When we think of amazing marketing campaigns that have truly made an impact on us or achieved significant brand milestones, we cannot ignore this list of the top 10 marketing campaigns in history. In chronological order, we will go through the campaigns that have caught our attention, from the mid-20th century to the year 2021.
De Beers Campaign: A Diamond Is Forever
It’s the year 1947, and the company that controls nearly 90% of the world’s diamond production observes that diamonds are losing popularity, affection, and, ultimately, sales during the first half of the 20th century. In response, an American advertising agency develops the campaign “A diamond is forever.”
This campaign planted the idea in people’s minds that a diamond is a very rare and valuable stone, a conception that endures to this day. Despite industrial diamond production, society has assigned higher value to natural diamonds because they have held onto this positioning for years. The marketing campaign associates the diamond with concepts like love, eternity, and marriage.
The slogan “A diamond is forever” was created by Frances Gerenty, who, before going to bed, remembered the need for a slogan for this campaign and jotted down the idea in a single line: “A diamond is forever.” When she woke up and saw it, she decided to leave it as it was.
In 1999, the campaign was recognized as the best slogan of the 20th century by Advertising Age magazine, and in recent years, the slogan has been revived for use in this century.
Apple Campaign: It’s 1984
Among the best marketing campaigns, Apple’s nod to Orwell’s dystopian work, 1984, couldn’t be missing. Apple aimed to revolutionize the world of personal computing by introducing its new Macintosh. Facing off against IBM, the dominant market giant at the time, Apple referred to it as “Big Brother” while presenting Apple as the only alternative for humanity.
Apple highlighted the potential problems that could arise from technology companies like IBM pursuing monopolistic strategies and taking control of users’ sensitive information.
This element can still be found in Apple’s advertising strategy today, emphasizing its high security standards regarding user-sensitive information.
Another remarkable visual element in the campaign is the use of a very linear color palette, only interrupted by the representation of Apple.
Sony Campaign: “Balls”
In 2005, Sony released what is considered the best ad of the first decade of the 21st century, winning the Cannes Grand Prix award.
The ad used 250,000 colored balls and had a budget of over $25 million. The primary objective was to create a visually impactful message conveying the campaign’s slogan, “Colors like no others.” A key element of the campaign was the use of the streets of San Francisco, where the colored balls rolled wildly.
Sony made a strong comeback after suffering a significant drop in profits and numerous layoffs. It managed to regain momentum in sales, positioning its new line as an alternative for those who were skeptical about flat-screen televisions at the time.
The campaign had such a significant impact that in 2010, Sony created an HD remake of the images for the introduction of HD quality in its products.
BMW Campaign: Be Water, My Friend
In 2006, the SUV market opened up for BMW thanks to Bruce Lee. The car company wanted to introduce its new X3 off-road model and achieved one of the most successful campaigns in history through an old interview with the famous filmmaker and martial artist Bruce Lee.
The campaign emphasized that the new off-road vehicle not only adapts to the road but also blends with it. As a result, BMW’s brand awareness increased by around 20%, and sales rose by 70% compared to the previous year.
Burger King Campaign: Whopper Sacrifice
The company has undertaken numerous advertising initiatives, but we want to highlight this one, which directly involved consumers and took place on social media in 2009.
In collaboration with Facebook, the campaign required users to visit the Whopper Sacrifice page and, through Facebook’s application, delete 10 friends (who received a notification of the challenge) in exchange for a free Whopper.
While not one of the most memorable campaigns, it had a lasting impact. In the 10 days it ran before being discontinued by Facebook, it managed to distribute 20,000 Whoppers. It also significantly increased brand awareness in a way that would be challenging to achieve through conventional marketing strategies.
Dove Campaign: For Real Beauty
It’s 2009, and female beauty and cosmetic products continue to follow a communication and marketing pattern based on aspiration. In response to this, Dove decided to set itself apart from its competitors by responding to its audience and directing the message towards their self-esteem.
This campaign was warmly embraced by millions of women because it was the first beauty product brand they could identify with.
This campaign marked a before and after in the industry with a groundbreaking message: let’s free the next generations from beauty stereotypes.
Old Spice Campaign: “Smell Like a Man, Man”
Continuing with cosmetics, we can’t overlook the 2010 Old Spice campaign in the USA, which didn’t arrive in Spain until 2019.
In the years leading up to the campaign, the brand was stuck with an outdated and “for old people” image. Thanks to a hybrid between an advertising spot and a humorous sketch, it mocked the outdated concept of masculinity and generated a significant debate. But they achieved their goal: getting people to talk about Old Spice. In short, it achieves an enormous increase in brand awareness thanks to its relationship with the masculine-ranch.
In the end, it led to a 107% increase in sales compared to the previous year.
Red Bull Campaign: Stratos
One of the marketing campaigns that garnered the most attention and societal interest was the historic jump by Austrian daredevil Felix Baumgartner.
In 2012, Red Bull’s campaign saw a man break the sound barrier, becoming the first human to do so without a motorized vehicle. He also broke records for the highest manned balloon flight and the highest parachute jump.
The marketing strategy gained unprecedented attention, being broadcast on 40 television channels and 130 digital media outlets worldwide. In Spain, it was aired on Teledeporte, with an audience of 4.3 million viewers. On YouTube, the broadcast lasted 4 hours and reached 8 million viewers. The campaign’s impact on social media increased brand awareness in the days leading up to and following the event.
Coca Cola Campaign: “Share a Coke”
We can’t forget the 2012 campaign, which arrived in Spain in 2013, in which Coca Cola personalized cans with names. Let’s be honest, who hasn’t enjoyed a Coca Cola with their name on it?
The soft drink market is mature and highly competitive, and this strategy was essential for connecting the brand with the millennial generation. The campaign generated a huge buzz on social media, and Google searches for the brand spiked in just a few days.
Cruzcampo Campaign: “Con Mucho Acento”
We could find several national examples that could make it to the list of the best marketing campaigns. But due to the use of technical resources, we’ve chosen this one.
In 2021, Lola Flores takes the spotlight in a campaign. Yes, you read that correctly. But how was it done? The magic of this marketing campaign that brings her back to the big screen is thanks to artificial intelligence.
Obtaining her voice, face, and gestures was a technical challenge, requiring hours of audiovisual material, more than 5,000 images, and extensive composition and post-production work.
The campaign focuses on breaking stigmas around accents, bringing people closer to their roots and pride in their heritage. In Cruzcampo’s case, this aligns perfectly with its 100-year history in Andalusia.
Launched in January 2021, the campaign had already won 25 advertising awards within 6 months, praising the strength and universality of the message, as well as the technical and creative quality.
Now, all that’s left is to continue enjoying the ambitious campaigns that the world of marketing offers. Who knows how this list will look in 10 years? But that’s the magic of marketing!
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