous shape, Absolut made its bottle the most recognizable bottle in the world. Its campaign, which featured print ads showing bottles \u201cin the wild,\u201d was so successful that it didn\u2018t stop running for 25 years.<\/p>\n It\u2019s the longest uninterrupted ad campaign ever<\/a> and comprises over 1,500 separate ads. So, as the saying goes, \u201cIf it ain\u2018t broke, don\u2019t fix it.\u201d<\/p>\n When the campaign started, Absolut had a measly 2.5% of the vodka market.<\/p>\n When it ended in the late 2000s, Absolut was importing 4.5 million cases<\/a> per year, or half of all imported vodka in the U.S.<\/p>\n No matter how boring your product looks, you can still tell your story in an interesting way<\/a>. Let me repeat: Absolut created 1500 ads for one bottle. So, don\u2019t feel afraid to be determined and differentiate your product in the same way.<\/p>\n When’s the last time an advertisement literally changed the way we talk to one another? Allow me to answer that question with another question: \u201cWhassup?!\u201d<\/p>\n This series of commercials, which first appeared in late 1999, features a group of friends connecting on a group phone call (not very common anymore, huh?) while drinking beer and \u201cwatching the game\u201d on TV.<\/p>\n It starts gently: \u201cWhat are you doin\u2018?\u201d Someone asks. \u201cWatching the game, havin\u2019 a Bud\u201d (a Budweiser), someone replies.<\/p>\n As more friends pick up the phone, hilarity ensues: \u201cWHASSUP!?\u201d is yelled back and forth, becoming a classic catchphrase and an icon of beer-drinking culture that constantly ran on sports networks over the next few years.<\/p>\n The ad took pop culture by storm during the Super Bowl in 2000, and you can still hear its echoes today. Why? Anheuser-Busch showed us just how silly and informal an ad can be without ruffling feathers or going off-brand.<\/p>\n Dare to celebrate your audience’s absurdities. The more genuine your ad is, the more valuable your product is.<\/p>\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Think it’s easy to create a whole new market for your product?<\/p>\n The Miller Brewing Company (now MillerCoors) did just that with the light beer market \u2014 and dominated it.<\/p>\n The goal of the \u201cGreat Taste, Less Filling\u201d campaign was getting \u201creal men\u201d to drink light beer, but they were battling the common misconception that light beer can never actually taste good.<\/p>\n Taking the debate head-on, Miller featured masculine models drinking their light beer and declaring it great tasting.<\/p>\n For decades after this campaign aired, Miller Lite dominated the light beer market it had essentially created.<\/p>\n What\u2018s the lesson marketers can learn? Strive to be different. If people tell you there isn\u2019t room for a product, create your own category so you can quickly become the leader.<\/p>\n Always, the feminine product brand, hit a home run with this advertisement.<\/p>\n That’s not because it went viral after the commercial ran in the 2015 Super Bowl, but because it was a groundbreaking message that hundreds of millions of people repeated long after the campaign was over.<\/p>\n The campaign began as a commercial explaining the stigma behind playing sports \u201clike a girl\u201d \u2014 implying that the boy\u2018s way is better or correct.<\/p>\n By the end of the ad, the message is both clear and inspiring: girls are just as fit and capable as boys are, particularly during puberty \u2014 a stage of life that\u2019s extremely important to Always and its women\u2019s products.<\/p>\n The message is now a holistic initiative by Always and a hashtag that’s still used on social media today.<\/p>\n Acknowledge not just your audience but the challenges they face\u2014especially the ones that reflect your time or culture. Not every societal issue is off-limits to marketers and advertisers. Take a stand on the ones you know your audience supports, and you’ll access a customer base that identifies with your passion.<\/p>\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Many marketing and advertising professionals like to call Volkswagen\u2018s \u201cThink Small\u201d campaign the gold standard.<\/p>\n Created in 1960 by a legendary advertising group at Doyle Dane & Bernbach (DDB), the campaign set out to answer one question: how do you change people\u2019s perceptions not only about a product but also about an entire group of people?<\/p>\n See, Americans always had the propensity to buy big American cars\u2014and even 15 years after WWII ended, most Americans were still not buying small German cars.<\/p>\n So what did this Volkswagen advertisement do? It played right into the audience\u2018s expectations. You think I\u2019m small? Yeah, I am. They never tried to be something they weren\u2019t.<\/p>\n That\u2018s the most important takeaway from this campaign: don\u2019t sell your company, product, or service as something it’s not. Consumers recognize and appreciate honesty.<\/p>\n This isn\u2018t the oldest or most well-known advertisement on our list, but it\u2019s become the most powerful over its nine-year (and still ongoing) existence. So powerful and so true you forget it’s an advertisement.<\/p>\n Year in Search<\/a> began in 2009 as \u201cZeitgeist,\u201d a written report of the public\u2018s most common Google searches over the previous 12 months. The following year, Google adapted it for a three-minute video.<\/p>\n Since then, it\u2019s been a bold, yearly reminder of how much we depend on Google for information on the news and events that give the entire world pause. Check out the company’s latest video from 2021 above.<\/p>\n Remind your customers how much you care that they care. These stories elicit a variety of emotions but ultimately unite everyone \u2014 no matter what Google products they might like \u2014 through an uplifting message of how our usage of the company reflects the best in all of us.<\/p>\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n You know who he is. The man smokes Cuban cigars, surrounds himself with beautiful women, and drinks Dos Equis beer.<\/p>\n Cooling down indulgent vices, such as beer, desserts, or luxury items, is key to creating a successful campaign. And The Most Interesting Man in the World is one of the coolest commercial guys out there.<\/p>\n At the end of every commercial, he says: \u201cI don’t always drink beer, but when I do, I prefer Dos Equis. Stay thirsty, my friends.\u201d<\/p>\n The hilarious hyperbole employed in this campaign makes it memorable the next time viewers head out to buy some beer.<\/p>\n And even though Dos Equis recently replaced The Most Interesting Man<\/a> with a new actor, the original actor\u2019s popularity in meme culture<\/a> will never decline because of his short, sweet, and memorable tagline \u2014 and the cool dude vibe it makes viewers harken back to.<\/p>\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Thanks to the California Milk Processor Board’s \u201cGot Milk?\u201d campaign, milk sales in California rose 7% in just one year<\/a>.<\/p>\n But the impact ran across state borders, and to this day, you still can’t escape the millions of \u201cGot [Fill-in-the-Blank]?\u201d parodies.<\/p>\n Note, though, that the ad didn\u2018t target people who weren\u2019t drinking milk; it instead focused on the consumers who already were.<\/p>\n It\u2018s not always about getting a brand-new audience to use your products or services. Sometimes, it\u2019s about getting your current audience to appreciate and use your product more often.<\/p>\n Turn your audience into advocates, and use marketing and ad content to tell them why they should continue enjoying the product or service you\u2019re already providing.<\/p>\n Yes, you read that right: Dumb Ways to Die.<\/p>\n In Melbourne, Australia, Metro Trains wanted to convey a simple message: no horsing near train tracks. Disorderly conduct could lead to injuries or even death.<\/p>\n Still, instead of typical warning signs or announcements inside train stations, Metro Trains came up with Dumb Ways to Die, a song that has garnered 157 million YouTube views since it debuted in 2012.<\/p>\n The song is, unsurprisingly, about dumb ways to die. For example, poking a grizzly bear with a stick or taking your helmet off in outer space.<\/p>\n Frankly, it features a catchy little chorus you won’t be able to stop humming to yourself (because singing it is a little morbid): \u201cDumb ways to die, so many dumb ways to die.\u201d<\/p>\n At the end of the video, after you’ve watched adorable cartoon characters dying in the dumbest of ways, you get to the moral of the story:<\/p>\n There are many dumb ways to die, but the dumbest possible way would be if you died while standing on the edge of a train platform, drove through a railroad sign, or tried to cross over a train track.<\/p>\n The video ad went viral on YouTube. The song was available on iTunes and even played over the radio with an accompanying ad.<\/p>\n This beloved, now-famous campaign communicates a simple idea in a creative and memorable way \u2014 and you don\u2018t feel you\u2019re being nagged the way some public service announcements do. Consider using creativity to convey your message if your subject matter is grim or boring.<\/p>\n While there have been many great Apple campaigns, this one takes the cake. The video above is just one of a series of iterations of this campaign, and the Mac vs. PC debate ended up being one of the most successful campaigns ever for Apple.<\/p>\n The company experienced 42% market share growth<\/a> in its first year with its help. These commercials tell Apple’s audience everything they need to know about the product without being overt.<\/p>\n Just because your product does some pretty amazing things doesn\u2018t mean you need to hit your audience over the head with it. Instead, explain your product\u2019s benefits in a relatable way, so consumers can see themselves using it.<\/p>\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n The first time Clairol asked this question in 1957, the answer was 1 to 15 \u2014 as in, only 1 in 15 people were using artificial hair color. Just 11 years later, the answer was 1 of 2, according to TIME Magazine<\/a>.<\/p>\n The ad was apparently so successful that some states stopped requiring women to denote hair color on their driver\u2019s licenses. You know you\u2019ve hit a nerve when your ad campaign changes things at the DMV.<\/p>\n Clairol did the opposite of what most marketers would do: they didn\u2018t want every woman on the street running around saying they were using their product.<\/p>\n They wanted women to understand that their product was so good that people couldn\u2019t tell if they were using it or not.<\/p>\n Sometimes, simply conveying how and why your product works is enough for consumers. Showing becomes more effective than telling.<\/p>\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n In 1999, AdAge declared<\/a> De Beers\u2019 \u201cA Diamond is Forever\u201d the most memorable slogan of the twentieth century.<\/p>\n But the campaign, which proposed (pun very much intended) the idea that no marriage would be complete without a diamond ring, wasn\u2019t just riding on the coattails of an existing industry.<\/p>\n De Beers actually built the industry<\/a>. It presented the idea that a diamond ring was a necessary luxury.<\/p>\n According to the New York Times<\/a>, N. W. Ayer\u2019s game plan was to \u201ccreate a situation where almost every person pledging marriage feels compelled to acquire a diamond engagement ring.\u201d<\/p>\n Advertising can make a relatively inexpensive product seem luxurious and essential.<\/p>\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n The very first part of Old Spice’s \u201cThe Man Your Man Could Smell Like\u201d campaign, created by Wieden + Kennedy and launched in February 2010, was the following commercial. It became a viral success practically overnight:<\/p>\n That video has over 51 million views as of this writing. Several months later, in June 2010, Old Spice followed up with a second commercial featuring the same actor, Isaiah Mustafa.<\/p>\n Mustafa quickly became \u201cOld Spice Guy,\u201d a nickname Wieden + Kennedy capitalized on with an interactive video campaign in which Mustafa responded to fans’ comments on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media websites with short, personalized videos.<\/p>\n In about two days, the company had churned out 186 personalized, scripted, and quite funny video responses featuring Mustafa responding to fans online. <\/a><\/p>\n According to Inc.<\/a>, these videos saw almost 11 million views, and Old Spice gained about 29,000 Facebook fans and 58,000 new Twitter followers.<\/p>\n \u201cWe were creating and sending miniature TV commercials back to individual consumers that were personalized, and we were doing it on a rapid-fire basis,\u201d Jason Bagley, former creative director at Wieden + Kennedy and a writer for the campaign, told Inc<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cNo one expects to ask a question and then be responded to. I think that’s where we broke through.\u201d<\/p>\n If you find your campaign\u2018s gained momentum with your fans and followers, do everything you can to keep them engaged while keeping your messaging true to your brand\u2019s voice and image.<\/p>\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Is it enough to say this campaign was successful because it featured a giant hamburger bun and a cute set of old ladies? No? I didn’t think so.<\/p>\n Wendy\u2018s took a more daring approach in this advertising campaign: it targeted its competitors. The simple phrase \u201cWhere\u2019s the beef?\u201d was used to point out the lack of beef in competitors\u2018 burgers \u2014 and it quickly became a catchphrase that encapsulated all that was missing in their audience\u2019s lives.<\/p>\n While you can’t predict when a catchphrase<\/a> will catch on and when it won\u2018t, Wendy\u2019s (wisely) didn’t over-promote their hit phrase. The campaign only ran for a year, allowing it to gently run its course.<\/p>\n
\n Types of Advertisements<\/a>
\n What makes a good advertisement?<\/a>
\n The Best Advertisements of All Time <\/a> <\/p>\nImpactful Advertising Across the Ages<\/h2>\n
Types of Advertisements<\/strong><\/h2>\n
1. Print Advertising<\/strong><\/h3>\n
2. Direct Mail Advertising<\/strong><\/h3>\n
3. Radio Advertising<\/strong><\/h3>\n
4. Television Advertising<\/strong><\/h3>\n
5. Internet Advertising<\/strong><\/h3>\n
6. Social Media Advertising<\/strong><\/h3>\n
7. Mobile Advertising<\/strong><\/h3>\n
8. Podcast Advertising<\/strong><\/h3>\n
What makes a good advertisement?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
1. Clear and Consistent Messaging<\/strong><\/h3>\n
2. Storytelling<\/strong><\/h3>\n
3. Emotional Appeal<\/strong><\/h3>\n
4. Building Memories <\/strong><\/h3>\n
5. Strategic Repetition <\/strong><\/h3>\n
6. Music<\/strong><\/h3>\n
7. Striking Imagery<\/strong><\/h3>\n
8. Prompting Action<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Featured Resource: Advertising Campaign Planning Kit<\/a>
\n<\/h3>\nThe Best Advertisements of All Time<\/h2>\n
1. Nike: Just Do It.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Ad Campaign: Print, Television, Internet<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n
The Lesson<\/strong><\/h4>\n
2. Coke: Share a Coke<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Ad Campaign: Print<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n
The Lesson<\/strong><\/h4>\n
3. Absolut Vodka: The Absolut Bottle<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Ad Campaign: Print<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n
The Lesson<\/strong><\/h4>\n
4. Anheuser-Busch: Whassup (1999)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Ad Campaign: Television<\/strong><\/h4>\n
The Lesson<\/strong><\/h4>\n
5. Miller Lite: Great Taste, Less Filling (1974)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Ad Campaign: Print, Television<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n
The Lesson<\/strong><\/h4>\n
6. Always: #LikeaGirl (2015)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Ad Campaign: Television, Internet<\/strong><\/h4>\n
The Lesson<\/strong><\/h4>\n
7. Volkswagen: Think Small (1960)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Standalone Ad: Print<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n
The Lesson<\/strong><\/h4>\n
8. Google: Year in Search (2017)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Ad Campaign: Internet<\/strong><\/h4>\n
The Lesson<\/strong><\/h4>\n
9. Dos Equis: The Most Interesting Man in the World (2006)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Ad Campaign: Television, Pre-roll<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n
The Lesson<\/strong><\/h4>\n
10. California Milk Processor Board: Got Milk? (1993)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Ad Campaign: Print<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n
The Lesson<\/strong><\/h4>\n
11. Metro Trains: Dumb Ways to Die (2012)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Ad Campaign: Internet, Radio<\/strong><\/h4>\n
The Lesson<\/strong><\/h4>\n
12. Apple: Get a Mac (2006)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Ad Campaign: Television<\/strong><\/h4>\n
The Lesson<\/strong><\/h4>\n
13. Clairol: Does She or Doesn’t She? (1957)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Standalone Ad: Print<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n
The Lesson<\/strong><\/h4>\n
14. De Beers: A Diamond is Forever (1999)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Ad Campaign: Print, Television<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n
The Lesson<\/strong><\/h4>\n
15. Old Spice: The Man Your Man Could Smell Like (2010)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Ad Campaign: Television, Internet<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n
The Lesson<\/strong><\/h4>\n
16. Wendy\u2019s: Where\u2019s the Beef? (1984)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Ad Campaign: Print, Television<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n