Brands are everywhere around us. Interestingly enough, so are their advertisements. In the newspapers. On billboards. Then, on the TV. Also, on social media. On the bus station. They are everywhere. We’ve gotten so used to ads that we can now ignore them as we go about our day-to-day life. In fact, 86% of people suffer from banner blindness — a phenomenon where users consciously or subconsciously ignore ads online. But, as you’ll see with our best marketing campaigns, sometimes you can’t ignore brands.
We have to admit, it wasn’t easy to choose the brands which would feature on our list. Namely, modern campaigns are so innovative and impactful because businesses now have a lot of channels and technologies at their disposal. So, if you want to learn a thing or two from the best in the game, you’re in the right place! Here are the brands that made it on our “Top Marketing Campaigns of 2019” list (in no particular order):
- Adobe
- Gillette
- Givenchy
- Nike
- Pepsi
- Popeyes Chicken
- Rick and Morty
- Sephora
- The New York Times
- Wendy’s
Let’s check out these campaigns that can inspire you!
Adobe Parodies Influencers
Most marketing is aimed at promoting a brand by way of video and images or through dialogue. However, in April of 2019, Adobe took a different route. Specifically, it released a short film that didn’t reference the company at all. The 11-minute video, titled “In the Time It Takes to Get There,” was directed by Zach Braff, famous for Garden State.
In this clip, Adobe takes a jab at social media influencers who are represented by a 19th-century star (played by Florence Pugh). She is getting fed up with dressing to the nines to promote products she despises. Nevertheless, she does her job like a champ… promoting a hair product even when she sees it’s making her scalp itch. Once her photoshoot is finished, an owl carries her images to ensure she doesn’t miss the window of optimal posting time.
The original video was the result of a campaign that encouraged students to test Adobe’s design apps and send posters for the chance to transform them into a short film. Once the winner was announced, Adobe started producing the video.
Furthermore, the spot was a success on social media where it generated one million organic views. This proves that brands can be successful at producing parodies and other original video content.
Gillette — We Believe: The Best Men Can Be
For the past few years, the Me Too movement has inspired changes around the world. It’s no wonder then that Gillette decided to shed light on the issues that resulted in the creation of this movement. This is why it deserves to be among other best marketing campaigns of 2019.
In January of 2019, the company released a new video ad that gave a new twist to its 30-year-old slogan “The Best a Man Can Get.” Namely, the ad was a reflection on toxic masculinity pervading the world. Simply titled “We Believe,” the two-minute ad shows a diverse group of boys getting bullied, of teens watching TV shows where men are objectifying women, and of older men as news reports of #MeToo play in the background.
If this wasn’t enough, Gillette asks viewers “Is this the best a man can get?” Of course, the answer is no. The clip then shows how men can change this narrative by pointing out toxic behavior.
Due to the issue it tackled, the ad blew up on the internet. It has over 30 million views, with viewers saying how the clip brought them to tears.
Givenchy Hints at the New Face of Its Brand
Givenchy’s clever thinking brings us to the next brand that deserves to be praised for one of its best marketing campaigns.
In May 2019, the French luxury fashion house teased its “mystery” new face on social media. The fans were delighted as they immediately recognized the dark pony-tailed silhouette as Ariana Grande. What a way to generate excitement among customers and increase brand awareness!
“GUESS WHO?” Givenchy asked on Twitter, posting a shadowed clip of the singer who, in her signature move, is seen flicking her hair. The brand went on to write that it would reveal the name the next day. Even without their announcement, everyone knew it was the Thank U, Next singer. Therefore, the jig was up. Followers started teasing the brand for trying to conceal who its new face was.
In the end, we believe that Givenchy’s teaser was intentionally sarcastic. Whoever came up with it, should get a raise. Namely, because Ariana was so recognizable, the brand boosted engagement, with fans poking fun at the teaser by suggesting other celebrities, including Adele or Ed Sheeran.
Nike — Dream Crazier
What should you do after “Dream Crazy”-size success? Can you beat that advertisement? If you ask Nike, you can. The sports apparel brand dreamed “Crazier” in the video featuring Serena Williams. After all, who better to shed light on the (mis)treatment of women in sports than the famed tennis player?
In the short clip, Williams addresses the obstacles female athletes face in a male-dominated world. These women try to break the glass ceiling and barriers, but they are still met with insults. If they show some emotion when losing, they’re immediately called “crazy” or “unhinged”. But Williams has a word of advice.
“If they want to call you crazy? Fine. Show them what crazy can do.”
The 90-second video comes on the heels of the successful “Dream Crazy” campaign, led by Colin Kaepernick. “Dream Crazier” points at the double standards that are prominent in the sports world. In this world, female athletes are “emotional,” while male athletes aren’t criticized for the same behavior. If you ask us, Nike has one of the best marketing campaigns ever.
Pepsi — More Than OK
The Super Bowl ads definitely take “go big or go home” to the next level. This annual championship is a great place for companies to reach their target audience, pique their interest, and raise awareness. During the Super Bowl Sunday, ads come from different fields, including entertainment, automotive, financial, and other. But during last year’s Super Bowl, one ad stood out and made its way to our “Best Marketing Campaigns” list.
We’re talking about Pepsi’s ad.
The commercial, titled “More Than OK”, stars comedian Steve Carell making jokes alongside hip-hop superstars Cardi B and Lil Jon. In essence, the advertisement is funny and simple, and even mentions Pepsi’s fierce competitor — Coca-Cola. The conversation begins when a woman asks for Coca-Cola and the waiter asks “Is Pepsi OK?” This prompts a reaction from Carell who proceeds to show that Pepsi is, indeed, more than OK.
Cardi B and Lil Jon join in on the conversation, rap, and there’s even Cardi’s signature “Okurr” in the ad.
Popeyes Chicken Gets Sassy Online
Okay, videos aren’t your only tool if you want to make the best marketing campaigns. If brands master social media marketing, they can boost engagement and attract new customers as well. Case in point — Popeyes Chicken.
In the last couple of years, fast food chains are starting to learn how they can generate online engagement and get noticed. To achieve this, they need to throw in some raw humor and uncensored sass. Popeyes is the latest multinational chain giving social media a go.
In a series of tweets, Popeyes teases its competitors by responding to their tweets. Chick-fil-A and Wendy’s aren’t safe from Popeyes. The company mocks their advertising attempts and tries to plug its own products to the public. It’s obvious that Popeyes technique is successful. The below two tweets have over 300,000 likes on Twitter and have started a conversation among followers.
Rick and Morty Season 4 Release Date
Digital marketing can help production companies generate excitement about the shows or movies they’re about to release. Of course, if a show is as popular as Rick and Morty, you won’t find it difficult to capture people’s attention. All you need to do is take the stars of the show and have them promote the new season… in their signature way. That’s how you create one of the best marketing campaigns.
The producers of Rick and Morty were aware of this. The two characters are seen clumsily plugging the new season, but this didn’t make fans less excited. If anything, they paid closer attention to what Rick and Morty were saying and made sure to tune in to the new season in November of 2019.
Sephora — Identify As We
To kick off Pride Month last year, Sephora cast light on the LGBTQ, non-binary, and genderfluid individuals. It used video to send a beautiful message that touched the hearts of people around the world.
“Identify As We” is a part of Sephora’s We Belong To Something Beautiful space. The clip features influencers who reflect on what makes them feel comfortable in their skin. With Shirley Bassey’s “This Is My Life” blasting, the video follows the stars as they dance, drive, go to the beach, and put on makeup.
Obviously, Sephora is trying to foster a sense of belonging by celebrating the transgender and non-binary community. Aside from launching the new campaign, Sephora closed all of its United States stores on June 5 for diversity training.
The beautiful message and Sephora’s fight for inclusivity truly makes this ad stand out from our other best marketing campaigns.
The New York Times — The Truth Is Worth It
Today, purpose-driven marketing is popular in the industry. And one newspaper is no stranger to them — the New York Times. In the video, “The Truth Is Worth It,” the Times shows the difficult journey of an investigative journalist who wants to reveal a well-hidden truth.
What’s more, the video ad gives us a rare glimpse into the reporting process. It features edited footage of a journalist’s trip to Myanmar as they try to uncover reports of genocide. Although this isn’t a light topic, we have to admit the New York Times handled it with care and expertise. From the shaky footage to the sound of a typewriter, we begin to understand the life of an investigative journalist.
Not only is this one of the best marketing campaigns of 2019, but it also won the Grand Prix at Cannes Lions last year.
Wendy’s Taking Twitter by Storm
If you thought Popeyes was acing the social media game, wait until you see what Wendy’s is doing on Twitter.
Wendy’s may not be your favorite fast-food restaurant, but they ought to be your favorite Twitter account. The company has gone viral because of its savage roasts and competition with other fast-food chains. And it won’t stop winning this game anytime soon. Just look at it getting two million likes for one tweet:
So, it’s undeniable — Wendy’s is the queen of Twitter. And if you want to read its most savage tweets, click here.
The Beauty of the Best Marketing Campaigns
So, how do you like our picks for the best marketing campaigns of 2019? We have several favorites from the list, but we’d love to hear from you as well! Hit us up on social media and let’s continue the conversation about these campaigns there.
