My Favourite Marketing Campaigns from 2019
By Ivie Ndep
Great marketing campaigns can help to generate ideas for your organization’s marketing efforts. The right marketing campaign can make or break a business.
There were many great campaigns in 2019 so without further ado, here are a few of my favorites:
DOVE - PROJECT #SHOWUS
This project stemmed from a survey conducted by Dove which showed that women want brands to take responsibility for stock images used in marketing. 70% of women feel brands do not accurately reflect them.
Dove, in collaboration with Getty Images and Girlgaze, created project #showus. The project allows women to redefine beauty on their own terms and break down stereotypes of how women are depicted in the media.
Dove Campaign
The campaign features over 5000 stock images of unretouched photos, showcasing the beauty of women from all over the world.I love this campaign because Dove did not stop at sending a strong social message but took active steps to solve the problem. They collected real photos of women which gave them the opportunity to show a more inclusive vision of beauty.
Key Takeaway
Cause marketing can be difficult for many brands because it requires long-term commitment and authenticity. Therefore, brands should listen to their audience and develop creative ways to meet their needs. This is the key to creating a long-lasting relationship with consumers.
ESSIE – #ESSIELOVE USER-GENERATED CONTENT
Essie is a nail polish brand with over 2.1m followers on Instagram that is killing it with its user-generated content Instagram campaign! The #essielove campaign encourages consumers to share pictures of themselves wearing Essie nail polish using the hashtag #essielove.
Essie Campaign
The Essie campaign has generated almost 300,000 images by Instagram users.
I love this campaign because it’s an easy way to engage with the Essie brand. It also gave users a way to express themselves and their personal style.
Key Takeaway
User-generated content is a fantastic marketing strategy to increase engagement and build a community. It turns a faithful customer into an advocate for the brand. It also helps in giving authentic recommendations to potential buyers.
NIKE – DREAM CRAZIER
Nike “dream crazier” is a women empowerment video marketing campaign. The Ad went viral on various social media channels and applauds female athletes who have challenged the norm and broken barriers in their respective sports.
This motivating and inspiring campaign highlights the achievements of female athletes like Ibtihaj Muhammad, Chloe Kim, Simone Biles, and Serena Williams.
The Twitter version of the Nike Ad has 31.9m views and 640k engagements. On Instagram, the Ad has 19m and YouTube has 11m views.
This is one of my favorite marketing campaigns because it is powerful and inspiring! It celebrates the successes of fearless females. The Ad is narrated by Serena and I especially love the quote at the end -
“So if they want to call you crazy? Fine. Show them what crazy can do.”
Key Takeaway
This Ad went viral because it inspired many people, especially women. The Ad connected with various people as shown by the number of views and engagement. Marketers should find ways to connect with their audience.
POPEYE’S- CHICKEN SANDWICH WAR
Chick-Fil-A is known for its Chicken Sandwich and has been a favorite of consumers for years. However, in August, Popeyes launched its Chicken Sandwich that started a heated debate on twitter. What better way for a competitor to get in on the action? Well, go after the competition.
On August 19th Chick-Fil-A sent out a tweet to seemingly taking a jab at Popeye’s. The advertising company for Popeyes held a quick meeting and in 15 minutes fired back with “… y’all good?”.
Popeyes Campaign
This was the beginning of the Chicken Sandwich war which started a viral social media debate about which franchise has the best Chicken Sandwich. The twitter war helped Popeyes in promoting the sandwich as consumers rushed to various outlets.
This eventually led to the sandwich being sold out in all locations as Popeye’s was unable to keep up orders.I love the fact that Popeyes was not afraid to go after Chick-Fil-A and Wendy’s as these franchises have been dominating the chicken sandwich business for years.
Key Takeaway
The exchanges between the fast-food franchises helped Popeye’s in promoting the Chicken Sandwich.It is important to keep an eye on your competitors. This can help brands in developing strategies that create a competitive advantage.
TO RECAP
Here are some pro-tips from my favorite marketing campaigns for 2019:
Know your consumers and develop creative ways to meet their needs
User-generated content is great for engagement especially on social media
Create inspiring marketing campaigns
Keep up with competitors