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Fri
06
Jan 2023
As we embark on a new year, take a look at 24 of the most impactful creative and digital marketing ad campaigns in 2022.
With the current global digital advertising market valued at $602.25 billion and forecasted to rise by 13.1% in 2023, we look back at the most impactful ad campaigns launched in the last 12 months.
From BBC's ice-credible spot announcing their coverage of the Winter Olympic Games to Tesco Mobile's not-so shiitake campaign and Aston Manor's adaptation of N.W.A hit 'Straight Outta Compton', here's our favourite most impactful Creative, Digital, and OOH advertising campaigns of 2022...
January - BBC: Winter Olympics 2022 | Oatly: The New Norm&Al
February - Tesco Mobile: What a Load of Shiitake. | McDonald's Thailand: Valentines Day
March - Foodstuff: Deliver-Who? Billboard | Cadbury: Cadbury Worldwide Hide
April - Rightmove: One Day Could be Today | The Fragrance Shop: Freshly Baked Bread
May - Netflix: Stranger Things Pizza Pop-up | Tyrrells Crisps: Splendid News
June - Ribena: Chin Up! | California Almond: Do you Almond x Marvel Studios
July - Sports Direct: Girls Don't Like Football | Aston Manor: Straight Outta Crumpton
August - TK Maxx: TK Maxx Has a Website | Paddy Power: Love Football, Intimately
September - Shelter: Cost of Living Hacks | British Heart Foundation: The Noisy Generation
October - Stonewall: Lets Give Homophobia a Career-Ending Tackle | Smart Energy GB: Gadget
November - Asda: A Magical Christmas, All Wrapped Up | National Autistic Society: Now I Know
December - Auto Trader: Matchmaker | Whatsapp (Meta): For the Fireworks Within
View our upcoming events calendar for 2023
Brand: BBC
Category: Sport Event
Agency: BBC Creative
Month Released: January
BBC broke the ice for its coverage of the Winter Olympics 2022 only 10 days before the event was set to begin in Beijing with an extraordinary multi-media animation.
Produced by BBC Creative and directed by Balazs Simon the trailer, while it may look like they have used cubes of ice and real snow, the sculptures are actually 3D printed models with entire scenes produced frame by frame.
Simon expressed that creating the spot was “quite a challenge. My personal favourite task was coming up with a solution for the camerawork in the snow scenes. To get a first-hand experience of the characters’ efforts, I wanted to bring the viewer as close to them as possible: a great example of how a seemingly simple creative decision could grow into a big web of intertwined technical challenges.”
Brand: Oatly
Category: Food & Drink
Agency: Nexus Studios
Month Released: January
Kicking of ‘Veganuary' last year, Oatly - the world's largest producers of alternative dairy drinks, launched its biggest UK campaign, ‘THE NEW NORM&AL SHOW,' aiming to initiate a nationwide conversation around the normality of a plant-based diet.
The campaign was launched as a five-episode mini-series featuring two puppets called Norm & Al in the form of drink cartons, with each episode portraying their journey to a plant-based diet.
Developed in collaboration with BAFTA-winning production company, Nexus Studios, the launch had been supported by Oatly’s largest UK digital media buy campaign across broadcast VOD (Sky, All4 and ITV Hub), a programmatic VOD (YouTube), display ads and a social VOD (Facebook & Instagram).
View more from the month: Ones to Watch - 9 of the Most Impactful Ad Campaigns of January
Brand: Tesco Mobile
Category: Telecommunications
Agency: BBH
Month Released: February
We love nothing more than a good pun, and Tesco Mobile's February campaign was full of them! Aimed at challenging competitors over their mid-contract price rises, the advertisement produced by BBH incorporates puns such as ‘What the fettuccini?’ and ‘What a load of shiitake,’ to call out the ‘big four’ networks and commit to fixed prices of their own.
Launched on February the 18th, the campaign ran across social, digital, press, radio and OOH until the end of March as part of their wider 'This is Supermarket Mobile' initiative.
In relation, Tesco Mobile Chief Marketing Officer, Rachel Swift said, “This year, mid-contract prices increases are at their highest ever and, when customers are facing a cost of living crisis, they couldn’t have come at a more challenging time.”
Brand: McDonald's Thailand
Category: Food & Drink
Agency: TBWA Thailand
Month Released: February
McDonald's Thailand valentine campaign last year certainly caught the eye of audiences around the globe, with what first appears as two people about to lock lips, upon closer inspection, you soon realise it's actually someone about to tuck into a signature McDonald's Big Mac. Disturbed? you should be.
The posters created by TBWA Thailand consisted of 3 different optical illusion images with the slogan 'i'm lovin' it' thrown in for good measure and were first released across social media channels which instantly created a huge buzz online. Whether you’re ‘lovin’ it’ or not, there's no denying its marketing team has some creative flair.
View more from the month: Ones to Watch - 8 of the Most Impactful Ad Campaigns of February
Brand: Foodstuff
Category: Delivery Service
Month Released: March
Foodstuff, a food delivery service alternative to the likes of Deliveroo and Uber Eats, launched their OOH campaign across several UK cities in March. With a jibe aimed at one of their biggest competitors, the pink billboards display the question 'Deliver-who? above the brand's 'rock-n-roll' hand salute logo.
Unlike their competitors, Foodstuff charge restaurants a flat fee per month for using their platform rather than a commission-based system, and their riders are paid the National Living Wage.
Speaking on the campaign, Toby Savil, Co-Founder and CEO said, “We just wanted to celebrate how proud we are of our brand. You may have noticed we don’t shy away from basking in playing the underdog.”
Brand: Cadbury
Category: Food & Drink
Agency: VCCP London
Month Released: March
The iconic chocolate brand announced the return of their Easter egg hiding experience 'Cadbury Worldwide Hide' in 2022 with a spot created by VCCP London. This time bigger and better then the year before, chocolate egg fans had the option of hiding a real Cadbury Easter egg on a virtual map for their special someone to find.
In addition, leaning on their partnership with Manchester United, Cadbury had created 3 Limited-Edition Football-themed Easter Eggs, and allowed fans to participate in a special Worldwide Hide platform that is co-branded between Cadbury and Manchester United.
View more from the month: Ones to Watch - 8 of the Most Impactful Ad Campaigns of March
Brand: Rightmove
Category: Real Estate
Agency: Fold7
Month Released: April
In April, the UK’s biggest Real Estate website Rightmove launched their motivational spot 'One day could be today.' Produced by London based creative agency Fold7, the campaign was designed to make people think about the different life they could be leading if they had made the move they’ve always wanted to.
The purpose of the ad comes off the back of market research conducted by Rightmove, which showed that 69% of people had moved to a new area in the last year, of which 64% were happier with their life-changing decision.
Directed by Hannah Maria Heidrich, The TVC campaign portrays an unhappy scarecrow in a rainy field who dreams of her ideal home; a beautiful stone cottage, and eventually receives a sign to break free from her restraints by using the Rightmove app.
Brand: The Fragrance Shop
Category: Health & Beauty
Month Released: April
Based on the fact that the UK’s favourite smell is freshly baked bread, The Fragrance Shop did some experiential marketing to put this to the test.
In a snappy video littered with emojis and memes, a member of the team asked unsuspecting shoppers what they thought was the nation’s favourite smell. After guessing scents such as coffee, roses, strawberry, and lavender, they were informed that it was in fact bread.
Not to be left empty handed, the ‘participants’ were handed a perfume-bottle shaped in the piece of – you guessed it – freshly baked bread. So, what was the purpose behind this campaign? It was all to promote getting 20% off all year round, free delivery and exclusive perks by becoming a ‘My TFS’ member.
View more from the month: Ones to Watch - 8 of the Most Impactful Ad Campaigns of April
Brand: Netflix
Category: Streaming Service
Agency: BBH
Month Released: May
Created by BBH, this experiential campaign focused around the popular Netflix series - Stranger Things, appeared in Shoreditch over a period of days and first begin as posters advertising fictional products from 'Hawkins'.
Over time, hazmat-clad workers set up a tent to cover up the posters, urging passers-by to step back. Taking to Twitter, the official Netflix UK and Ireland account said that there was ‘nothing to see here', leaving fans in a sense of anticipation.
Eventually the mystery was solved when fans were invited to step through a portal to the 'Upside Down' on Friday 2nd May. However, instead of coming face-to-face with Vecna (the antagonist of the 4th series), event-goers got to experience the taste, smell and feel of Stranger Things, complete with a 'Demogorgon' inspired pizza.
View our event round up: Organic Social 2023 – Trends and Opportunities for your Growth Strategy
Brand: Tyrrells Crisps
Category: Food & Drink
Agency: St Luke's
Month Released: May
Owned by snack giant KP Snacks, premium crisp brand Tyrrells launched a 20-second ad campaign called 'Splendid News', appearing across video-on-demand platforms and social media channels.
The humorous spot campaign produced by creative agency St Luke's, stuck to the signature old-fashioned Tyrrells style - displaying black and white Pathé footage of the public holding and admiring giant colourful versions of the snack both in and out of the packet.
View more from the month: Ones to Watch - 8 of the Most Impactful Ad Campaigns of May
Brand: Ribena
Category: Food & Drink
Agency: BBH
Month Released: June
Ribena began the month with their campaign launch - ‘Chin Up!,’ themed around laughing through those awkward moments in life that we can all relate to (like calling your teacher 'mum').
Created by BBH, the various spots portray such moments along common phrases containing the word 'been' which is replaced by 'Ribena', i.e. the phrase ‘When you've been caught out' becomes ‘When you’ve Ribena caught out.’
Reflecting on the campaign, Bridget Hirst, former Senior Brand Manager at Ribena, said "Ribena’s repositioning represents a major shift in direction for the brand, with the aim to be seen as more than just bouncing berries and nostalgia.
To do this, we worked with BBH to create comms that people couldn’t help but chuckle at and relate to."
Read our article for expert advice on brand repositioning: Evolution or Revolution: Defining and Refining your Brand Identity
Brand: California Almonds and Marvel Studios
Category: Food & Drink
Agency: isobel
Month Released: June
Last year, California Almonds had teamed up with Marvel Studios to promote the release of ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’, by launching their iconic 'Do You Almond?' ad campaign, but this time portraying a woman taking on the challenge of lifting Thor's hammer from the ground.
The TV spot created by London-based creative agency isobel, ends with the woman rising to the challenge after eating her almonds, cutting to the titular phrase 'Do you almond?'
View more from the month: Ones to Watch - 8 of the Most Impactful Ad Campaigns of June 2022
Brand: Sports Direct
Category: Sports Retailer
Agency: COPA90
Month Released: July
Sports Direct in collaboration with Football media agency COPA90 tackled the archaic misconception by launching an ad campaign which responds with a playful punchline - 'Girls don't like football... we love it!'
Reflecting on the spot, Gavin Rowe, Chief Creative Officer at COPA90 shared, "consumers are first met with the tension of this idea which is then flipped on its head, done with a zealous rebuttal in the form of a celebration of the game that delivers a punchline of real truth."
Brand: Aston Manor
Category: Food & Drink
Agency: McCann Birmingham
Month Released: July
Aston Manor Cider partnered with McCann Birmingham to launch its first-ever TV advert last year, which gained increased popularity amongst viewers.
Speaking on the hit campaign, Calli O’Brien, Head of Marketing at Aston Manor said, "we decided to create a play on N.W.A's ‘Straight Outta Compton’ because it is a song that resonates with both loyal, and new cider drinkers.
“Crumpton Oaks represents inclusion and affordability, because we believe that everyone deserves a great pint. We are delighted to be able to raise awareness of our flagship cider brand, which is especially important during the current financial challenges that we are all facing."
View more from the month: Ones to Watch - 6 Creative Advertising Campaigns in July 2022
Brand: TK Maxx
Category: Clothing Retailer
Agency: Wieden+Kennedy
Month Released: August
TK Maxx has a website. It’s true – it’s right here, and it was the hook for their new marketing campaign last year in aim to spread the message far and wide.
Directed by Lou Escobar and in collaboration with Wieden+Kennedy London, the TV spot reaffirms that the retailer, does in fact, have a website. The hyper-real film with flashy and sparkling visuals shows a woman sat with her friends in a restaurant discovering the site on her phone. After the initial shock subsides, she tells her friends who are then equally as surprised. Just to confirm - TK Maxx has a website.
Want to improve your site's SEO performance? View our SEO 101 article for 10 quick fixes from leading experts
Brand: Paddy Power
Category: Betting Service
Agency: Droga5 London
Month Released: August
Before the start of the Premier League last year, Paddy Power geared up with a love story to excite football fans across the nation.
Produced by Droga5 London, The video featured Peter Crouch and Abbey Clancy sitting in a pub watching a match, before a red card is shown, and Crouch is instantly propelled on the pitch to live out some of his ‘intimate’ fantasies - including - a bath tub of red cards and recreating the famous Dirty Dancing lift with Mark Clattenburg.
View more from the month: Ones to Watch - 8 of the Most Impactful Ad Campaigns of August 2022
Brand: Shelter
Category: Charity
Month Released: September
‘Turn those ready-for-the-bin bananas into banana bread’, ‘just work more hours’ and ‘reuse your old teabags’ are just some of the excessive hacks suggested by the media and politicians to cope with the increased cost-of-living.
However, Shelter’s new campaign contrasts satirical cost-of-living hacks with their alternative ‘hack’: that the government takes responsibility for the crisis and makes housing more affordable.
The campaign was developed after a recent report revealed that almost one-in-seven (1.1 million) private renters in England experienced a rent increase in the last month as well as a rise in emergency calls from people on the struggling to keep a roof over their heads due to the increased housing bills.
Designed by the Shelter’s in-house creative team, the campaign uses hacks illustrated by Federica Martini and was published via social media, online and outdoor platforms on the 26th of September.
Brand: British Heart Foundation
Category: Charity (health)
Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi London
Month Released: September
We’re taking it back to the 60s with the British Heart Foundation’s new ad campaign ‘The Noisy Generation’. While most charities take a sombre approach to inspire donations from the boomer generation, the BHF conveys a more upbeat outlook with the launch of this 60-second commercial.
Created by Nexus Studios and Mischa Rozema along with Saatchi & Saatchi London, the spot transports viewers on a nostalgic journey through some of the most impactful events of the 60s and 70s, all of which are spearheaded by the British rock anthem ‘Cum on Feel the Noize’
The ad then turns to modern day and a woman sitting alone contemplating her will with the voice-over stating: "We were a noisy generation, but it might be something quiet that we do that becomes our greatest legacy", as the scene switches to a heart research facility.
View more from the month: Ones to Watch - 8 of the Most Impactful Ad Campaigns in September
Brand: Stonewall
Category: Public Interest
Agency: Lucky Generals
Month Released: October
In response to the controversial human rights record surrounding the host nation of the World Cup 2022, LGBTQI+ charity Stonewall in partnership with Lucky Generals set out to create a campaign aimed at reminding people that while Rainbow Laces continue to change the game, ‘we haven’t won it yet.’
Called ‘Lace up to keep it up,’ the advertisement features several assets using clever takes on well-known football idioms and phrases to highlight such ongoing issues.
Brand: Smart Energy GB
Category: Energy Supplier
Agency: AMV BBDO
Month Released: October
To spread the message of how a smart meter can help us better manage our household budgets and save energy, Smart Energy GB partnered with AMV BBDO to launch an integrated marketing campaign in October last year.
As part of their brand platform “Join the Energy Revolution,” the second piece of work to feature the famous physicist Albert Einstein sees him still getting to grips with certain aspects of modern life. Meeting for a cup of tea, his neighbour Darren spots Einstein’s smart meter and asks if it’s a new gadget of his. Einstein explains that it shows how much energy he’s using daily, weekly, and monthly. Darren double checks that it’s not a time machine, with Einstein replying, ‘of course not Darren, that’s in the shed.’
View more from the month: Ones to Watch - The Most Impactful Campaigns of October
Brand: Asda
Category: Supermarket
Agency: Our Creative
Month Released: November
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We had to feature at least one Christmas-themed campaign...
GO! Network member Our Creative was tasked with modernising Asda’s Christmas range and elevating its quality perceptions.
The agency delivered “A Magical Christmas, All Wrapped up by Asda,” which reimagines packaging as a ‘beautifully wrapped present. Each side considered with a wrap-around pattern, handwritten elements, and a Christmas cracker humour stamp.’
The collaboration came off the back of Our Creative’s design for Asda's new ‘Just Essentials’ range, and the news that the supermarket recorded its best results in two years in part to the range’s popularity with customers.
For a full breakdown of the year's festive campaigns, check out our Christmas Ads Tracker 2022
Brand: National Autistic Society
Category: Charity
Agency: Ogilvy UK
Month Released: November
The National Autistic Society’s campaign ‘Now I Know’ is designed to shed a light on the lives of autistic women and non-binary people, and how to improve the understanding of autism.
Created by Ogilvy Health, the campaign features short films highlighting the personal experiences of women and non-binary people diagnosed with autism.
It is hoped that their stories will help reach those who are undiagnosed who might be ‘questioning, struggling, and blaming themselves for being different.’
According to the National Autistic Society’s website, “the campaign was inspired by the words of Dawn Mills, who was diagnosed at the age of 56 and features in the campaign. She said: “I always knew who I was, now I know why I am.”
View more from the month: Ones to Watch - Most Impactful Campaigns of November
Brand: Auto Trader
Category: Automotive
Agency: Recipe
Month Released: December
We’re proud to include a campaign born from a successful partnership created through our own Network. The automotive sales group Auto Trader appointed London-based Recipe to help evolve their creative platform and develop a through-the-line master brand campaign.
The relationship saw the evolution of the ‘Britain’s Biggest Matchmaker’ campaign, which celebrates the diversity of the modern cay-buying public. It kicked off with the launch of a new TV advert and full YouTube takeover on Boxing Day, alongside social and digital audio content.
The 30-second TV ad is set to the song ‘Matchmaker, Matchmaker,’ from the musical ‘Fiddler on the Roof,’ and presents different cars for different situations – “the one with the perfect size boot,” for new parents to store a pram, and “the one with keyless entry,” for a group of footballers running to their vehicle in the rain.
The campaign is expected to reach 98% of the population over 14 times between Boxing Day and 31st March, achieving over 122 million impacts across the period.
Brand: Meta
Category: Telecommunications
Agency: AMV BBDO
Month Released: December
A new campaign from WhatsApp, part of Meta, revealed the impact of connecting with friends and family in the run up to New Year.
The work, by AMV BBDO, highlights WhatsApp’s ability to help people have private conversations during the most universally shared cultural event of the year – the start of a new one.
The one-and-a-half-minute film follows three people from across the globe during New Year’s Eve celebrations. A mother puts her child to bed, a woman prepares herself a bath, and a doctor watches his ‘Maa’ attempting to tell a joke on video.
One by one they receive New Year wishes from friends and loved ones via WhatsApp, with the doctor’s mother struggling to finish the joke through laughing. In an emotional twist, it’s revealed the video is old, with a follow-up message reading ‘Wish Maa was still with us.’
We’re not crying, you are.
View more from the month: Ones to Watch - Most Impactful Campaigns of December
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