If you own your own business or are otherwise involved in marketing, you’re likely inundated with information about social media for business. Sometimes it seems like every other business networking has to do with “Getting Your Business on Facebook” or “Tweeting Your Way towards Success.”
What makes marketing fantastic? Emotional connection, relevancy, the “wow factor”. How do you take all of your marketing campaigns and make them pop? The greatest marketing campaigns are those that are memorable. They are the ones that resonate with your audience and really create a bond between your customer, the messaging, and the product or service. Creating a lasting impression is what you are striving for. Because there are so many ways to reach customers in today’s complex digital world, marketers have more and more opportunities to create campaigns that leverage different mediums. Some of the most innovative campaign are capturing attention both online and offline.
There are some brands who have acquired huge number of fans and are obsessed with their Social Media presence. And there are brands who have great engagement, who really know what it means to integrate their all marketing activities with Social Media campaigns. And that matter! Take a look at some examples of campaigns that have done an amazing job of capturing the attention of their audience in a major way.
1. Harvey Nichols
A giant flock of pelicans gathers around a single fish to advertise a sale at the clothing store. It’s an eye-catching Print ad, which shows that women will be fighting it out at the sale. In the past they have experienced everything from customers camping outside the store overnight to be at the front of the queue, to fierce tussles between over-zealous bargain-hunters on the shop floor. In humorous reaction to the (often-irrational) excitement sale time engenders ,thus they have developed this campaign to capture this near-fanatical spirit, because let’s face it, the thought of picking up brands such as Alexander McQueen, Alice + Olivia and Charlotte Olympia at up to 70% off* is enough to excite and overwhelm even the most composed shopper in us all!”
2. McCain Mumbai, Penguin Audio books
Turned famous authors into headphones, The Penguin Audiobooks ad campaign may seem baffling at first. It looks like famous literary figures have decided to take up a new, more acrobatic profession. William Shakespeare, Mark Twain and Oscar Wilde appear to be doing a surreal backbend in front of a mirror. Nevertheless, they are forming the look of headphones.
It is hilarious to see the heads of such prolific writers enlarged to mimic the cups of the headsets. Aside from these quirky illustrations, the Penguin Audio books ad campaign posters are relatively minimalist, which allows people to focus on what really matters.
3. Monster.com
A great ad creatively expresses an idea and often requires a bit of thought in order to fully grasp. This print ad focuses on asking one if they are in the right profession. A ballerina in the middle of a bag of soldiers perfectly illustrates the question and suggests visiting Monster.com may be the solution.
4. Pizza & Love
Most companies have been jumping on the go-green bandwagon for some time now. This campaign was designed to raise awareness of its eco-friendly packaging (100% recycled pizza boxes) and its use of only organic products. The execution is brilliantly done, from the broccoli forest to the greasy planet in the background. Also notice the peace logo in the bottom left hand corner: it’s another pizza! Little touches such as these are what make print advertising so innovative.
5. Utopolis Group of Cinemas
It may not be the most beautiful or artistic campaign we’ve ever seen but it sure does grab your attention, for all the right reasons. The series also features a spin on the Titanic pose. In this particular ad, inspired by Free Willy it portrays that Reality sucks and that’s something everyone can relate to.
6. Nikon Camera
This camera shows that it can detect all faces, even that of ghosts in the above pictures? Spooky isn’t it! But with this Ad it boasts of capturing all faces on the screen.
7. Coke
With this ad, Coke quenches the thirst of knowledge! Wondering how? The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, or the CCSF, is a non-profit organization that works on behalf and at the direction of the Coca-Cola system (including The Coca-Cola Company, the world’s largest producer of non-alcoholic beverages, and its many subsidiaries) to provide scholarships to some 1,400 students annually in amounts totalling over $3.4 million each year.
8. Incredible India
Tourism is a major industry in India and the Ministry of Tourism launched a campaign to promote Incredible India as a tourist destination in 2002, this Ad of incredible India leaves a large impact on you and makes you think! Is this what we really want to leave behind? Makes you speechless!
9. Panasonic 3D TV
This print advertising campaign from Panasonic immediately caught our eye. It’s clever and funny whilst showing off the technology to its fullest potential. The attention to detail in this ad, on the likes of the dinosaur and the shadow/lighting effects, make all the difference. This Ad highlights the product well.
10. Reynolds
Power of a dot, now this is called to the point communication. With no text and just picture, it brilliantly portrays the simple but effective message of the advertisement.
Bonus Creative: Band Aid – HULK
With the release of Avengers, Hulk was back in the spotlight. This print advertising campaign from Band Aid showcases the ability of using a well-known character to the maximum effect. There’s no text or tag-line; just the clean image of Hulk’s hand, along with the product in the bottom left-hand corner. It perfectly executes the product’s strength thanks to applying it to the world’s strongest character. No words needed!
As powerful as social media marketing can be, Companies using campaigns that integrate both TV and social media seem to pack the most punch. Teens and young adults, especially, are consuming their media via multiple screens at once. More often than not, their laptop is open, the TV is on and their Smartphone is within reach. Integrating social marketing with all media looks to be the next frontier of marketing, and the businesses that are able to master this will likely be the ones to watch going forward.
Inspired by these ads? Have any other creative ads you would like to share with us. Please leave your thoughts and comments below.