Imagine a room full of ad men, scratching their heads to make their brands shine, wondering what does it actually take to make an advertisement stand out of the clutter, to imbibe itself into the minds of viewers and to inspire action? Do we resort to the power of strategically-picked influencers? Or should we go out and about with pop-culture references to appeal to Gen X, Y and Z’s?
2019 has been year of surreal surprises, powerful storytelling and unabashed humor. Many brands recreated their style of communication, not just at a surface level but also at a personal level. Marketers pushed the envelopes to build affinity with their consumers and unearth many stigmas around society.
Let’s take a look at some of the most-talked-about advertisements from the past year:
1. A Total Adception
Samsung QLED + 6 Underground + Aviation Gin
By now, we can all agree that Ryan Reynolds is a marketing genius. He knows what his audience wants and is not afraid to show it. In this commercial, he conveniently places an ad inside an ad, inside an ad. With a straight face, he retorts everything there is to say about his brand, his movie, and the new Samsung QLED TV all under 43 seconds. The commercial became an overnight sensation, hailing Ryan Reynolds as a marketing mastermind. Well played Dead pool, well played! Have a look here:
2. What makes a man?
Gillette: The best a man can be
Transitioning from their original positioning, ‘The best a man can get’, Gillette created much stir by targeting their target audience, i.e., Men. The ad highlighted topics like toxic masculinity, bullying, harassment and so on. The commercial received mixed reviews due to its appeal. Call it a marketing stunt or a guerilla strategy, the brand raised many eyebrows with this advertisement.
3. Some bonds last forever
Fevicol: Sofa Ad
To celebrate their 60th anniversary, Ogilvy conceptualized an ad that resonated with Fevicol’s brand positioning. The commercial follows the story of a sofa which has been a significant part of many generations. The narrative was coupled with a melodious song that celebrates the journey of Fevicol in India.
4. Have you been nutty or nice?
JIF: Squirrel Ad
Keeping humor at the center of everything seems to be the new ‘ingenious’ these days but JIF may have taken that a wee bit too seriously. But then again, what’s advertising with a little risqué factor. The brand struck a chord with millennials with this borderline nonsensical advertisement and received Jif’ing good reviews for it.
5. An ode to entertainment
Tata Sky: World TV Day
To give an ode to Indian television, Tata Sky narrated the epic saga of small screen through a cinematic expression of sand art. The DVC launched on World TV Day, celebrated the milestones of the television industry through storytelling and took its audience on a nostalgic trip down memory lane, reminiscing the golden period of television.
6. Entertainment on-the-go
Netflix: Pappu Pakitmaar
When you’re one of the biggest content creators in the world you need an equally innovative marketing strategy to boost up your sales. Being the benchmark for most of the OTT platforms, Netflix seems to have cracked the formula of going total OTT (over the top) with their advertisements as well. Pappu Pakitmaar, portrayed by the talented Vijay Varma, reprises his character from the blockbuster movie Gully Boy, but only this time, he is an everyday pickpocketer on the crossroads of a new-age epiphany. Watch it here:
7. Facts or fiction, what do you believe in?
Dailyhunt: #KhudKiSochBanao
Here’s a masterclass on how to deliver a strong, insightful message while keeping the brand essence in mind. Being a daily news aggregator, it is crucial to provide a source that is trustworthy and credible. The brand managed to reinstate the significance of having an individual opinion based on facts instead of hearsays and ‘Tota
Mat Bano’ fits right in to put forth what was on everyone’s minds.
So inconclusively, if you ask us what makes an ad phenomenal? We would say that in today’s day and age there’s no right or wrong, that all advertisements are subjective in its own regard.
Yet all great ideas start simple with a degree of truth which resonates with the audience. That’s the only way to thrive in this mad ad world.
