Another year has almost come and gone, which means it’s time to look back on some of our favorite marketing campaigns of 2021.
There were some good ones this year. Deep, emotional campaigns that made us feel more connected as a society. Hard-hitting, impactful campaigns that made us feel like we could rise to any challenge.
But today, we’re not here to talk about those campaigns.
As yet another tough year winds down, we’re looking at campaigns, ads or commercials that hit us right in the funny bone.
Do You Want to … Kill a Snowman?
Always a holiday favorite, Apple once again hits it out of the park with a Hollywood-worthy story of a little girl bound and determined to keep her snowman friend Simon safe and well all year long.
She keeps him in the freezer at home. He travels with her on a camping trip, nestled safely in an ice chest. When a power outage threatens to defrost her own personal Frosty, she stays up all night like any worried mother would do.
The first snow finally arrives, and the girl proudly returns her snowman to the yard — where he is promptly and unceremoniously run over by a kid on a bike.
A sad ending for Simon, but we spit soda out of our collective noses the first time we saw it.
Barilla and Spotify Team Up for a Pasta Party
While cooking pasta doesn’t exactly require a degree in advanced engineering, we’ve all taken the pot off too early, resulting in crunchy noodles, or left it on too long, resulting in a plate of mush.
Barilla and Spotify are here to ensure that pasta problems are a thing of the past. They’ve teamed up to create playlists that last exactly as long as your pasta should cook. Bring your water to a rolling boil, add your pasta and press “Play.” As soon as the music ends, your pasta is perfect.
With choices like Boom Bap Fusilli, Moody Day Linguini and Mix Tape Spaghetti, you’re sure to find something to suit any “taste.”
KFC Steals Slogans
Although KFC’s chicken is still “Finger Lickin’ Good,” the pandemic has necessitated the suspension of finger licking for the foreseeable future.
Clearly, a new slogan was in order.
But slogans can be hard. So KFC in South Africa decided to steal … er, “borrow” … slogans from other big brands to try them on for size, using the Twitter hashtag #UntilWeCanFingerLickAgain.
It made for an interesting 48 hours or so, with tweets featuring a bucket of KFC above slogans like “KFC gives you wings,” “You’re not you when you’re hungry” and “I’m loving it.”
Arby’s Has the Meats … and the Vodkas
Arby’s prides themselves on their crispy, perfectly seasoned fries. And since fries are made from potatoes, and vodka is also made from potatoes, the marketing team apparently shrugged and said, “Why not?”
Available in curly or crinkle cut, 80-proof Arby’s vodka was available in very limited quantities and cost a whopping $60 a bottle. As of this writing, both flavors were completely sold out, although a trip to their website offers 50% off a sandwich when you sign up for their email list.
Laugh Your Way Into 2022
There are plenty of ways to use humor in your small business marketing campaigns. It worked for these brands, and it can work for you, too. There’s nothing wrong with putting a smile on someone’s face. The world needs more of that!
Want to find your small business on a list just like this next year? Let Mischa Communications tailor a marketing strategy that will make you the talk of the town. Get in touch!