Finest piece of marketing/advertising you can remember

Shiraz 4.99 · 07-11-2014 12:58PM #1

Somewhere out there, huddled in a brainstorming session are groups of marketing execs & their juniors trying to come up with the next Whattttttsuuuup or Ice Bucket Challenge to catch the zeitgeist.

The only ad campaign I can remember affecting me was Captain Ahab White Horses Guinness ad that ran years ago. It was around the time Guinness draught had come out in cans & I remember buying a 6 pack on the back of the ad.

More recently, The Wild Atlantic Way, has been the most deserving of praise in my eyes.
Somewhere in an office a while ago somebody threw out this idea, sold it to his colleagues & got the traction of Bord Failte & the County Councils.
That person should be allowed to retire at 35 & every county on the western seaboard should send then an annual thank you cheque.

Generic Dreadhead · 07-11-2014 12:59PM

Ads of people frying rashers always make me want a big messy rasher sandwich

Kevin McCloud · 07-11-2014 01:13PM

The new John Lewis christmas ad.

Tiddlypeeps · 07-11-2014 01:15PM

Lucky Strike latching onto the suffrage movement to sell cigarettes to women. Prior to that no "proper" woman smoked, it's was primarily a male thing to do.

Edward Bernays is known as the father of PR because of the phenomenal success of his campaign. He hired attractive women to join in on marches while smoking, so that they would be picked up by the media with a cigarette in their hands/mouths and would be admired by other women.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torches_of_Freedom

Skylinehead · 07-11-2014 01:17PM

https://www.youtube.com/user/HondaVideo

This. Just genius.

The_Captain · 07-11-2014 01:17PM

Tiddlypeeps wrote: »

Lucky Strike latching onto the suffrage movement to sell cigarettes to women. Prior to that no "proper" woman smoked, it's was primarily a male thing to do.

Edward Bernays is known as the father of PR because of the phenomenal success of his campaign. He hired attractive women to join in on marches while smoking, so that they would be picked up by the media with a cigarette in their hands/mouths and would be admired by other women.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torches_of_Freedom

Jesus, how old are you that you remember marketing campaigns from 1929?

mrsdewinter · 07-11-2014 01:18PM

Coca-Cola's wheeze of putting names on bottles of sugary water was something I thought too lame for words when it started but apparently it's been a hit.
I guess that's why I don't work in marketing.

The_Valeyard · 07-11-2014 01:19PM

"yeah, but its breakfast time back home"

Tabnabs · 07-11-2014 01:20PM

I can still sing it...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEssgMQ1O_k

Tiddlypeeps · 07-11-2014 01:21PM

The_Captain wrote: »

Jesus, how old are you that you remember marketing campaigns from 1929?

Ha, missed the "you can remember" bit.

One in recent times would have to be the Old Spice super bowl ad. I don't ever recall seeing such an old, dying brand that has such a strong association with old people make such a massive come back and become relevant with young people again.

quad_red · 07-11-2014 01:23PM

Left me thinking Sony were the manufacturer of flat screen tvs.

(disclaimer: I love SF as well so this was a double whammy)

valoren · 07-11-2014 01:29PM

De Beers marketing campaign to make shelling out a small fortune for a Diamond engagement ring an integral part of the courtship process.

sarkozy · 07-11-2014 01:31PM

The_Captain wrote: »

Jesus, how old are you that you remember marketing campaigns from 1929?

It was discussed in Adam Curtis' documentary 'The Century of the Self'. It's one of the famous early examples of psychological marketing/propaganda/advertising.

The John Lewis ad is doing the rounds alright, I just never knew until this year that it's been their 'thing' for donkey's years.

Richard Hillman · 07-11-2014 01:39PM

Coke and when they gave out those watches. Not a drop of pepsi was touched over those summers.

Ferris_Bueller · 07-11-2014 02:18PM

Coca Cola in general I would say, the names on the bottles, Christmas ads that they run, even a normal ad of a bottle or can of coke being opened is very effective, I'd say they have consistently had the best marketing/advertising scheme in my lifetime anyway.

Tokyo · 07-11-2014 02:22PM

Tabnabs wrote: »

I can still sing it...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEssgMQ1O_k

This. There was also an ad at the time about the dangers of your house erupting into a fireball if you were a smoker or if you played with matches. Remember something along the lines of a couch erupting into flames after everybody had gone to sleep, along with a voiceover of dire warnings that this could be you.

sbsquarepants · 07-11-2014 02:27PM

Those "antique portraits" of Arthur Guinness that were actually flat screens and came to life every now and then for a few seconds. It was hilarious watching groups of drunks doubt one of their mates sanity.
I'm telling you he waved at me
Course he did mick, maybe you should have an aul lucozade or something.:D

oisinog · 07-11-2014 02:29PM

Any of the DOE adverts up in the north be it speed kills or drink driving kills are very good, so much so i hate watching them.

I think the best advert is te guy dancing while his Guinness settled

KungPao · 07-11-2014 02:32PM

Tiddlypeeps wrote: »

Lucky Strike latching onto the suffrage movement to sell cigarettes to women. Prior to that no "proper" woman smoked, it's was primarily a male thing to do.

Edward Bernays is known as the father of PR because of the phenomenal success of his campaign. He hired attractive women to join in on marches while smoking, so that they would be picked up by the media with a cigarette in their hands/mouths and would be admired by other women.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torches_of_Freedom

...and whatever made John Player Blue the default cigarette in Ireland!

Disgusting things...taste like paper and chemicals.

---

A great one was by Kellogg's...convincing generations of people that a pile of carbs and sugar covered in milk was the only way to start the day. Although I read recently that their profits have taken a whack over the last few years. I guess people are realising there are better ways to break the fast.

DublinWriter · 07-11-2014 02:34PM

Saatchi & Saatchi's 'Labour isn't working' campaign for the Tories in 1981.

sbsquarepants · 07-11-2014 02:37PM

Note sure if it's just urban legend for add geeks but there is the similar stories of the ad agencies that helped alka selzer and some shampoo company practically double their sales over night.
They changed alka selzers slogan from "plink, fizz" to "plink, plink, fizz" and the instructions on the shampoo from "Lather. Rinse" to "Lather. Rinse. Repeat."
People just used twice as much for no reason!

cdb · 07-11-2014 02:45PM

This Audi ad from the mid-nineties.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIQ-283wKgg

razorblunt · 07-11-2014 02:46PM

sbsquarepants wrote: »

Note sure if it's just urban legend for add geeks but there is the similar stories of the ad agencies that helped alka selzer and some shampoo company practically double their sales over night.
They changed alka selzers slogan from "plink, fizz" to "plink, plink, fizz" and the instructions on the shampoo from "Lather. Rinse" to "Lather. Rinse. Repeat."
People just used twice as much for no reason!

Hmm perhaps, I always thought showing two chewing gums falling out of a packet was to show they were all uniform in colour but apparently it was to encourage people to have two at a time. I don't know anyone that eats two pieces though.

I think, annoying as it is to some people, the ComparetheMarket/Meerkat.com assocation is genius. I like to think some junior exec was laughed at when they first pitched it, only for the boardroom to come round like 12 Angry Men!

quad_red · 07-11-2014 02:50PM

cdb wrote: »

This Audi ad from the mid-nineties.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIQ-283wKgg

Is that Wesley from Buffy/Angel at the end?

Neyite · 07-11-2014 02:50PM

mike_ie wrote: »

This. There was also an ad at the time about the dangers of your house erupting into a fireball if you were a smoker or if you played with matches. Remember something along the lines of a couch erupting into flames after everybody had gone to sleep, along with a voiceover of dire warnings that this could be you.

"Where's Grandad?"

Tokyo · 07-11-2014 02:51PM

Back before tellys were widescreen....

Chunners · 07-11-2014 02:53PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ct2GP5v6MZM

castletownman · 07-11-2014 02:57PM

Tabnabs wrote: »

I can still sing it...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEssgMQ1O_k

My uncle is the Garda in that video. I still use it to woo the ladies

Tokyo · 07-11-2014 02:58PM

Neyite wrote: »

"Where's Grandad?"

Nobody was safe in Ireland back then. death was around every corner. Though to be fair, looking at that ad again, it looks like Grandad might have topped himself...

Streetwalker · 07-11-2014 03:01PM

IW are doing a great job at selling their product.

spurious · 07-11-2014 03:02PM

'Big Ed Loves Mona'.
Early to mid80s Ireland some time.

And we all loved Mona until the healthy bastards made them stop selling delicious full fat yogurt.

Finest piece of marketing/advertising you can remember

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