The ten most successful marketing campaigns of all time (2023)

"Not even the best arguments in the world will change a person's opinion. The only thing that can do that is a good story."

– Writer and Pulitzer Prize winner Richard Powers,top story

Effective marketing campaigns are just that: powerful stories. As marketers, we can learn from the most successful marketing campaign examples to deliver fun, poignant, engaging, and memorable ads that resonate with customers and build brand reputation. Pioneers in the marketing industry go beyond intelligent data analysis and cutting-edge technology to find ways to discover ideas in creative and imaginative ways.

The best marketers know how to create a campaign vision, develop a strategy, develop stunning written and visual content, analyze data, and measure success; Marketers learn these skills and more at the same timeMaster in Communication. If you're passionate about telling brand stories, discover some of the most successful marketing campaigns and learn how you can use similar strategies to enhance your company's marketing efforts.

The 10 most successful marketing campaigns

• 1. Nike
• 2. Pepsi
• 3. California Dairy Processing Plate
• 4. Taube
• 5. Ancient spice
• 6. Cola
• 7. chickpeas
• 8. GoPro
• 9. apple
• 10. Heineken

1. Nike: "Just Do It" Campaign

One of the most famous examples of marketing campaigns is Nike's "Just do it" campaign. Nikecampaign startedin 1988 and featured professional and amateur athletes sharing their accomplishments and inspiring viewers to do the same. One of the campaign's first television ads featured an 80-year-old marathon runner named Walt Stack, a dedicated athlete who runs 17 miles every morning.

After the campaign launched, thousands of people submitted personal stories of moments when they decided to take the plunge and "just do it," from leaving their jobs stuck to losing more than 100 pounds. The line became Nike's iconic catchphrase and continues to represent the brand.

What made this marketing campaign successful?

Nike made an emotional connection with its audience, connecting meaningful stories to its core values ​​of motivation, inspiration and healthy living. Nike's decision to incorporate the company's value proposition with an emotional message resulted in a highly successful marketing campaign.

Key point for sellers:

Outline your value propositions and emotionally connect with your audience so they feel connected to your brand.

Related course:

Marketers can follow the course titled COM 540Embracing the Brand: Brand Development, Strategy, and Executionto learn how to build brands that people recognize, remember and respect.

2. Pepsi: The question "Is Pepsi any good?" Campaign

During Super Bowl LIII, Pepsi ran a TV commercial that people would keep talking about. EITHER"Pepsi okay?"The commercial starred Oscar-nominee and Golden Globe-winner Steve Carell, Grammy-nominated artist Cardi B and Grammy-winning actress Lil Jon in a hilarious and entertaining skit. In the ad, a waiter asks a customer ordering a Coke, "Is Pepsi okay?" and Carell clarifies in his monologue that Pepsi is "more than fine." This ad reproduces the typical scenario where people order a Coke and the waiter assumes that Pepsi is not his first choice. The ad was associated with the Pepsi-sponsored halftime show, a "Planet Pepsi" after-party, limited-edition cans, and the Pepsi Rookie of the Year award. The iconic brand used America's number one sporting event to start a conversation about why Pepsi is better than average.

What made this marketing campaign successful?

The key to the success of the Pepsi campaign was trust. Marketers studied real-world scenarios that their customers have in restaurants when they find their products. Every time a server asks a customer, "Is Pepsi okay?" the client will inevitably link the statement to the extremely positive advertising and campaign message.

Key point for sellers:

Find out how your consumers perceive your brand and use it to your advantage in secure marketing campaigns.

Related course:

COM540Embracing the Brand: Brand Development, Strategy, and ExecutionThe course also helps students understand brand perception and positively position new and existing brands for specific audiences.

3. California Milk Processor's Son: "Do you have milk?" Bell

Few campaigns have used influencer marketing as effectively as the California Milk Processor Board."Do I have milk?" Campaign. In 1993, a focus group led by a partner at the San Francisco-based advertising firm Goodby, Silverstein & Partners named Jon Steel asked respondents to avoid consuming milk for a week before participating in the study. The study aimed to collect milk-related habits to help Steel implement creative strategies for a new client, the California Milk Processor Board. Participants discussed the usefulness of not consuming milk. How did you eat your cereal? What would you dip a cookie in? Why was life without milk so tasteless?

The concept "Do you have milk?" it revolved around the fear you feel when you run out of milk. This deceptively simple concept has been reinforced by ties to celebrities and pop culture. The ad ran for more than two decades, with nearly 70 commercials in California alone and approximately 350 Milky Beard ads across the country in print and television. The campaign took advantage of a time when the influence of celebrities was greater and, therefore, the ads were particularly visible and influential.

What made this marketing campaign successful?

The question "Do you have milk?" The campaign creators used consumer research, direct writing, and influencer marketing to create a series of impactful ads. Since the ad's client was the California Milk Processor Board, it made sense to include Hollywood stars and celebrities. It soon became fashionable to display a milk mustache on a billboard.

Key point for sellers:

Gather insights from your consumers on pop culture trends to develop stories that are relevant to the right audience.

Related course:

Courses like COM 520Comprehensive Research: Marketing Communications ResearchHelp marketers develop the skills to conduct the research and data needed to inform current trends, audience demographics, and more.

"Do I have milk?" advertising over the years

4. Dove Campaign: Real Beauty.

People want to hear stories that matter, and Dove's Real Beauty campaign delivered a moving and authentic message that the beauty industry desperately needs.Dove's true beauty campaignwas launched by Unilever in 2004 with the aim of strengthening the self-confidence of women and children. The first campaign brought polls and reported that only 2% of women consider themselves beautiful. The next phase involved a series of billboards featuring real women instead of models. The campaign was well received and expanded into other forms of media to promote aging, different body types, and transparency around wigs, blemishes, and so-called 'blemishes'. The ads' mission was to highlight how the beauty industry can harm young women and redefine beauty.

What made this marketing campaign successful?

The Dove for Real Beauty campaign was celebrated for using marketing to positively impact the cultural landscape, the industry and the lives of consumers. The campaign continues today to end #BeautyBias and help "make beauty a source of confidence, not fear." .

Key point for sellers:

Pick a real issue that aligns with your organization's values ​​and use your marketing efforts to positively impact your community.

Related course:

Courses like COM 580Embracing the Public: Empathy and EthicsDemonstrate how social justice initiatives can align with a company's value proposition and goals.

5. Old Spice: "The man your man can smell" -Kampagne

It's hard to forget a funny story. In this example of an effective marketing campaign, Old Spice uses humor to engage its audience and position its brand as the top choice for men's grooming. The original television commercial features a man and a 30-second monologue. In this clip, actor Isaiah Mustafa, now known as "Old Spice Man," addresses an all-female audience and says, "Hey girls. Look at your man, now come back to me, now come back to your man, now come back. to me. Unfortunately he's not me. But if I stopped using scented women's soap and switched to Old Spice, maybe he'd smell like me. He's smug, over-the-top, and direct in his delivery. General reception to the commercial was positive; The ad increased brand awareness for Old Spice's range of men's grooming and grooming products.

What made this marketing campaign successful?

The Old Spice Man commercial is fast-paced, hard-hitting, and humorous. The ad was theatrical and easy to recite over and over again with friends. The commercial also plays with the notion of identity, hinting at a broader message that Old Spice allows its consumers to become closer to the kind of men they want to be.

Key point for sellers:

Don't just identify what your customers want; identify who they want to be and build a brand personality that embodies that character. When used correctlyHumor is associated with increased memory., making your ad and brand more memorable.

Related course:

The COM 540 is naturally calledEmbracing the Brand: Brand Development, Strategy, and Executionteaches students how to align the right tone and message for a marketing campaign based on each unique brand.

6. Coca-Cola: “Share Cola” campaign.

In a hot summer, Coca-Cola launched its famous“Share Coca-Cola” campaign.across multiple channels in Australia to encourage people to come together and share a coke. It didn't take long for the movement to spread internationally. The campaign printed various names on Coca-Cola bottles with the phrase: "Share a Coke with..." Although the ads appeared in print ads, commercials, outdoor bus wraps, and billboards, the biggest success of the distribution platform was social. media. Consumers bought their own bottles of branded Coca-Cola and shared a photo of the names online. Consumers tried to find their names and names for their friends and family. The entire campaign was based on personalization and connection.

What made this marketing campaign successful?

To develop the Share a Coke campaign, Coca-Cola and the Ogilvy advertising agency teamed up to capitalize on the popular behavior of their desired audience; Millennials and social exchange.

Key point for sellers:

Conduct research to determine how your target market behaves online and market to it in a familiar way through relevant channels.

Related course:

COM520Comprehensive Research: Marketing Communications ResearchThe course is designed to teach marketers how to conduct relevant consumer research and use data to personalize the customer journey.

7. Snickers: "You're not yourself when you're hungry."

Celebrity appearances continue to draw viewer attention to Snickers"It's not you when you're hungry" campaign.Snickers has enlisted everyone from Steve Buscemi to Betty White to act like everyday people tormented by hunger and act in unlikely ways in this unforgettable movement. The ads begin with celebrities in unexpected settings, such as approaching Betty White on a soccer field, and end with the celebrity taking a bite of a Snickers bar and reverting to her true form. The catchphrase "It's not you when you're hungry" refers to the common human experience of being upset and angry because of hunger.

What made this marketing campaign successful?

This Snicker campaign is effective because it uses comedy to highlight how its product, a quick and easy candy bar, is the perfect solution to a common "hunger" problem. The brand identified a customer pain point and positioned Snickers as a viable solution.

Key point for sellers:

Audiences respond well to clever ads that feel surreal and relatable; Work with well-known influencers to create high-impact ads that can do just that.

Related course:

Students can explore the use of social media influencers in COM 640Integration of digital media, mobiles and new technologiesCourse.

8. GoPro: "Awards" campaign

GoPro AwardsThe campaign markets for content creators to submit their best GoPro videos, clips and photos for a chance to be featured and paid. The campaign features multiple ways to win, including the Photo of the Day Challenge, the Anything Awesome Challenge, and the Be a HERO Challenge. Each challenge is aimed at a different breed of content creator, from professional photographers to philanthropists. The genius behind the GoPro campaign is that it encourages people to use the product and fosters a community around photography. Following their continued success, the GoPro team recently celebrated five years of the GoPro Awards.

What made this marketing campaign successful?

This inspiring photo contest succeeded in building a community, inspiring consumers and promoting the best features of GoPro products. Also, as photographers compete to share the best photos and videos possible, the GoPro device is seen as a desirable tool for other content creators who want to do the same.

Key point for sellers:

Marketers can refer to this sample marketing campaign to inspire campaigns that successfully leverage customer experiences. Encourage user-generated content by encouraging consumers to use and share their personal experiences with your products or services.

Related course:

Students can also learn how to take advantage of user-generated content in COM 640 platforms.Integration of digital media, mobiles and new technologiesCourse.

9. Apple: "Creativity Continues" Campaign

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Apple released the"Creativity continues" campaign.. The commercial brings together individuals and families at home during lockdown, using their Apple devices to record videos, take photos, stream content, and engage in other creative activities. In the words of Apple itself: “We have always believed in the power of creativity. Now more than ever, we are inspired by people from all corners of the world who are finding new ways to share their creativity, ingenuity, humanity, and hope" while cooped up at home for an odd amount of time.

What made this marketing campaign successful?

In this example of a successful marketing campaign, Apple was like a ray of sunshine breaking through the clouds of the pandemic. Apple also promoted positive AppleTV shows like John Kransinki's "Some Good News" special and Oprah's live shows to energize its audiences. As a result, during difficult times, Apple has created an association with its brand as a genuine, uplifting, and supportive presence.

Key point for sellers:

Cut through the market noise by approaching a hotly debated topic differently than your competitors.

Related course:

Students can register for the COM 590 courseEmbrace Strategic Thinking: Marketing Strategy and Planningto learn how to strategically plan effective marketing campaigns to stand out.

10. Heineken – Worlds Separate Campaign.

In times of division, Heineken has done its best to research and conduct its own case study on human differences, openness and determination. The brewery consulted with doctors and researchers to find out if interacting with another person could make people more open; that was the beginning ofWorlds Apart Campaign.Heineken has a partnership withto the human library, an organization that challenges bias and stereotypes through conversations with real people and their personal stories about being transgender, living with mental illness, navigating new environments as refugees, and more. This campaign elicited more than just an emotional response from its audience; provided real solutions between people with opposing worldviews.

What made this marketing campaign successful?

Getting into divisive conversations can be challenging for companies, especially when it comes to marketing initiatives. Heineken conducted the necessary research and consulted with experts to address sensitive issues such as feminism, transgender rights and climate change. The campaign was exciting because it highlighted very real issues in the geopolitical and public spheres. The campaign functioned more like a case study in human behavior than a beer ad.

Key point for sellers:

Don't be afraid to participate in important conversations. If you're not sure how to approach a sensitive topic, consult experts and work with research teams and third-party organizations to get your message across right.

Related course:

COM580Embracing the Public: Empathy and EthicsThe course demonstrates how to combine social justice initiatives with a company's value proposition to deliver a powerful message to the public in a sensitive and respectful way.

Create a powerful marketing campaign with a Master of Arts in Communication

Learn how to use conceptual thinking to tell stories that consumers love. In a rapidly evolving communications and marketing landscape, the online Master of Arts in Communication at St. Bonaventure University gives you the tools you need to create a campaign vision, strategize, high-touch - develop content for target groups , analyze data and measure success.

In our flexible, fully online program, you choose one of two specializations (Integrated Marketing Communications or Content Marketing) that best suits your career interests. Our alumni are among the most innovative professionals in their fields, working at Fortune 500 companies and applying their cutting-edge knowledge and creativity to create change. We are also one of three schools offering ACEJMC-accredited online graduate programs.

Learn how to create the next impactful marketing campaign with an online Master of Arts in Communication.