The 5 best advertising campaigns in history: This is how a brand is sold!

[jrineakter]

Between television programmes and films, a battery of short, self-contained videos is displayed, trying to persuade us to buy what they are advertising. As they break the rhythm of what we were watching, they are usually received with little enthusiasm, we let them pass while we focus on something else, we ignore them; except on very rare and honourable occasions when a miracle occurs…

The miracle of capturing our attention with creative pieces on par with the best Hollywood productions. Advertising agencies have been delivering incredible campaigns for years, works that invite us to reflect, get excited or motivate. Campaigns that go beyond the product they advertise to explore universal feelings.

Whether through emotion, reflection or the ever-effective astonishment, the truth is that there are campaigns that manage to stay in our heads. There are campaigns that catch on and sweep, becoming, over the years, part of our album of cultural memories.

Below we will discuss 5 of the best advertising campaigns, brilliant for the tone chosen and for the impact they had and continue to have. There is no more effective way to promote a brand than to do so with a publicity bomb.

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Nike
This North American brand started out selling products aimed at marathon runners, but over time it refocused to monetize the fitness trend in its own way.

In the late 80s, this firm was at a clear disadvantage compared to its main competitor, Reebok, but it managed to turn the trend around thanks to one of the most successful campaigns of all time: 'Just do it'. The campaign led by this slogan boosted sales of its trainers.

'Just do it' is a short and germany number data memorable slogan that anyone can relate to. It's the ideal response to someone who is thinking about playing a sport, or, in general, thinking about doing something. Are you thinking about going for a run? “Just do it”. Simple and effective.

With this slogan Nike managed to sneak into the average consumer's repertoire of arguments. It became a recurring piece of advice. Even today, 'Just do it' is still popular among sportsmen and women who need a little push to go out for the essential dose of sport.


Apple
The technology company born in a garage in California has always been at the forefront of its use of marketing tools. In this sense, Steve Jobs, above all being a good engineer and a better manager, was a great communicator. A visionary in promotion. Proof of this is the company's first advertisement, '1984', a dystopian piece created by Ridley Scott.

The ad is a reinterpretation of George Orwell's literary masterpiece. In it, a young, rebellious athlete traverses a grey world – similar to the one described in '1984' – while being pursued by riot police. Arriving in front of a screen projecting an alienating Big Brother, the young woman throws a hammer and smashes the screen.

After the screen exploded, an advertising text was displayed anticipating the arrival of the new Apple Macintosh with the following slogan: “You'll see why 1984 won't be like 1984”. Brutal.


BMW
“Be water my friend.” Who among those born in the eighties and early nineties hasn’t said this? BMW’s campaign bringing back the figure of Bruce Lee is one of the most epic moments in modern advertising. They dusted off a brilliant reflection and delivered it in the form of an iconic piece.

It was in 2006: the car brand brought back the martial arts actor – who died in 1973 – sharing the following reflection: “Empty your mind. Free yourself from forms. Like water. Put water in a bottle and it will be the bottle. Put it in a teapot and it will be the teapot. Water can flow or it can hit. Be water, my friend.”

The car brand's creative team used this speech to illustrate the most important features of a new BMW model, characterised by its adaptability. In this way, the campaign managed to penetrate the collective imagination of an entire generation and increase the brand's awareness by 20%, boosting projected sales by an incredible 60%.