Ever since people started to speak up more openly about social and environmental issues like gender inequality, health and climate change, many top brands like Nike and Google began to address these top-of-mind matters in their own advertising campaigns.
As a creative marketing agency, we can’t help but notice these clever ads and marketing campaigns. Here are some of our favorite ads of 2020 that we think have made a societal impact:
Google helps keep memories alive
The ad that was the most memorable from Super Bowl LIV was Google’s ad, called “Loretta.” The ad was based on a true story of a Google employee’s grandfather and features an elderly man (borrowing the actual grandfather’s voice) with a failing memory who is trying not to forget his wife, Loretta.
We think this ad worked wonderfully because it told a relatable human story and created an emotional connection with the audience. Research shows that storytelling through videos cuts through the noise and make them significantly more memorable than facts.
The ad was named the Most Effective Ad of Super Bowl LIV and according to Unruly was 4 times more heart-warming and 12 times sadder than the average US ad.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xSxXiHwMrg&feature=emb_logo
What it means to be a lady?
Just days before the end of February, Girls Girls Girls Magazine posted a powerful video “Be A Lady, They Said” where the famous actress Cynthia Nixon tells a story of what it means to be a woman in a very harsh and direct way. The video has already reached over 1 million views on different social media platforms just in the first 48th after its release.
And while it does not advertise any particular product, it does address aching problems that our society is facing, thus resonating with the magazine’s target audience and also showing what the brand stands for.
Where did the Coke bottle go?
In the age of information overload, more brands tend to go back to minimalism, getting rid of all the unnecessary gimmicks and focusing on what’s really important – their brand name, differentiating shapes and colors.
That’s what Coca-Cola, in collaboration with Publicis advertising agency, did for their latest outdoor marketing campaign. Because, well, let’s face it, the Coke brand is so iconic that it needs very little clue to feel it and for the average consumer to start thinking about the taste of a fresh glass of Coca-Cola.
The Moldy Whopper
How could this ad not get our attention? The molded Whopper ad campaign by Burger King kicked off on February 19th, as a way to celebrate its milestone in getting rid of all its artificial preservatives in over 400 locations in the U.S.
We like this ad because it speaks to the people. If people want real food, Burger King is giving them real food. While this ad may not look appetizing to most people, sometimes a brand has to take bold steps like this to create the biggest impact and raise awareness. #givemetheMOLD
Olay’s “Make Space for Women”
Packed with a cast of all-women celebrities, another ad that caught our attention and apparently everyone else’s during the big game was the ad by OLAY, called “Make Space for Women.”
The ad starts with “Is there enough space in space for women?” and then Katie Couric then goes, “Who wrote that? Are people really still asking that question?”
The ad was named the Brand with Most Social Mentions During the Super Bowl game with 87.9k social mentions. The spot concludes with a promise to donate $1 to Women Who Code for every tweet directed @OlaySkin using the hashtag #MakeSpaceforWomen.