What We Can Learn From The UK’s Most Loved Adverts

One of the most interesting things about marketing and advertising is that how to succeed and exactly what success entails depends so strongly on the brand itself, and as long you adhere to your values, there is a lot of scope for spreading your message in unique ways.

Whether they use comedy, abstract imagery, sentimentality or controversy, successful adverts capture the attention of an audience and create a discussion that lasts.

Whilst you cannot capture lightning in a bottle twice, there are lessons we can learn from beloved advertising campaigns.

1. I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing

It is exceptionally tempting in advertising to always be looking to subvert the audience’s expectations, but there are times when it is better to be a little more direct.

The Coca-Cola advert Hilltop in 1971 probably is one of the most direct examples of showcasing a brand’s values you can find, with a catchy tune sung by a choir of young people from all around the world. It was a symbol of unity, but also a cry of triumph as it showcased how wide the brand’s reach was.

Incidentally, the song I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing was written for the advert but proved so popular that the jingle became a song in itself.

Coca-Cola would try this tactic again with Tomorrow’s People, and many other brands have attempted similar messages of hope.

1. Compare The Meerkat

On 4th January 2009, Compare The Market was a price comparison website lost in a sea of very similar competitors. A day later, everything changed with the help of a CGI aristocratic meerkat with a Russian accent.

Whilst there is plenty to teach about the power of anti-advertising, where an advert mentioned a brand in passing whilst telling its own story, the most important lesson is that when the audience is clear about a campaign, go along with them.

It is unknown exactly what the future brand strategy would be for Compare The Market, but as soon as the meerkat was an immediate success, Compare The Meerkat was born and the campaign is one of the longest running in recent years.

For more information and advice from a strategic marketing agency in High Wycombe, get in touch today.