Quick answer
Some of the best advertising examples of the past two decades include Old Spice's "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like," Dove's "Real Beauty Sketches," Always' "#LikeAGirl," Nike's "Dream Crazy," KFC's "FCK" apology and Spotify Wrapped. What they share is one clear idea, a strong emotional or humorous hook and a format that fit the channel where people would see it.
What makes an ad campaign memorable
Great campaigns rarely win on production budget alone. Across the examples below, four traits come up again and again:
- A single, simple idea that can be explained in one sentence.
- A real insight about the audience, such as how women see themselves or how fans want to show off their music taste.
- Channel fit: the idea is built for TV, social, print or the product itself.
- Room for participation: people share it, reply to it or join in.
10 advertising campaign examples that captivated audiences
1. Old Spice, "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" (2010)
Created by Wieden+Kennedy and starring Isaiah Mustafa, the spot first aired online on February 4, 2010, and on US television four days later. Its fast, absurdist humor helped turn a dated brand into a pop culture reference. It won the Film Grand Prix at Cannes Lions in June 2010 and a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Commercial in July 2010.
Takeaway: a distinctive character and voice can reposition a brand quickly.
2. Dove, "Real Beauty Sketches" (2013)
Ogilvy & Mather had FBI-trained forensic artist Gil Zamora sketch women twice: once from their own descriptions and once from a stranger's. The strangers' versions were consistently more flattering. Released on April 14, 2013, the film had 163 million global views by June and won the Titanium Grand Prix at Cannes Lions.
Takeaway: a simple experiment can make an emotional insight visible.
3. Always, "#LikeAGirl" (2014–2015)
Directed by documentary filmmaker Lauren Greenfield with Leo Burnett, the film asked people to act out what doing something "like a girl" means, then contrasted their answers with those of young girls. After going viral online, a version ran during the 2015 Super Bowl. The campaign won a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Commercial in 2015 and 14 Cannes Lions, according to SHOOT.
Takeaway: reclaiming a familiar phrase gives a purpose-driven campaign a sharp hook.
4. Spotify, Wrapped (2016 onward)
Spotify Wrapped launched in December 2016, following a smaller "Year in Music" feature in 2015. Each year it gives users a personal summary of their top artists, songs and genres. Since 2019, the results have been formatted like social stories, which makes them easy to post on Instagram.
Takeaway: when the product data is the ad, every user becomes a distribution channel.
5. KFC, "FCK" (2018)
When supply problems with KFC's new delivery partner forced many of its UK restaurants to close in February 2018, Mother London ran full-page print ads in the Metro and The Sun. They showed an empty bucket with the letters rearranged to spell "FCK" and a frank apology to customers and thanks to staff.
Takeaway: in a crisis, honesty and a bit of humor can protect brand goodwill.
6. Nike, "Dream Crazy" (2018)
Part of the 30th anniversary of "Just Do It," the Wieden+Kennedy spot was narrated by Colin Kaepernick and announced around Labor Day 2018. It drew both strong praise and backlash, and it won the Emmy for Outstanding Commercial in September 2019.
Takeaway: taking a clear stand can deepen loyalty among a core audience, but brands should expect a reaction.
7. Heinz, "Draw Ketchup" (2021)
Rethink Canada asked people on five continents to "draw ketchup" without mentioning a brand. Most drew a Heinz bottle. Heinz then turned the drawings into limited-edition labels, online video, ads and digital billboards, and invited Canadians to submit their own drawings.
Takeaway: proving brand dominance through customers' own work is more persuasive than claiming it.
8. Duolingo, "The death of Duo" (2025)
On February 11, 2025, Duolingo announced that its owl mascot Duo had died, shown being hit by a Tesla Cybertruck. Fans were asked to "bring back" Duo by earning experience points, and users collectively logged more than 50.9 billion XP before Duo returned later that month, NPR reported.
Takeaway: a social-first storyline can turn engagement with the product itself into the campaign goal.
9. Too Good, "Paid Sick Leave for Cows" (2026)
Created by The Partnership Agency in Nairobi, this campaign set up a way to compensate Kenyan dairy farmers when their cows needed antibiotics, which makes the milk unsellable for a time. It won the Sustainable Development Goals Grand Prix at Cannes Lions 2026, Kenya's first Cannes Lions Grand Prix, according to shots.
Takeaway: solving a real problem for your supply chain can be the most credible advertising there is.
10. Suncorp Insurance, "Haven" (2026)
Suncorp Haven uses large amounts of data to show homeowners how vulnerable their homes are to natural disasters. It won the Titanium Grand Prix at Cannes Lions 2026, according to shots.
Takeaway: a useful tool can do the job of an ad while proving the brand's expertise.
How to apply these lessons to your own ads
- Write the idea in one sentence before you brief anyone. If it needs a paragraph, it is not ready.
- Find the insight first. Talk to customers, read reviews and watch how people discuss your category on social platforms. Our TikTok trending report is one way to spot formats gaining traction.
- Build for the channel. A 60-second TV story and a 15-second vertical ad need different structures, even for the same idea.
- Make many versions. On paid social, the winning hook is rarely the first one. Plan for testing, as covered in our paid social creative strategy guide.
- Invite participation. Wrapped, Draw Ketchup and Duolingo all gave people something to do, not just something to watch.
Bringing big ideas to social feeds
Most brands do not have a Super Bowl budget, but the same principles apply to creator-led ads on TikTok, Meta, YouTube Shorts and Snapchat. MediaNug produces UGC and paid social creative built around one clear idea and many testable variations. See examples in our work.
Frequently asked questions
What is an example of a successful advertising campaign?
Old Spice's 2010 "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" is a classic example. It won the Cannes Lions Film Grand Prix and an Emmy, and it changed how people saw the brand.
What are some examples of brand advertising?
Brand advertising builds long-term perception rather than driving an immediate sale. Dove's "Real Beauty Sketches," Always' "#LikeAGirl" and Nike's "Dream Crazy" are well-known examples.
What makes an advertisement effective?
Effective ads combine one clear idea, a genuine audience insight, a format suited to the channel and a reason for people to share or act.
What are recent award-winning ad campaigns?
At Cannes Lions 2026, Grand Prix winners included Too Good's "Paid Sick Leave for Cows" (Sustainable Development Goals) and Suncorp Insurance's "Haven" (Titanium).
Sources
- Wikipedia, "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" (accessed October 2026)
- Wikipedia, "Dove Real Beauty Sketches" (accessed October 2026)
- SHOOT, "Emmy win, DGA nomination, 14 Cannes Lions among honors for '#LikeAGirl'" (October 2015)
- Muse by Clios, "How 'Like a Girl' Broke the Internet, Won the Super Bowl, and Changed P&G Forever" (March 2021)
- Wikipedia, "Spotify Wrapped" (accessed October 2026)
- Marketing Week, "KFC uses cheeky print advert to apologise for chicken shortage" (February 23, 2018)
- CBS News, "Colin Kaepernick's Nike ad wins an Emmy for outstanding commercial" (September 2019)
- LBB Online, "Heinz anonymously asked people to draw ketchup. They all drew Heinz" (January 21, 2021)
- NPR, "Duolingo's owl mascot is alive after all. What did it gain from faking his death?" (February 26, 2025)
- shots, "Cannes Lions 2026: Film, Titanium, Glass and SDG winners" (June 2026)
