Over the years, we have witnessed advertising campaigns that have been resoundingly successful thanks to their creativity, innovation and ability to connect with the viewer’s emotions. However, the biggest factor is the proper use of digital marketing tools to obtain positive results. Therefore, today we want to share with you three successful cases of advertising campaigns and the lessons we can take from them.
Old Spice – “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like”
In 2010, Old Spice set out to increase sales of its deodorant among young men. At the time, Axe represented more modern competition, while Old Spice was perceived as an “old” brand. This is how the campaign “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” emerged, which quickly became one of the most successful and viral advertising campaigns online. The video explains to the female audience why his men could never be as sexy as him. This campaign is based on comical, surreal situations with humorous and sarcastic language to talk about the product.
Lessons we learned:
- The magic of storytelling: Storytelling was key in the Old Spice campaign. The campaign told a compelling story about a man looking to improve his attractiveness and boy did it work! Storytelling is a tool that allows us to connect with the audience’s emotions in a powerful way. You can read more about the topic in our article “3 Essential Storytelling Techniques to Enhance your Brand”.
- Strategic choice of Social Media Platforms. The campaign was extended to different platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter (now X). This helped reach more people, generating interactions and engagement. Furthermore, these types of channels are usually more profitable than traditional ones.
- Know your audience thoroughly. A crucial part of their success was thoroughly understanding their target audience and their needs. They realized that more than 60% of women choose personal hygiene products for both themselves and their partners. Therefore, including the female audience was essential if they wanted to change their partner’s habits. All of this was reinforced by tone, language and humor that resonated with young men. Even the choice of actor Isaiah Mustafa was part of this strategy, managing to captivate the target audience.
Toyota – Let’s Go Places
Toyota decided to change its motto in 2013 with the aim of repositioning the brand as an ally for adventure and exploration. They focused on the idea that Toyota’s cars can take people to new places and help them experience new things. Its previous slogan, “Moving Forward, was replaced by “Let’s go places”, which is energetic, ambitious, inclusive and very versatile. This slogan has a double meaning: first, it refers to the physical act of going places, and second, it promises exciting innovations that enrich people’s lives.
Lessons we learned:
- The importance of the image. They used stunning images to show the adventurous lifestyle that Toyota wanted to associate with their brand. So, they used photographs and videos that captured the beauty of natural settings and the excitement of exploration.
- The value of simplicity. The slogan “Let’s go places” was simple, memorable and easy to understand. This helped the campaign message be conveyed effectively to its audience.
- Tropicalization. The campaign was adapted to different regions and cultures, using relevant images and messages across television, print, social media and digital marketing. This allowed Toyota to connect with a larger audience all around the world.
Tecate – You need to see more box
The campaign was launched in 2015. It is worth remembering that, in 2010, the Cuauhtémoc Moctezuma Brewery integrated Heineken with a portfolio of more than 250 brands, including Tecate. The goal of the campaign was to strengthen their link with boxing, the second most popular sport in Mexico, and they chose their Tecate brand as the protagonist along with actor Sylvester Stallone. The choice of Stallone was not a coincidence, since a figure that reflected the essence of the brand and masculinity was sought to boost the value, strength and visibility of Tecate.
Lessons we learned:
- The power of the hashtag. The campaign covered television and social media networks such as Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, where the hashtag #Te HaceFaltaVerMasBox was used. Over 29 thousand interactions were generated on Facebook, while on Instagram there were over 12 thousand. This expanded the reach of the campaign and promoted conversation. The phrase was cleverly used in the organic creation of memes, amplifying their spread significantly. In addition, the brand responded to user comments and questions on social networks, which generated a greater connection with the public.
- Storytelling and creative innovation. Tecate’s campaign used storytelling to connect more closely with its target audience. Skillfully combining emotion and humor, the campaign stories conveyed a powerful message about masculinity and boxing, establishing the brand as a symbol of strength and authenticity, achieving a genuine connection with the audience.
- Humanize the brand. The impact of the commercials was so big that the audience began to comment on the networks about how Stallone pronounced the word box, which sounded more like “bax.” As a result, the advertising agency decided to change its hashtag to #TeHaceFaltaVerMasBax, which humanized the brand and made it even more memorable for everyone.
Highlight your brand: Advertising campaigns tailored to you
The three advertising campaigns offer valuable lessons about the strategic use of communication channels. The impact of storytelling, understanding and listening to the audience, humanizing the brand and adjusting the strategy according to user response. These elements demonstrate their continued relevance, being fundamental pillars in any successful advertising strategy. If you want your brand to really stand out, you need a creative team that focuses on understanding your audience to create an advertising campaign tailored specially for you and your product.
