Standout Campaigns of 2019

New Year is almost here. What better time than now to look back at some of the best digital and outdoor campaigns of 2019. From smart ad placements and breaking stereotypes to intelligently showcasing multiple brands in one ad, brands sure upped their game of intelligent marketing via smart creatives. Here’s taking a look at some of the top ad campaigns that stood out in 2019.

Oreo reigns over 'Game of Thrones' marketing tie-ins

The "Game of Thrones" finale was one of the bigger media stories of the year's first half, so it's no surprise that a number of brands tried to hitch their wagon to the excitement. However, while fans' ultimate disappointment with the final season of the long-running series could limit the long-term impact of these efforts, one brand garnered significant enough attention during peak "Thrones" mania to stand out: Mondelez brand Oreo reimagined the opening sequence of the show done entirely with cookies, becoming one of the most impactful tie-ins.

McDonald’s “Family proof” campaign

McDonald’s and Burger King have become the new Pepsi and Coca Cola, if their witty campaign battles that have become immensely popular in recent times, are anything to go by. After a series of such campaigns, McDonald’s recently shifted its focus back to the idea of “family fun” - so as to reposition itself as the ultimate place for families to have a great time!. In the campaign, McDonald’s used a series of raw creatives such as messy crayon drawings, spilled ketchup and hand painted walls and drew out the logo in each of these creatives. Thus, conveying how McDonald’s has always been a part of many a families’ fun times.

#GonnaTellMyKids wave

We have seen numerous trends setting the social media ablaze in recent times and observed a lot of brands that have been quick to react to these trends with their own quirky versions. However, this time around, a trend, which started as a meme online saw brands smartly make use of it. “Gonna tell my kids” memes have been ruling social media globally with users sharing jokes on how they plan to lie and pass off the wrong celebrity or a TV show/movie / product as a famous pop-culture icon or of historical significance.

Apollo Tyres #NothingToSeeHere campaign

2019 has seen many brands refocusing their energy on “road safety”. Apollo Tyres recently redefined minimalism by posting blank & white images on their Instagram handles to shed light on an often-ignored topic of “distracted driving”. The message was clear - not to get distracted or consume content while driving. The brand made a difference by intelligently put this thought forward. In another smartly crafted campaign, Audi made use of raindrops and car taillights to develop a creative with a demonic look and posted it on its social media channels. The creative showcased how it becomes more important to drive safely especially during heavy rains, since there’s low to no visibility when driving.

Aviation Gin campaign

Ryan Reynolds is well known for his witty social media feed. However, this time around he promoted his own brand “Aviation Gin”, his newly released movie “6 Underground” and “Samsung TVs”, all in one single ad of just over 40 seconds. The ad was nothing short of genius that made the necessary impact. In the ad, we see Ryan start out by talking about how huge his movie “6 Underground” is, and then goes on to say that Samsung TVs are the best TVs to stream it, while the trailer is playing on one of the TVs. He’s then shown to be interrupted by a mid-roll ad about Aviation Gin. Now this was one of the best examples of usage of both time and ad space.

Campaigns on Men’s mental health

Gillette in its campaign #ShavingStereotypes showcased how it is okay for men to cry and express their emotions. This campaign was meant to encourage men to express their vulnerability and talk about their mental health, a topic that is rapidly gaining traction across the globe. This was a welcome departure from how men are usually depicted in brand ads that focus on them. Not just that, London Underground too made such an attempt recently on International Men’s Day, when they intelligently placed the message about “opening up” on its service information board.

If you have any personal favourites pls feel free to share them in the comments section.