Successful Brand Campaigns We Can Learn From

Campaigns are not hard to create. What’s hard is how they are executed and carried out through brand’s activities. I think every creative agency would agree. Campaigns are supposed to promote a focused effort that guides consumers towards a desired action. They also give brands identity, personality, and emotion.

A campaign is successful when it lasts and resonates - when people remember it even after it is no longer carried out by the brand. Campaigns make companies memorable. The important question is how do we carry out a campaign? What does it take for a campaign to be successful?

Here are some of the most successful brand campaigns we can learn from:

1. Nike: Just Do It

Can you believe that Nike’s Just Do It campaign has been carried out for decades? It began around 30 years ago and it even has campaigns within campaign now! Nike has been very consistent yet innovative with their campaign. For 30 years, the “Just Do It” mantra has been a motivational call for athletes nationwide, across all sports, and all levels of play. They keep presenting inspirational KOLs to speak for their brand.

In their latest short film “Dream Crazy”, you’ll meet incredible athletes: 29-year-old basketball phenomenon and wheelchair athlete Megan Blunk, who took gold in Rio in 2016; Isaiah Bird, who was born without legs, and at 10 years old has become the one to beat on his wrestling team; Charlie Jabaley — an Ironman who made over his life by dropping 120 pounds, going vegan, and in the process, reversed the growth of a life-long brain tumor; and Michigander Alicia Woollcott, who simultaneously played linebacker and was named homecoming queen during her high school senior season.

In another short film that followed, “Dream Crazier”, they had Serena Williams to narrate and shine a spotlight on female athletes who have broken barriers, brought people together through their performance and inspired generations of athletes to chase after their dreams.

Nike creates different and dynamic campaigns that stick to one big theme: INSPIRATIONAL. If their films don’t inspire you, I don’t know what will.

2. Dove: Real Beauty

Now, I’m pretty sure this has been mentioned many times in branding agency environment. Dove really set a gold standard for retail product campaigns when they launched their Real Beauty ads. Their ads really sparked conversations and broke different barriers.

Dove used real women for their initial ads. They were representative for their audience – relatable. Their Real Beauty Sketches ad was so special to a lot of women. Dove has successfully raised their brand from product to purpose. People are not only buying their body foam but support Dove’s philosophy. A lot of women actually feel good about buying their products.

3. Coca Cola: Happiness Factory

The campaign took us to Coke’s world inside a vending machine – one of the most memorable ads of all time, isn’t it? The campaign was first launched in 2006. The iconic cola brand enjoyed a 3.6% boost in retail sales in 2008 and its best January sales in 2009, despite the increasingly gloomy economic news.

The ad emphasizes on good mood. It was a really well-animated ad and would still be relevant even if it had been launched today. Coke was so ahead with technology for TV ad that time that it was a phenomenon. It is such a great example of what good concept can do to your brand.

Those are three brand campaigns that have been successful for different reasons and treatments. I hope you could dig deeper and find bits and pieces you can relate to your own brand. The same treatment might not work the same way and it is the responsible of a creative agency to… well, get creative!