Whether it’s a childhood jingle that you can still sing word for word, or a campaign that influences the way you work today, everyone has an ad that has really stuck with them.
Mediaweek has been asking the industry to take a trip down memory lane, to find out all about the ads that made us.
Sharyn Smith – director and co-founder, The Influence Group
The Colgate ads with Mrs Marsh
“Who doesn’t remember Mrs Marsh? The ads were a content series – we saw Mrs Marsh in different situations always surrounded by keen children as she educated them on the benefits of Colgate Fluorigard, and how Colgate was the next best thing after a dentist.
“The most memorable part was the clever visual device through the use of chalk and ink to show how fluoride ‘does get in’ to teeth. As someone who now works in influencer marketing, we can see that Colgate used a number of devices to build trust and credibility for Mrs March and her influential role as a strong ambassador for the brand.”
Kade Robinson – creative director, ARN Media
Budweiser ‘Real Men of Genius’ radio campaign
“Unapologetically funny, none of the hundred or so versions of this campaign ever aired in Australia, but thanks to the internet (and Limewire!) they made their way to my Manly Beach share house circa 2007 and had my flatmates and I in stitches for weeks.
“Couldn’t buy the beer here, but it didn’t matter. Years later, on my first trip to the States, you bet the first drink I ordered at a dive bar in New York was a Bud Light.”
[Listen to all versions of the Real Men of Genius audio campaign here]
Despina Botsikas – Newsamp, client solutions executive, News Corp Australia
Qantas, I Still Call Australia Home, 1998
“The 1998 Qantas commercial is iconic and timeless for all Australians. This was the first commercial I watched as a child that really stuck with me. I think the production and angelic voices within the commercial perfectly showcase how beautiful Australia is and how lucky we are to call it home.
“In school, we analysed the emotion, patriotism and beauty captured within the commercial. Since then I’ve watched the ad many times and still feel a sense of unity and pride in Australia’s multicultural society. Innovative and creative campaigns like this one are why I enjoy working in media.”
See Also: The Ads That Made Us: Soccer, speeding, and no surprises
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Top Image: Sharyn Smith, Kade Robinson, Despina Botsikas