Axe – Susan Glenn

For Axe, a brand of male grooming products, it’s only fitting to use a compelling female figure as the centerpiece of their refined marketing campaign. In 2012, Axe launched the “Susan Glenn” campaign to symbolize lost love, or “the one that got away”.
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“Nearly every guy remembers a girl from his youth—the one that got away. Call her Susan Glenn. Unilever’s Axe and BBH New York decided she’s the girl to inspire a new generation of 15- to 21-year-old guys. Through an integrated, cross-media campaign featuring unbranded memes, social media (#SusanGlenn), and branded media—including an interactive billboard in Times Square and a 60-second film—Susan Glenn and Axe captured the hearts and minds of millions. The video itself commanded 30 million views with a 75% completion rate and a 95% “thumbs up” rating. The campaign has gone down in history as one of the most successful ever for this cutting-edge advertiser.” (Source: IAB)

Mountain Dew – Beyond The Wall

A good ad campaign gets the community involved and engaged—Mountain Dew did both in an unusual fashion by inviting graffiti artists to decorate virtual spaces displayed on Google Street View. Entitled “Beyond the Wall” Mountain Dew’s marketing team collaborated with renowned NZ graffiti artist Kairau Bradley, aka Haser. Mountain Dew took street art to the next level – busting it off the wall and into 3D space.
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“Using the latest motion capture technology, Kairau’s movements were tracked as he created a piece of three-dimensional street art. 3D artists and a construction team then turned his concept into reality. A TVC captured Kairau and his crew dropping the massive sculpture in a downtown alleyway. Online, the technology was recreated so fans can make 3D street art themselves and drop it anywhere in the world on Google Street view.”(Source: Colensobbdo) According to the company’s annual report, not only did 24 percent of the target market participate in the project, Mountain Dew grew 28% as a result of the campaign.

Oreo – Daily Twist

For a product over 100 years old, Kraft’s Oreo is still going strong. Part of its recent success can be contributed to an adaptive marketing campaign which flexed its creative muscles for Oreo’s 100th birthday. For 100 days the marketing team specially designed ads based on pivotal events throughout time. The marketing campaign placed the product in a historical context and helped alter perceptions and reclaim its stance as a vital part of modern culture. “The brand’s ‘Daily Twist’ campaign has made the cream-stuffed sandwich a social-media darling…” according to AdAge.

According to the brand’s marketing director it was “ultimately a social and digital campaign to engage the brand’s growing population of fans: 27.7 million on Facebook alone. There’s a dedicated site … as well as a presence on Pinterest, Tumblr and Facebook. The content choices are designed to spark conversation and sharing.”

Skeptical as to the campaign’s success? Just check the numbers – Daily Twists have been seen more than a million times on Facebook, and after the campaign’s launch Oreo saw a 110% increase in fan interaction per social-media post.

This article has been edited and condensed.

Dan Rosenberg is the Director of Marketing at Cash for Cars and has been in marketing and the car industry for many years. When he isn’t involved with cars, he is a writer and comedian on the side. Connect with @310cashforcars on Twitter.