Many people complain about glossy advertisements and TV commercials as an obnoxious way for companies to invade our everyday lives and ram their products down our throats, but that’s not all that printed ads are good for. The best commercials on this list are excellent examples of effective advertising strategies for social issues marketing campaigns that let their voices be heard.
A well-made advertisement is designed to grab your attention and to remain in your memory long after you’ve left it behind, and that is precisely what many of these social problems need. Getting people to think and worry about various social and environmental issues such as human trafficking, racism, and air pollution is significant for raising public supporting and affecting meaningful changes. A few of these ads are, in fact, commercial ads, but it’s still nice that they champion socially or environmentally aware causes/products. Just like with commercial advertisements, having just the facts is not enough. They are essential, but the ad must also appeal to the observer’s emotions to raise social awareness. Many studies have indicated that feeling can have a powerful effect on memory formation, ensuring that memories with emotion will last longer than those without.
According to David Ogilvy, founder of the legendary Advertising Agency, his contemporary, Howard Gossage, said that “advertising justifies its existence when used in the public interest—it is much too powerful a tool to use solely for commercial purposes.” We definitely agree, which is why we wanted to share this list of excellent advertisement examples with you!
Torture Victims Are People Just Like You And Me
Advertising Agency: Advico Y&R, Zurich, Switzerland
Stop The Violence: Don’t Drink And Drive
Advertising Agency: Terremoto Propaganda, Curitiba, Brazil
Premature Ending: “If you smoke, statistically your story will end 15% before it should.”
“THE END. If you smoke, statistically your story will end 15% before it should. For help with quiting call QUITTLINE on 0200 00 22 00” (Advertising Agency: Iris, London, UK)
World Wide Fund For Nature: Frightening vs. More Frightening
Advertising Agency: DDB&CO., Istanbul, Turkey
Your Skin Color Shouldn’t Dictate Your Future
Advertising Agency: Publicis Conseil, Paris, France
Deforestation Continues With The Turn Of A Page
Advertising Agency: LINKSUS, Beijing, China
Unhate
Advertising Agency: Fabrica, Italy
Elm Grove Police Department: Slower Is Better
Advertising Agency: Cramer-Krasselt, Milwaukee, USA
Save Paper – Save The Planet
Advertising Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi, Copenhagen, Denmark
Air Pollution Kills 60.000 People A Year
Advertising Agency: unknown
Liking Isn’t Helping. Be A Volunteer. Change A Life
Advertising Agency: Publicis, Singapore
Bird Conservation: If You Don’t Pick It Up They Will
Advertising Agency: TBWAHuntLascaris, Johannesburg, South Africa
What We See When You Smoke
Advertising Agency: JWT, Atlanta, USA
Animal Anti-Cruelty League: That’s Not A Football
Advertising Agency: Lowe Bull, Cape Town, South Africa
Via boredpanda