What informs our decision to handpick these advertisement examples as the ultimate is their significance on the growth of the brand and how well these advertising examples stand a taste of time. Note that, many of which came into being many years back.
For better understanding of how great an advertisement is, we will first understand the meaning of advertisement.
Advertisements are either written or visual messages dedicated to promoting a specific product, service, or campaign. Businesses can pay the owner of a channel or platform that reaches a similar audience to broadcast this message.
There are numerous kinds of advertisement which run in different mediums or channels with different goals in mind for their businesses. You can advertise anywhere, and today’s best type of ad might not be the best type tomorrow.
Going by the powerful effect of ad, research by Yankelovich revealed that average person were exposed to up to 5000 ads per day in 2007 while in 2021, the figure is estimated to be 6,000 to 10,000 ads daily.
To create an effective, creative ad campaign that will hit the ground rolling is a big question to many hence there is a competition in this industry with so much noise.
What is an advertisement?
An advertisement could be defined by Oxford Languages, as “a notice or announcement in a public medium promoting a product, service, or event.” There are related perceptions of advertisement.
According to the Advertising Association of the UK Jeremy Bullmore came up with the understanding of advertising as “any paid-for communication intended to inform and/or influence” in 1975. He later updated this to include non-paid advertisements.
The two definitions above are somewhat unclear for failing to define ads succinctly considering the different mediums they can come in. For example, an advertisement on a park bench is very different from a creative online advertising campaign on Facebook or Instagram.
The thrust of advertising wholly is marketing; whatever way you may choose to run your advertising campaigns becomes a decision.
We will be examining the significance of advertising and its various kinds with an emphasis on the series of advertising examples that you can use to inspire your own ad ideas.
What are the Objectives of Advertising?
So many factors are to be considered when referring to the advertisement as a marketing strategy. One of the steps is to establish why the ads are needed.
Do you see the essence of informing your esteemed customers to know about the new product? Is there any important message to be shared? Or an apology to make when your product fails?
Companies have different reasons while using marketing as a veritable tool in their ad campaign, basically here are the general five categories that can better our understanding.
#1. Awareness
Awareness creation is informative and essential so as to expose the audience further to the basic features the product or service offers within the target market. Examples are, updating people about a new product, changes to operations if any, special features or services as well as bringing your product to the limelight.
#2. Conversions
To many, advertising is only about convincing people to buy a product, service or idea. But there is more to this objective as an integral part of any ad campaign.
This implies the persuasion may not only be an act of convincing people to buy, but many companies may use it to right a wrong or get customers to challenge their ideas about the brand.
#3. Consideration
Advertising is an instrumental tool to remind customers of a company’s vision. A superb marketing strategy will definitely have an indelible mark for ages.(example Coca Cola products).
#4. And there is also this…
In most cases and to many companies, advertising is used to right the wrong impression and perception created.
A good example of this was the 2018 “disaster” when KFC ran out of chicken in the UK. As an apology, KFC bought out a stand-alone print ad showing an empty bucket with the letters mixed up to read “FCK”. This funny and light-hearted ad was the company’s way of apologizing for the mistake, and it won’t be easily forgotten.
What is the Importance of Advertising?
The importance of advertising is obvious, more importantly, a creative product advertisement inspires the audience to feel a certain way about your brand. Any good ad campaign is benefited both the consumer and the business.
For the consumer, the key benefits include:
- Consumers tend to make the right purchasing decisions if the ads are well-targeted.
- It creates customer awareness of the new product, highlighting its features and cost.
For the advertiser, a good advertising campaign can:
- Develop brand awareness
- Continue to work on the existence brand’s image
- Help to project their product
- Enhance goodwill
What types of advertising are there?
We are all familiar with advertisement its different examples. This could be in form of print media, broadcast, digital etc. while seen these as good examples, product advertisement can take numerous forms which many have not been noticed.
#1. Print Advertising
The concept of advertisement is traced back then in 2000BC, Public notices were carved in steel by Egyptians. While the first print ad was however created in England in 1472 to promote prayer book for sale.
Today, these kinds of marketing are everywhere including newspaper, magazine, brochures, flyers, posters, etc.
#2. Broadcasting advertising
This has to do with television and radio ads. Almost all television ad can also be found on the internet in our contemporary society. These ads most likely come with a catchy jingle and slogan to help make the ad more memorable and interesting.
#3. Outdoor advertising
This nature of advertising was discovered in Egypt in 2000B, today it varies in different regions.
Outdoor advertising can include billboards, bus stops, ads on park branches or even a creative advertisement or another vehicle wrap.
#4. Digital advertising
Nowadays, online digital advertising is probably the primary medium for marketers to showcase their products or better put it as an advertisement on the internet or a digital device.
The definition above seems to be unclear hence it covers anything from banner ads to pop-ups, creative social media marketing, native display advertising, blogs, pay per click affiliate marketing, or even influencer marketing, to give just a few examples.
Successfully, if it’s online, it counts!
#5. Product integration
In most cases, product placement in TV shows, movies or any other entertainment medium is expensive though but has a great impact and is a highly effective strategy for advertising.
I am sure many will yearn for a product after watching the advert. Read, I begged my parents for a Nokia cellphone after watching The Matrix!
18 Ultimate Creative Product Advertising Examples:
Haven understands advertisement and its importance, here are some of the best ad examples from time immoral.
It is hoped that these advertising examples reposition your thoughts on what makes a great, memorable, classic ad that inspires your own campaigns.
#1. Absolut: The Absolut Bottle
This print marketing campaign dated back in 1980 with unsurprised success recorded. Its 25years reign featured over 1,500 different images and was considered the longest ad campaign ever without interruption that increased Absolut’s share of the US vodka market.
Regardless of unexciting appearance of Absolut vodka bottle, the creative marketing campaign involved daily items used to imitate the shape thereby creating an exciting narrative loved by all.
Lesson: Make your product so unique through creativity even if it was originally uninspired.
#2. California Milk Processor Board: Got Milk
There was a well-known print ad The California Milk Processor Board’s “Got Milk?” which draws the attention of many around the globe. People became interested and the campaign increased milk sales in California by 7% in just a year.
Popular Ad used during this period over a decade were print, television, radio, and billboards.
Lesson: At times, sticking with your current market is preferable than seeking a new one.
#3. Clairol: Does She or Doesn’t She?
In 1957, there was a stand-alone print ad of using artificial colours in hair that was a stigma. The slogan “does she or doesn’t she” began due to a conversation between Copywriter Shirley Polykoff and her mother-in-law, who opined with the idea that hair colouring is a secret between the parties involved.
At the inception of this print ad in 1957, the ratio that agreed to colour their hair were 1:15 women and at the end of the campaign after 11years, the ratio became 1:2.
Lesson: Showcasing your product through ad is preferable than only speaking of it
#4. BBC: Dracula Billboard
The BBC staged an outdoor advert to a new phase as at the time of promoting their new show, Dracula in UK sometimes in 2019. This billboard featured a white design offered several streaks that many admired during the day.
By and large, at night, the steaks famed design haven placed at a strategic location caused a shadow to appear across white background which is seen as one of the best creative advertisement ever witness.
Lesson: having a broader thought help you to use classic ad strategies to create something different.
#5. Nike: Just Do it
Nike is a sporting attire retailer whose campaign was in the late 1980s. The campaign changed brand perceptions by tapping into the US’s latest fitness craze for the masses which hitherto was exclusive to professional athletes and marathons runners
This campaign ad “speaks to our core mission.” appeared in different formats over the years, including an innovative poster completed in braille.
Lesson: Rebranding a product for new audience to access easily should be a priority and must be done at all times.
#6. Coca-Cola Share a Coke
It is obvious that, people around the globe are conversant with Coca-Cola products (bottles, cans) advertisements that selected names under “Share a Coke with” campaign.
This ad haven started in Australia in 2011 histrionically transformed over 150 of the country’s most popular names. Coca-Cola can now personalized bottle with nickname and company logo.
This perssonalisation was indeed creative which pave way to other Coke campaigns that come with labels featuring song lyrics, holiday destinations and lots more.
Coke ad features some inspiring campaign using billboards worldwide as an addition to personalized label. With this the world can see you if you text in a name when needed.
Pepsi was quick to launch its own ads believing it could have a damaging effect on the Coca Cola campaign but to no avail.
Lesson: whatever outcome an ad has on an item, it will certainly inspire an individual connection.
#7. DeBeers: A Diamond is Forever
This ad was one of the most successful ad campaigns ever. “A Diamond is Forever“ the most memorable slogan of the twentieth century.
But the campaign, which proposed (pun very much intended) the idea is that no marriage would be complete without a diamond ring, wasn’t just riding on the coattails of an existing industry.
This ad successfully altered both the diamond industry and family with their simple slogan: “A diamond is forever”.
A diamond engagement ring was in existence with little or no breakthrough of its product until the campaign that DeBeers practically built the entire industry on.
This implies how the right campaign, right words, right visual and the right time if used can transform an entire market.
The Lesson
Advertising can make a relatively inexpensive product seem luxurious and essential.
#8. Budweiser: “Whassup”
This series of commercial ad, first appeared in late 1999, features a group of friends connecting on a group phone call (we don’t do those much anymore, do we?) while drinking beer and “watching the game” on TV.
It starts gently: “What are you doin’?” Someone asks. “Watching the game, havin’ a Bud” (a Budweiser), someone replies.
As more friends pick up the phone, the hilarity ensues: “WHASSUP!?” is yelled back and forth, becoming a classic catchphrase and an icon of beer-drinking culture that ran constantly on sports networks over the next few years.
This ad resurfaced in 2020 and was more creative which changed the way we talk to one another? Allow me to answer that question with another question: “Whassup?!”
The Lesson
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. Dare to celebrate your audience’s absurdities. The more genuine your ad is, the more valuable your product is.
#9. Procter & Gamble: Thank You, Mom
Procter & Gamble (P&G) has launched some of the best ads we’ve ever seen from the consumer goods industry as at 2012.
P&G identified the story behind the story of Olympic athletes — the stories of the supportive moms who pushed these world-class athletes throughout their entire lives leading up to that crowning moment.
And yes, they probably had to do a lot of laundry and cleanup along the way — presumably using P&G products.
The Lesson
The season or time period of your ad is important. But even if you run an ad during the Olympic Games, as P&G did, make sure it has a prolonged existence and message that can persuade people no matter when or where they see it because it is powerful tactics to get people to make buying choices.
#10. Always: #LikeAGirl
The Always ad hit a home run across the globe, not just going viral after the commercial ran in the 2015 Super Bowl, but because it was an attraction message that hundreds of millions of people repeated long after the campaign was over.
The stigma of this ad behind playing sports “like a girl”-imply that the boy’s way is right and just. 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 — a stage of life that is extremely important to Always and its women’s products.
The Lesson
Admit not just to your audience challenges. Take a stand on the ones you know your audience supports, and you’ll access a customer base that identifies with your passion.
11. Old Spice: The Man Your Man Could Smell Like
Your work will definitely spice up your ad. The ideology here is that this campaign was you’re your man might not be as classic and cool as “Old Spice Guy”, but with this cologne, he could be the next best thing?
This campaign haven received wave on YouTube Videos has over 59millions views.
The success of this ad was judged as at when an agency responded to the people on social media with Mustafa “Old Spice Man” with a recording video response for online fans.
Creativity is an enormous inspiration and when that drives many fans to respond to your social platforms. Therefore personalizing your mini ads add value to your campaign’s success and make it relevant for a long time.
Lesson: Whenever your content receives attention, continue to be creative and engage your readers your constant post on social media.
#12. Google: Year in Search
Year in Search began in 2009 as “Zeitgeist,” a written report of the public’s most common Google searches over the previous 12 months.
The following year, Google adapted it for a three-minute video. Since then, it’s 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 2017 above.
The Lesson
Always remind your customers how much you care that they do as well. These stories brings about emotions, but eventually unite everyone — no matter what Google products they might like -through an uplifting message of how our usage of the company reflects the best in all of us.
13. Metro Trains: Dumb Ways to Die
When ads are creative, they get people to pay more attention. Just like in Melbourne, Australia, Metro Trains wanted to pass across a simple message: No horsing around near train tracks.
Disorderly conduct could lead to injuries or even death, but 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.
The song is about dumb ways to-die-for example, by poking a grizzly bear with a stick or taking your helmet off in outer space-and it features a catchy little chorus you won’t be able to stop humming to yourself (because singing it is a little morbid): “Dumb ways to die, so many dumb ways to die.”
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: 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.
The video ad went viral on YouTube, the song was made available on iTunes, and it even played over the radio with an accompanying ad.
The Lesson
This beloved, now-famous campaign communicates a simple idea in a creative and memorable way-and you don’t feel like you’re being nagged, the way some public service announcements do. If your subject matter is grim or boring, consider using creativity to get your message across.
#14. Apple: Get a Mac
While there have been many great Apple campaigns, this one takes the cake. The company experienced 42% market share growth in its first year of 2006 with this ad. These commercials tell Mac’s audience everything they need to know about the product without being explicit and in a clever way.
The Lesson
For the fact that your product does some pretty amazing things doesn’t mean you need to hit your audience over the head with it. Instead, explain your product’s benefits in a relatable way so that consumers can be able to see themselves using it.
#15. Wendy’s: Where’s the Beef?
Is it obvious that this campaign was successful because it featured a giant hamburger bun and a cute set of old ladies. Wendy’s took a more courageous approach in this advertising campaign: Its target was competitors.
The simple phrase “Where’s the beef?” was used to point out the lack of beef in competitors’ burgers — and it quickly became a catchphrase that encapsulated all that was missing in their audience’s lives.
While you can’t predict when a catchphrase will catch on and when it won’t, Wendy’s (wisely) didn’t over-promote their hit phrase. The campaign only ran for a year and allowed it to gently run its course.
The Lesson
Be careful with your campaigns’ success and failures. Just because you find something that works doesn’t mean you should keep doing it over and over to the point it’s played out. Allow your company to change and grow, and you may find that you can have even greater success in the future by trying something new.
#16. KFC: “FCK”
The ad isn’t just about an empty bucket of KFC with the company’s letters muddled around. This ad is an apology though, perhaps the most creative one of all time.
In February 2018, KFC’s business in the U.K. ran out of chicken. A poultry company ran out of poultry. It’s not every day that a business stumbles upon the most ironic PR crisis in company history, so when it happens, all eyes are on the business’s response. Well, we’re happy to report that KFC stuck the landing.
With the help of the creative agency Mother London, KFC took out a full-page ad in Metro, the U.K.’s newspaper, rearranging its three famous initials to create a hilarious albeit explicit response to its product shortage.
The ad depicts a KFC bucket that reads, “FCK” — as if to say, “FCK, this is embarrassing.” (You can fill in the missing letter…)
Beneath this design, the company goes on to apologize for what it realizes is an inexcusable, if not slightly, funny failure.
The Lesson
No business is above a good old-fashioned sorry. And if you can laugh at yourself in the process, you’ll only make it better. KFC’s ad demonstrates how to combine humility, class, humor, and ultimately company pride in a message that can help you bounce back from the bad press — and even come out the other side with a net-positive result for your brand.
With these ads in mind, start thinking about your brand identity, your brand story, and the things that matter most to your ideal customer. This is the foundation of a great advertising strategy.
#17. Miller Lite: Great Taste, Less Filling
Do you think it’s easy to create an entirely new market for your product? Wow, the Miller Brewing Company (now MillerCoors) did just that with the light beer market and dominated it.
The goal of the “Great Taste, Less Filling” campaign was getting “real men” to drink light beer, but they were battling the common misconception that light beer can never actually taste good.
Taking the debate head-on, Miller featured masculine models drinking their light beer and declaring it great tasting.
The Lesson
For decades after this campaign aired, Miller Lite dominated the light beer market it had essentially created. What’s the lesson marketers can learn? Strive to be different. If people tell you there isn’t room for a product, create your own category so you can quickly become the leader.
#18. Volkswagen: Think Small
Many marketing and advertising professionals just as call Volkswagen’s “Think Small” campaign the gold standard. In 1960 created a legendary advertising group at Doyle Dane & Bernbach (DDB), this campaign was set to answer one question: How do peoples’ perceptions change not only about a product but also about an entire group of people?
See, Americans always had a propensity to buy big American cars-and even 15 years after WWII ended, most Americans were still not buying small German cars.
So what did this Volkswagen advertisement do? It played right into the audience’s expectations. You think I’m small? Yeah, I am. They never tried to be something they were not.
The Lesson
That’s the most important takeaway from this campaign: Don’t try to sell your company, product, or service as something it’s not. Consumers recognize and appreciate honesty.
Conclusion
I hope you learned a lot from this list of awesome advertising examples. Most importantly, as a brand, you should strive for marketing excellence. One way of ensuring that is achieved is by making sure your ads stands out.
Using this monster list of advertising examples, you will be able to get your message out in a powerful way that resonates with your target audience.
These ad examples can be applied to any niche and brand. You only have to know the right message to put out.
