Our 5 Favourite Marketing Campaigns

One of the gems of marketing is the many directions it can take. There has been such a variety of campaigns pushing the boundaries of marketing with both innovation and creativity of late, and it's great to see! Here are some of our favourites:

From a marketers point of view, the 'share a coke' campaign was absolutely genius. It combined both traditional and digital marketing expertly. The TV campaign encouraged social media outreach which resulted in a huge buzz around Coca Cola at the time across all social platforms. If you saw a Facebook, Twitter or Instagram post of somebody holding their named Coca Cola bottle you'll know the campaign!

We particularly liked the campaign because it embraced localisation and encouraged interaction rather than directly trying to sell a product, and its results speak for themselves:

7% increase in young adult consumption (5% increase overall)
3% increase in sales
870% increase in Facebook traffic
76,000 virtual coke cans shared
Social media 'painted red'

2. The Sun - Dream Team

Being sports fans, we could certainly relate to this campaign! Dream Team spun what might be considered taboo into something fun and something we can relate to. They took an alternative spin on the fierce rivalry in football and made fans feel comfortable picking a rival player in their team. Launching the hashtag #DTConfessions The Sun were able to gain social media attention while also utilising print ads and direct mailing to further their reach. They certainly managed to get people talking!

We particularly liked the combination of different marketing methods (both digital and traditional) to compliment what is in fact only a digital product. This surprisingly worked well.

3. ALS - Ice Bucket Challenge

While not strictly a marketing campaign to begin with, the ALS ice bucket challenge gathered momentum like nothing we've ever seen before. It showed exactly what kind of virality can be achieved thanks to the social media driven world we live in today, and it certainly gave marketers something to think about. It worked so well because it wasn't selling anything, more so encouraging participation, much like the 'Share a Coke' campaign.

It showed that participation, interaction and engagement are just as important as short term sales. It showed that long term reach can generate exposure which in turn can be effective in reaching a long term goal - in this case, raising awareness and ultimately money for the cause and in Coca Cola's case promoting their products to new customers and ultimately achieving greater sales.

We particularly liked the campaign because it wasn't the typical plea for donations but instead it was a plea for awareness which ultimately led to raising $220 million - a figure which likely wouldn't have been achieved if the campaign stuck to the norms of traditional fundraising.

4. SNCF - It's just next door

SNCF were able to portray a message while instilling happiness and laughter into the viewer which is no mean feat. Their unique advertising campaign seeked out the curious and 'transported' them to another country by opening a randomly placed door. This combined perfectly with their message, that 'Europe is just next door.'

We particularly liked the innovative and unique use of playing on peoples instinct and curiosity to gain natural reactions for use in the TV campaign - it really worked!

5. Bing - Decode Jay Z

We're big fans of creativity and the use of video in marketing! There's a reason for its rise - its popularity and results. However, this campaign was a little different to anything we had seen before. Through the use of carefully placed inserts, Bing were able to build anticipation like never seen before for the release of Jay Z's autobiography. It fitted in perfectly with the books name; 'Decoded.' Not only that, but they complimented their own goals within the campaign, benefitting both parties. Bing connected their client to a new demographic while giving people a reason to use Bing.

We particularly liked the collaboration element to this marketing campaign, between two differing parties. We also liked its level of interaction through the online portal, taking the viewer into the shoes of Jay Z throughout his life. The campaign managed to promote two campaigns in one, something which rarely works out! And the results spoke for themselves:

Average player engagement of over 11 minutes
Jay Z's Facebook fans increased by one million
Decoded became a best seller for 19 weeks
Huge media attention
Bing saw an 11.7% increase in Traffic leading to become a global top 10 most visited site for the first time

Launching your own campaign?

Well, that's our top 5 marketing campaigns of late and it's easy to see why. Ready to make your mark with an equally brilliant campaign? remember these 3 tips:

Be unique
Push the boundaries
Don't be afraid to be creative
Don't underestimate the long-term value of raising awareness
Combine both digital and traditional elements for mass appeal