Brand lessons from four famous campaigns
Some campaigns are remembered years later, long after the products they promoted have changed. They did not succeed because of a large budget alone. They succeeded because they said something true about the people they were talking to. Here are four, and the lesson each one leaves for any brand, whatever its size.
Coca-Cola: «Share a Coke»
According to The Coca-Cola Company, the idea was born in Sydney, Australia, in 2011: replace the brand name on bottles and cans with popular first names. It started with 150 names and, according to the company, has since reached more than 70 countries.
The lesson: people pay attention when they see themselves. A brand does not have to talk about itself all the time. Sometimes the most powerful thing is to make the customer the protagonist.
Dove: «Campaign for Real Beauty»
Unilever launched the campaign in 2004 with an idea that was unusual for its category: showing real women instead of professional models. Its first billboards featured photos of everyday women, and later pieces, such as «Real Beauty Sketches» in 2013, spread widely online.
The lesson: a brand can stand for an idea, not only for a product. When that idea connects with what the audience feels, people do not just buy, they identify.
Apple: «Think different»
Created by the agency TBWA\Chiat\Day, the campaign ran from 1997 to 2002. It honoured creative figures who changed their fields and barely showed the products.
The lesson: customers choose brands that reflect how they see themselves. Apple did not explain the features of a computer. It invited people to belong to a way of thinking.
Always: «#LikeAGirl»
Launched in June 2014 and created by Leo Burnett, the campaign started from an insight: girls’ confidence drops sharply at puberty. In the film, people of different ages were asked to do things «like a girl», and the contrast between the youngest participants and the older ones said more than any slogan.
The lesson: a deep understanding of your audience is worth more than a clever phrase. The best ideas often start with a question, not with an answer.
What these campaigns have in common
None of them started with the product. They started with a person: their name, their image of themselves, their confidence, their way of thinking. That is a lesson any business can apply, with any budget. Before you talk about what you sell, ask what your customers care about.
Want to explore what your brand could stand for? Let’s talk.
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