Six Campaigns That Changed the Marketing Game

 

Have you ever wondered about how did Cadbury rise up again after the 2003 worm issue? Or how Maggie got back its spot as the best-selling noodle brand after their lead controversy? If you did then the answer is marketing campaigns.

 

So, What Exactly Are Marketing Campaigns?

Marketing campaigns are a series of advertisements that promote a product or service through different types of media outlets and even through real-life demonstrations. 

Marketing campaigns, unlike advertisements, are more effective because they reach their potential customers and connect with them on a much higher and effective scale.

The impact that a marketing campaign has is almost twice that of advertising and are essential for running a smooth business but marketing campaigns don’t happen overnight. You must be wondering why?

 

Let Me Explain

Marketing campaigns need a whole lot of research and planning to be successful or have any sort of impact on the masses. Before starting a marketing campaign, one needs to know their target audience and understand their mindsets.

Prioritizing campaign goals is crucial e.g. what the brand wants to convey, who are your target audience, are they of a specific age or an area, what is your main reasoning for your campaign etc. execution comes later but  having your goals set before hand plays a prime role.

Now, if you are a business owner or a person who is thinking of starting a business or if you are just a person who wants to know more about marketing campaigns then here’s a list of some of the most successful campaigns in the world that for sure will inspire you.

 

1.Apple “Get a Mac” Campaign

Apple’s “Get a Mac” campaign is one of the most iconic marketing campaigns of all time. This campaign was one of the reasons why Apple got its consumer loyalty and brand identity.

“Get a Mac” was Apple’s four yearlong campaign that showcased 66 commercials throughout the period. This campaign ran between 2006 to 2009.

Every commercial started with “ hello I’m a Mac” and “ hello I’m a PC” and then both of them having a debate about which one is better.

The commercial starred Justin Long as "Mac" and John Hodgman as "PC". True to the characteristics of both mac and pc, Justin played the role of smart clever individual and john as the nerdy, a little slow individual.

In this campaign Apple not only highlighted why mac is better but also discussed all the complications that one could face while using a pc. This campaign was simply entertaining and quite informative.

This campaign was quite simple but worked wonders for Apple and increased its consumer base and sales overall.

 

2. Nike’s “Just Do It” Campaign

Nike “Just Do It” Campaign is the prime example of starting something and making it global and mainstream. This campaign began in 1988 and has become Nike’s core identity and also made Nike a leading athletic brand.

They started with a simple tagline called “Just Do It” which did not really reveal much or anything about the brand but, what it did was that they connected with their potential customers at a personal and emotional level.

The campaign showcased various athletes in their commercials  that generated the trust and reliability factor. This campaign connected with the views through its positive and uplifting message and also made their products a statement piece for both casual and athletic use.

Nike is an example of how you don’t always need something extraordinary or out of the box ideas. Having simple ideas with a greater meaning, values and great executions can work wonders sometimes.

 

3. Maggie Relaunch Campaign

After the 2015 Maggie lead controversy, it was a challenge for Nestle’s Maggie to rise back again. As their reputation was heavily hampered and their sales declined rapidly due to the nationwide ban.

Even after all the setbacks and backlash Maggie aired a series of short films with the #wemissyoumaggi in which different individuals spoke about their love for the instant noodle. They released these short films while waiting for the test results.

After the test results proved that Maggie is safe for consumption, they then started their relaunch campaign where the main theme was to evoke feelings of nostalgia within consumers.

In these short films or advertisement’s viewers saw mother talk about Maggie. They told their stories and experiences with Maggie and how much they trust the brand.

They used mothers in their campaign because mothers are often associated with trust, warmth, faith, comfort and safety. Maggie wanted consumers to feel all these emotions for them again.

This campaign made use of the emotional sentiments, nostalgia and storytelling to win back the hearts of the consumers and gain back trust. It worked because after the setback Maggie is the bestselling noodle brand in India yet again.

 

4. BMW “the Heir” Campaign

BMW’s heir campaign still remains unmatched to this day. As these series of short films were released in the era when the internet was just beginning to become popular. These short films were released on the internet in 2001.

Back in the day when BMW noticed a little bit of decline in their sales, they decided to do a campaign, but what was different about this one was the fact that it was targeted towards the people using the internet at the time.

Considering the year 2001 where none of the mainstream social media platforms even existed and YouTube launching in 2005 these short films did significantly well.

They were a series of 8 short films where each one was different from the other. What remained the same was the fact that American actor Clive Owen was always the mysterious driver in the series accompanied by a different high-profile celebrities like Madonna, Thomas Milian etc. every time he drives.

The series was directed by high profile directors as well. What made this campaign so different was that these short films felt like really high budget movies with all the efforts and the quality that they produced.

This marketing campaign had a huge impact on the masses overall that it had 100 million views and was shared by views via emails and other outlets at the time. It also increased BMW's sale to a great extend because of the campaign.

BMW made an iconic internet-based campaign during a time where the internet was beginning to shine and made it work so well really speaks volumes.

 

5.Absolute Vodka “the Bottle” Campaign

What comes to our mind when we think of Absolute?

That’s right it's their iconic bottle.

When Absolute entered the vodka industry there was nothing unique about it and did not acquire much of the market at the time. However, with their, “The Bottle” campaign Absolute earned a global name but also acquired most of the alcohol market.

“The Bottle” campaign began in 1980 and it consisted of 1,500 advertisements that ran for a period of 25 years. The marketing campaign was done through the print medium.

What was unique about this entire campaign was that every advertisement was different from the others and it spoke about different topics through their advertisements. The very first bottle print was designed by famous artist Andy Warhol who himself suggested this idea.

This campaign is the reason why Absolute got it's fun vibrant and positive identity and Absolute is the brand that collaborates with various artists and musicians irrespective of their popularity and gave them a creative platform to express themselves.

When the campaign ended Absolute was importing a total of 4.5 million cases per year. Till this day Absolute continues to make beautiful and funky bottles that grabs attention and connects with people.

 

6. Coca-Cola “Share a Coke”

In 2014 Coca-Cola launched its multinational campaign known as “Share a Coke”. The main objective of the campaign was to create a more personal and emotional bond with their customers, to encourage everyone to share moments of happiness with each other and to change their traditional bottle wrapper.

Coca-Cola introduced bottles with names on it, so consumers could and still can purchase a bottle with a name printed on it that holds a special place in their heart. Moreover, they can also go online and order a customized bottle with the name of their choice printed on it.

All the commercials for this campaign are so enduring and delightful to watch that it worked wonders and won the hearts of the consumers.

 

The Conclusion

What we can learn here is that research and a proper plan really does make a difference. Every marketing campaign mentioned here is not the same and is definitely unique and unheard of.

One doesn't always have to be over the top but with good research and understanding of the market along with a good plan can really make a difference.

 

Written by - Lirica Machado

Edited by – Adrija Saha