Window Shopping

This ad by FedEx is nothing short of genius. It has the image of a map on a the outer wall of a building. There are people exchanging a parcel from different rooms that are located on different countries on the map. This is a great way of visualizing the idea that FedEx can ship internationally. Simple and genius just the way I like it.

Juxtaposition

Ads which find a way to relate a product or service to the consumer in a way that they understand are ultimately the most successful.This ad by people in need is extremely successful in this regard. It compares the price of 1 purse to the amount it costs for food for a week in a 3rd world country. This is accomplished with a shocking image to gain your attention.

The consumer can relate the amount it costs as a fraction of what they would normally spend. This knowledge paired with the guilt generated by the image may be enough of a call to action to gain more supporters. Here is the ad.

Scare Tactics

I love an ad that's meant to be shocking. This ad by the world heart federation is meant to open the eyes of citizens around the world to the dangers of saturated fats. It equates saturated fats to the cheese in a mouse trap we all want it and its delicious but it will lead to our deaths. The ad effectively tells the world to wake up and realize what we are doing to ourselves. Here's the ad.

Blah Car Ads

We've all seen it. A car cruising down a country road, wait a mountainous slope, wait a desert path. Its all been done. Car ads can be some of the most predictable and unoriginal ads around. Show the product in use in an interesting landscape. This ad by BMW has a little twist, it has the usual image of a desserted country road, but where is the car? It's already gone. The text states the function of the car that it 5.3 secxond acceleration rat so it's already gone annd you missed it.

What a genius way to use an overused unoriginal car ad.

Taking it Too Far

I love seeing ads that are seen as controversial. If we don't push the envelope then we'll never make it out of the know what was on the other side. Some people would consider this ad by LICRA to be racist and unacceptable. I say that's the point. This ad is meant to be in your face. The organization is trying to make known that race should not determine the career path of children and that all men and women are created equal. Here is the controversial ad.

Simplicity

Once again, simplicity is a great thing in print advertising. One must be able to get their message out without it being muddled in confusion and complexity. The WWF created a campaign that does just that. The campaign uses images of emergency workers slacking in drastic situations. Paired with the headline You Can't Afford to be Slow in an Emergency, the message of we are letting the planet die becomes extremely strong.

There is a great amount of resonance with these ads because consumers can picture events happening. It allows consumers to relate the message with their own lives. Here are the ads:

Cartoon Cleverness

This ad is a great example of clever ways to portray a product. Everyone has seen before and after hair care ads and they're always the same. Dove managed to show the benefits of the product in an original way. They took the iconic image of Marge Simpson (a cartoon character) and showed how the product could alter her. This change brought humour to the ad as well as resonance with a large amount of consumers.

Hilarious Print Ads

I came across this ad today and felt the need to post it. Overall it is hilarious. My sides hurt from laughing because i can picture a senior beating up this man. The ad is for senior self defense classes and effectively portrays the point of the ad in a humorous way.

Once again, fantastically funny.

Alt Makes Ads Simple

It's often said that less is more, but Alt hotels has made that thought the premise of its recent creative strategy.

In honor of it's latest location in the Toronto airport Alt hotels is using the idea of minimalist creative to sell their new tagline We Do Less. 

 Usually I find minimalist ads to be a waste of time. I mean really why spend all the time and money creating something so simple. However, these ads work for the strategy being attempted. The images are clean, simple, and easy to understand. Just like a stay in their hotels, there are no extra frills.

Here are some examples from the campaign.

Frankly, I love every bit of this campaign. Its sells the idea as well as the service in a visually dynamic way.

Oreo: Print Media Genius

This Blog is dedicated to showcasing great print advertising. As such I believe that my first post highlight the genius that is Oreo.

If there was any company that understands consumer insight completely it is Oreo whether it be social media or a simple print ad, Oreo gets their consumer. They cover the whole spectrum of advertisements, from light-hearted comedy to serious political, and are masters of both. 

The image below is an ad that in my humble opinion is fantastic. 

This is an advertisement that made a splash this summer. It was launched in conjunction with the various pride celebrations taking place across Canada and the US. It was warmly received by the LGBT community as well as its supporters. 

However, the ad sparked great debate. There was backlash from many outspoken groups who were against gay marriage. They failed to see how the situation could be compared to the civil rights movement. 

I do however believe that this is all a good thing. Whether people appreciated the ad or not it had everyone talking about Oreo.