5 Campaigns that Made their Mark

Quinta Brunson poses in front of an Abbott Elementary ad in NYC

The best marketing is marketing that is memorable. The year has just begun, and these brands are proving that they are here to stay and make their mark. Hopping on trends, partnering influencers that align with the brand, and thinking outside of the box - this is why we love marketing! Let's take a look at their strategic decisions and why they work.

1. David and Victoria Beckham - Uber Eats

What better way to market during Super Bowl that to use everyone's favourite sports couple! David and Victoria has always been in the spotlight, but recently re-entered that spotlight with their Netflix four part documentary series Beckham. It tells the story of a match made in heaven, and their rise to stardom. Released late 2023, their relevance is still fresh and will make the incoming ad resonate with all Beckham fans - a notable marketing effort by Uber Eats.

YouTube comments praising Uber Eats' marketing

2. SKIMS

Lana Del Rey for SKIMS Valentine's Day campaign

SKIMS, a clothing brand launched by reality TV star and entrepreneur Kim Kardashian, has been lauded on social media for it's great marketing efforts. Last month, the brand launched Valentine's Day lingerie line modeled by the queen of millennial love songs, Lana Del Rey. 

Known for her melancholy sound and all American beauty, the singer was photographed in whimsical, love themed settings wearing items from the new line. Lana's ambassadorship announcement sparked a frenzy on social media, and her Instagram post earned SKIMS more than $4 million.

This month, R&B superstar Usher also joined the team as the face of the new SKIMS Men's Underwear line - an excellent decision by the marketing team since Usher is releasing his new album COMING HOME, and set to perform at this year's Super Bowl. When it comes to virality, SKIMS knows how to get the job done.

Kim Kardashian's tweet announcing new SKIMS Men's Underwear modeled by Usher

3. Abbott Elementary

Billboard for ABC series Abbott Elementary

Award winning sitcom Abbott Elementary returns with season 3 this month, and so the promotion begins. This is my favourite billboard, with school bag packs hung with a letter on each bag to spell ABBOTT. It also includes where to watch - on ABC7 or Hulu. Memorable, creative, and outside of the box! If I wasn't already an avid watcher, I'd be interested to see what the show was about. And for those already watching, the billboard has left a large imprint that our favourite school drama comedy series is back. 

4. Olivia Rodrigo #ShotoniPhone15Pro

Actress and singer Olivia Rodrigo is the star of this Apple ad that shows the many features of the new iPhone 15 Pro. Her actual music video (posted on her official YouTube channel) for her hit song Get Him Back was recorded using the phone, along with the help of studio grade lighting, drones, and other accessories of course. 

The video is a brilliant way to showcase that once #ShotoniPhone15Pro, the quality will resemble that of a professional camera. And having one of Gen Z's favourite artistes at the forefront of the campaign makes this a perfect partnership that I'm sure will lead to Apple's targets scrambling to make purchases. 

5. Griselda

We will never forget the video of a truck snorting lines off the streets of Paris - that is unheard of and shows just how far Netflix's marketing team was willing to go. Griselda, their new crime drama series, features the story of Colombian druglord Griselda Blanco and how she created one of the most profitable cartels in history. The video amassed 2.1 million views on Twitter, but was removed due to backlash. 

Still, the outrageous video is being circulated - disapproved by some, and applauded by others. Their over the top (but in my opinion, clever) marketing to sparked conversations and increased awareness - it's been added to my watchlist for sure.

I am pleased to see the fun being brought back to marketing. There have been remarkable campaigns over the past few years, but this year it feels as though brands have taken it up a notch when it comes to being creative, entertaining and well thought out. I'm looking forward to what other brands will do for the rest of 2024. The campaigns are off to a great start!