Top 10 Best Advertising Campaigns

These companies sure know how to market themselves. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 best advertising campaigns. For this list, we’ll be looking at different advertising campaigns run by corporations that stood out among the rest due to their success, creativity, and overall impact on the industry. To be clear, we’re not looking at a company’s entire marketing strategy, but at individual campaigns that were particularly remarkable.

The ‘90s were a time of ever-escalating burger wars between the major fast food chains. How did Taco Bell’s alternative menu attempt to stand out among the competition? With an adorable talking Chihuahua, of course! That’s right, this furry chihuahua became synonymous with the Tex-Mex fast food company in the late ‘90s, reminding us that all we really wanted was some savory Mexican goodness. The Taco Bell Chihuahua had the perfect mixture of cuteness and humor to encourage folks to skip the golden arches and grab a chalupa the next time they were in the market for some cheap grub.

The ‘90s gave us some great new trends, but also a callback to 1930s swing dancing known as The Swing Revival. Believe it or not, Gap played a large part in pushing this movement into the mainstream. A clothing retailer that focused on casual fashion trends, Gap boosted its prevalence with a series of commercials that featured a hip and diverse crowd dancing to swing music while wearing signature Gap khakis. Its massive success and cultural impact led to more dance-based commercials and a resurgence in company profits.

Beauty should be a source of confidence, not anxiety. Dove came to this realization in 2004 and generated a campaign that challenged the status quo of marketing for feminine care products. At a time when competitors relied upon unrealistically thin supermodels to market their products, Dove decided to showcase the natural beauty of everyday women. We were reminded that beautiful isn’t a “one size fits all” standard and that there is an inner splendor within all women. Whether measured through profits made or its positive cultural impact, the campaign was a massive success and its results were truly unforgettable.

#7: “The Most Interesting Man in the World” (2006) Dos Equis

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The Most Interesting Man in The World is a series of advertisements featuring a ruggedly handsome older man relating uber-masculine stories from his youth. After wowing viewers with his outlandish feats, he reminds us in his signature way what his beer of choice is. The genius of this campaign is its ability to make us laugh while also making us envious of the character’s lavish lifestyle. In a world dominated by Anheuser-Busch products, Dos Equis reminded beer drinkers that there is an alternative lager out there for those who are looking to class things up every now and then.

Speaking of uber-masculine, this next guy may just take the cake for manliest TV commercial character. In this campaign, each commercial took us on a short ride through the surreal, all while being guided by Isaiah Mustafa’s soothing yet powerful voice. The commercials’ sharp scripts made the campaign a viral sensation and numerous parodies continued its legacy. As for Mustafa, ladies want to be with him, and men want to be him. Purchasing Old Spice may not achieve this objective, but it’s worth a shot!

No, it wasn’t Shia LaBeouf who first uttered this classic catchphrase. Well before Shia was on “Even Stevens,” Nike trademarked this slogan and more than doubled their market share. While Reebok focused their efforts during this time on the aerobics boom, Nike decided to expand its focus and to target all Americans. If you thought you were too old, tired, or out of shape to get out there and work it, Nike had 3 words of wisdom to change your mind. This campaign was also elevated by the star power of various professional athletes and remains alive and well today.

Just three years before Apple persuaded us to Get a Mac, they released a series of commercials for a certain music playing device that revolutionized the music industry. While many campaigns feature a famous or charismatic spokesperson relating their company’s message, Apple did the opposite with their signature voiceless, yet spirited silhouettes. Instead of embodying a particular individual, they represented a free-spirited and fun lifestyle that could be associated with Apple’s music products. The iPod helped Apple make enormous strides toward becoming the giant it is today and this campaign undoubtedly aided the product’s massive success.

If you haven’t heard of this one, we have just one question for you: Where’ve you been the last two decades?! Each ad’s format is simple; item, then item cost, followed by a sentimental thing or activity associated with the item that’s priceless. Nearly 20 years later, with commercials airing in 98 countries, there’s still no sign of “For everything else, there’s MasterCard” slowing down. If you’re still not convinced of the campaign’s ripple effect, take a look at the countless web pages and TV shows parodying the masterful campaign. Commercial and newsprint placement may be costly, but this campaign’s success is indeed priceless.

It’s one thing to revolutionize an industry; it’s a whole other thing to actually create one. De Beers did just that throughout the 1900s with the diamond engagement ring. The campaign reached a climactic moment in 1947, when the slogan “A Diamond Is Forever” was introduced. This earned it the title of #1 slogan of the 20th century and led to the social norm of acquiring a diamond ring for your lover upon engagement. The origin story behind De Beers engagement rings may not be the most romantic, but there’s no denying that it’s the gold - or in this case, diamond - standard for effective marketing. Before we unveil our number one pick, here are some honorable mentions. Spokespeople (2014) Old Navy “GEICO Cavemen” [aka “So Easy, a Caveman Could Do It”] (2004) Government Employees Insurance Company [GEICO] “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry” (2010) Snickers “Red Bull Stratos” (2012) Red Bull “Whassup?” [aka “Wazzup”] (1999) Budweiser

#1: “Santa Claus” (1931) The Coca-Cola Company

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Coca-Cola prides itself in its ability to bring people together, as was shown in their catchy, 1970s jingle that almost made our list. But the beverage company showed its true genius decades earlier when it boldly proclaimed Coke as the drink of choice for everybody’s favorite North Pole dweller. Coca-Cola wasn’t the first company to use Mr. Claus in advertisements, but they are unquestionably the most prominent. Their ads became integral in creating the image of the modern-day Santa Claus while also cementing the company’s role in American culture for years to come. Do you agree with our list? Which advertising campaigns top your list? For more market-worthy Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.