Here at deuce : studio, we’ve been enjoying the recent wave of advertising nostalgia that has come about in part thanks to Mad Men and other shows, books, and events. And of course, it got us thinking: what is the greatest ad campaign in history?
This question can be answered in many different ways: the impact on society, the longevity of the campaign, and by its effectiveness. Then, of course, there are the many different mediums that advertising uses. From TV to newspaper, radio and social media, the opportunities to reach potential clients has never been greater than it is right now.
So from advertising agencies in New York to one-person enterprises in India through to a packaging design agency in London, who do we think came up with the most iconic advertising campaigns? We reveal all.
5. The Dove Campaign For Real Beauty
The Dove Campaign for Real Beauty is a female self-esteem advertising campaign in which Unilever, the company behind the Dove brand of personal care products, aims to highlight and increase awareness of societal standards of beauty that can affect women’s self-esteem.
In the last few years, there have been a number of societal trends emerging around the way we perceive women in society. From their increasing economic independence and workplace equality through to greater feminism awareness and action. There has also been a noticeable trend in society to think critically about traditional concepts of beauty. As a result, the Dove brand has capitalized on this trend by launching an ongoing global campaign that aims to address the issue of women’s self-esteem.
4. Our Food, Your Questions Campaign from McDonald’s
In 2008, the fast-food giant McDonald’s addressed its customers’ concerns by airing a series of television commercials in Germany designed to promote discussion on important issues about their products.
The campaign was based on the insight that McDonald’s customers wanted to know more about the food they purchased after encountering questions about its source, quality, and content.
The four-segment campaign tackled subjects such as animal welfare (in collaboration with PETA), genetically modified ingredients, land use, and nutrition. In each commercial, a customer asks their question about McDonald’s products to the camera, while the commercial footage is shown on split-screen. A second screen then shows footage of McDonald’s employees and suppliers delivering detailed responses.
Cleverly, McDonald’s realized that the way to bury the incorrect information about their business practices that was circulating on social media was to attack it head-on.
3. VW The Fun Theory – Re-Imagine the VW Campaign
In 2009 Volkswagen proposed a campaign called ‘The Fun Theory,’ which aimed to prove that people would do good things if they were rewarded with fun. In 2010, the Fun Theory won an award for the world’s best PR stunt at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
The Volkswagen ‘Fun Theory’ campaign is based on the insight that people do not always behave in an active, conscious way if they are not stimulated by enjoyment. The campaign was based on the idea that changing people’s habits requires incentives, and this can be achieved by initiating a positive response that is linked to a given behavior.
The campaign aimed to encourage people to take sustainable forms of transport, such as public transportation or cycling, rather than their cars. In order to achieve this objective, Volkswagen developed small installations in the street that were designed for public interaction and with tremendous success.
We loved the piano staircase and talking refuse bin; after all, what else do you need to encourage behavior change!
2. The ‘I Love New York’ Campaign
New York State Governor Nelson Rockefeller wanted the world to know that they were standing by their residents in the aftermath of 9/11. He also wanted to welcome visitors back to NYC.
The campaign was created by an agency called Wells Rich Greene and is based around a simple logo in a plain sans-serif font, alongside the words ‘I Love NY’ set in black on a white background.
In 2008 this logo was officially recognized as an international symbol of New York State. The campaign is omnipresent throughout NYC, from movies to bus stops and all forms of advertising.
1. Marks and Spencer – ‘This is not Just…’
The British retailer came up with a simple yet very effective advertisement to cement its reputation as a premium food retailer. This much-loved campaign may have been away from our television viewing for several years, but it was reintroduced in 2019, and it feels as if it has never been away.
You know that you’ve managed to hit on a successful idea when it becomes featured in comedy sketches and parodies put together by your competitors.
Marks and Spencer have managed to not only be an iconic UK retailer, but their advertising campaigns also get our top spot.
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