What do a Middle Eastern home goods retailer and sports brand Nike have in common? They were judged to be the top two most effective marketing campaigns in the world last year, according to Warc’s 2021 Effectiveness 100 ranking. By a huge distance.
Nike’s "Crazy Dreams" campaign by W&K Portland created $6bn in brand value, generated a 31% increase in sales and was the most successful campaign in the brand’s history. Home Centre’s "A Dad’s Job" campaign, which was a close second to Nike, generated a 120% increase in revenue from Arab mothers. Clearly, consumers want to see brands taking a stand on social issues. And just like the 20th century, marketing and advertising is tapping into human emotion before connecting it with a product or service. We are bound to see more brands producing purpose-driven campaigns. But will such campaigns increase sales or make an actual social or environmental impact?