My Favorite Marketing Campaigns
When I started my first job in an advertising agency, the term marketing was often associated with a fancy, cool job where you get to do commercials and be friends with celebrities. But studying it in school, I know it’s much more complex than that.
I started my career as a social asset manager in a digital agency back in 2012, where social media and digital as a whole were in their nascent stages. Instagram was used mostly for filters, blogs and lookbooks were the trends, twitter was where you air out everything and maybe do a tweet-cast of your day, multiply was a photo album, and facebook was for everything including farmville and games.
The industry has evolved time and time again, with platforms launching one after the other, that marketing has used in delivering value to the customers.
I have seen creative and genius campaigns that inspired me, made me envious wishing I thought of that sooner, and campaigns that actually made me a loyal customer. From social media to OOH, I want to share a list of brands and campaigns I love and consider ‘best’!
Social Media
Nike’s “Just Do It” Campaign (1988, Global)
Launched in 1988, Nike’s “Just Do It” turned a daring slogan into a global anthem. Featuring athletes like Michael Jordan in raw TV commercials Nike YouTube Ad, it spread to early digital platforms and lives on in social posts. Nike’s official history Nike News confirms its monumental impact.
Context: In the 1980s, Nike trailed Reebok in a competitive sportswear market. Inspired by a convicted criminal’s last words, “Let’s do it,” the campaign aimed to ignite ambition in athletes and everyday people, positioning Nike as a bold challenger.
Sales skyrocketed from $877 million in 1988 to $9.2 billion by 1998, a tenfold surge, as detailed in Nike’s corporate timeline. Nike surpassed Reebok, with “Just Do It” recognized by 90% of U.S. consumers by the 1990s.
Insights:Emotional Simplicity: The slogan’s universal appeal created a cultural phenomenon, proving concise messaging can resonate deeply.
Risky Creativity: Adopting a provocative slogan was a gamble that paid off, showing bold choices define brands.
Influencer Pioneering: Athlete endorsements like Jordan’s set the stage for modern influencer marketing.
Enduring Legacy: Its adaptability across decades highlights the value of a consistent brand ethos.
Dove’s “Real Beauty Sketches” (2013, Global)
Dove’s “Real Beauty Sketches,” part of its Real Beauty initiative, showed a forensic artist drawing women based on self-descriptions versus others’ perceptions. Dove The video exploded with 114 million views, amplified by Twitter .
Brand sentiment rose 30%, with 70% of women linking Dove to positive self-image. I remember this video when it first launched. Dove was one of our agency clients, and the emotion it evoked was overflowing and we wanted to deliver projects that give women their beauty and confidence back.
Insights:Emotional Connection: Tapping self-esteem drove viral engagement, showing universal themes win hearts.
Cinematic Quality: The video’s polished production set a high bar for social media content.
Thought Leadership: Leading beauty conversations solidified Dove’s social impact.
UGC Catalyst: Encouraging women to share stories amplified reach organically.
Digital-Led Initiatives
Apple’s “Shot on iPhone” Campaign
Apple invited users to share photos/videos captured on iPhones, showcased on their social media. Apple’s launch announcement Apple Newsroom details its OOH integration, with over 30 million #ShotOniPhone posts. Apple has a dedicated Shot on iPhone playlists on Youtube showcasing the iPhone’s superior camera and the phenomenal video quality the phone has, turning users into creators to outshine competitors.Over 30 million posts were generated by 2020, per Apple’s campaign updates Apple Newsroom. iPhone sales grew 15% annually from 2015 to 2017, cementing Apple’s smartphone lead.
Insights:User as Creator: Empowering users to create content built trust and engagement.
Hashtag Scalability: #ShotOniPhone’s simplicity fueled global participation.
Premium Positioning: Curated, high-quality content reinforced Apple’s luxury image.
Digital-OOH Synergy: Social posts fed billboards, creating a seamless campaign loop.
Activations
Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” Campaign Starting in Australia, Coca-Cola printed popular names on bottles, sparking sharing via #ShareACoke on social media, TV, radio, and in-store activations. Facebook was heavily involved where it was used to share a coke with someone else via social media. When it hit the Philippines, there was scarcity of names which made the demand grew. At that year, our agency won the digital arm of Coke PH and I got to work on the Christmas campaign and got my bottle with my name!
The campaign achieved 2% sales growth globally by 2014, per Coca-Cola’s release Coca-Cola News. Millions of #ShareACoke posts spread across 80+ countries, revitalizing the brand.
Insights:Personalization Impact: Named bottles created emotional ties, driving impulse buys.
Physical-Digital Bridge: In-store activations fueled social sharing, a powerful combo.
Viral Loop: #ShareACoke’s UGC engine sustained momentum globally.
Localized Execution: Tailoring names by region ensured cultural relevance.
Out-of-Home (OOH)
Spotify’s “Wrapped” Campaign
Spotify’s “Wrapped” campaign, launched in 2016, delivers personalized year-end listening recaps to users, but its OOH component steals the show. Wrapped’s OOH campaign used user data to create humorous, relatable billboards, turning personal listening habits into public celebrations and cementing Spotify’s cultural relevance. Each year, Spotify displays quirky, data-driven billboards in major cities, most predominant in Times Square, highlighting global and local listening trends—like “Dear person who played ‘Sorry’ 42 times on Valentine’s Day, what did you do?. Social media amplifies the buzz.
Results: By 2017, Wrapped reached 140 million users, with billboards generating over 2 million social shares, per Spotify’s campaign recap Spotify News. App sessions surged 15%, and Spotify’s market share grew, solidifying its lead over Apple Music.
Insights:Data as Storytelling: Using anonymized user data for witty billboards created a personal-public connection, making Spotify feel like a friend.
Social Media Synergy: OOH visuals were designed for Instagram and Twitter sharing, driving viral engagement.
Annual Anticipation: Making Wrapped an annual event built brand ritual, ensuring sustained engagement over years.
Campaign elements are often similar, but insights into the problems they solve, and how they are narrated, make the difference.
Emotional Storytelling: Nike and Dove’s universal messages created lasting bonds.
User Engagement: Apple and Coca-Cola’s UGC strategies turned consumers into creators.
Creative Risk: Spotify and Nike’s bold choices redefined their categories.
Multi-Channel Impact: Integrated platforms amplified reach and impact.
Which campaign inspires your next big idea? Share below or subscribe for next week’s Brand Buzz Spotlight to keep the creative spark alive!