Television commercials have come a long way since the first commercial was aired on July 1, 1941 in the US on a local channel in New York. The ad was for the infamous brand of watches, Bulova. Over years they have come a long way from trying to sell a product to creating brand awareness and impacting the very way a brand is viewed by a user.
If you didn’t know, it is estimated that on average, a person is exposed to more than 1600 brands in a day. Out of this 1600 only 10% of the ads are noted and only a very few are engaged with. With the competition for gaining the attention of viewers at an all time high, the key to standing out from the crowd is to keep things simple, subtle, and tasteful.
Below is a list of 10 Innovative advertisements that took the world by surprise. Some have gone on to win international awards while others were region-specific but all have made an impact on viewers (potential customers) and the brand of the company.
1. Amazon – The Show must go on
In this era of Covid – 19 and the impact on people’s lives, Amazon hit the right notes with this advertisement about a young woman whose life was upended when her long-time goal of performing ballet was ended by the pandemic.
A neighbor gets creative by organizing an outdoor show with the help of a simple flashlight ordered via Amazon. The advertisement is simple, effective while telling a story that people can relate to.
2. Nestle – Contrex Exercise Bike Campaign
Contrex, a mineral water company owned by Nestle created this funny and slightly naughty advertisement of a group of women who come across a line of exercise bikes with hidden motivation. Check it out!
By simply keeping a bottle of water next to the bikes, the viewer instantly connects exercise with hydration and the Contrex brand, all while laughing. The fact that it was a live setting gets people from the streets involved in the “exercise”.
3. Volkswagen – Eyes on the road campaign
Auto manufacturer, Volkswagen, gets the impact of this public service announcement perfect by having a group of movie-goers in Hong Kong with a visual experience that ensures that road safety is paramount while subconsciously linking the VW brand with safety.
4. New York Times – The Truth is worth it Campaign (Perseverance)
The New York Times won the 2019 Clio Awards Gold for this campaign with relevant advertisements for the times we live in. When truth and facts are not priorities in this post-truth world, The New York Times reminds us of the effort its journalists go through to get an honest and fact-based story to the world on the many issues we deal with.
5. Cadbury – Donate your words
This campaign by chocolate manufacturer, Cadbury, although targeting a specific demographic in the U.K., is easily relatable to all viewers. In addition to the social message that the brand is looking to get across, the company also contributed 30% of its revenue from this particular product towards the cause – which is, helping the nearly 1.4 million old people who are alone and lonely.
A great cause and subtle advertisement made in good taste can go a long way in bringing some happiness to our fellow human beings while increasing the presence of the brand.
6. AeroMexico’s – DNA Discounts campaign
Mexican Airline company, AeroMexico had a unique approach to this campaign by targeting southern and western states of the U.S.A. They interviewed a few of their more small-minded residents on their opinion on Mexico as a travel destination. Based on the percentage of their Mexican ancestry, the residents were also given discounts.
Who could argue against a campaign that thinks outside of the box, educates a few people, while increasing your brand presence!
7. Seagram’s Imperial Blue – Men will be Men campaign
This campaign by alcohol beverage manufacturer Seagram’s made people laugh while increasing its brand awareness in a country that does not legally allow the marketing of alcoholic products. Guys, It’s funny ’cause it’s true! And remains so even after so many years.
8. McDonald’s – Night Workers
McDonald’s gets its message across (i.e. that they are open if you are hungry, notwithstanding the time of day) with this advertisement about the overlooked people who work night shifts and do so many of the jobs that might seem invisible and thankless. Short, sweet, and effective, McDonald’s also picked up an award for this campaign while reminding the rest of us about some of those unseen heroes.
9. Dove – Reverse Selfie
In an era of social media, where appearance and unachievable standards of “beauty” remain a source of anxiety and pressure on so many young people, Dove created the “Reverse Selfie” advertisement that goes some way in raising awareness about self-esteem in young girls in this selfie-crazed world.
10. Samsung India – Samsung Service Ad
This advertisement can make anyone cry! Samsung does a great job of ensuring that this advertisement was done tastefully while getting its message across of “service anywhere”.
In this uber-popular advertisement, a customer calls on a young Samsung engineer multiple times to get her TV fixed by a deadline. The success of this advertisement is reflected by being the highest watched youtube advertisement in 2017 with 211 million views and counting.
A successful advertisement can be complex or simple, in multiple mediums or just one, funny or sad. Agencies and brands need to define the target demographic, the message and then create a story to be able to get that message across in an effective manner that impacts the viewer and allows them to relate.
A successful campaign makes the potential customer remember the advertisement and indeed, the brand or help retain a customer. This is easier said than done but over the years, some creative people have done wonderful work in getting their message across tastefully and efficiently.
Want a successful infomercial for your brand?
Now that you’ve seen the list of the ten most innovative & highly successful advertising campaigns, wouldn’t you want a commercial for your brand that can get your message across in an effective manner that impacts the viewer?? If so, contact GoDRTV. We know what it takes to create an infomercial that can boost your brand awareness.
