Ten Best Ad Campaigns of the 20th Century

Great ad campaigns are always revolutionary for the brands which can change the way people live and perceive today. Here are top ten best ad campaigns of the 20th century.

Volkswagen's "Think Small" Campaign

The greatest advertising campaign of the century created by agency Doyle Dane Bernbach and Julian Koenig in the 1950s is Volkswagen's "Think Small" Campaign. The website AdAge.com ranks the advertisement as the best advertising campaign of the 20th century in a survey of North American advertisements. The Volkswagen's "Think Small" Campaign is believed to “did more than boost sales and build a lifetime of brand loyalty” and “changed the very nature of advertising.”

Year: 1959

Agency: Doyle Dane Bernbach

Volkswagen's "Think Small" Campaign: One of Best Ad Campaigns of the 20th Century

Marlboro's "Marlboro Man"

The legendary ad campaign “Marlboro Man” is considered as the most powerful ad in the world which helps to boost Marlboro as the best-selling cigarette in the world.

Year: 1955

Agency: Leo Burnett Co.

McDonald's "You Deserve a Break Today"

McDonald's brand captured the attention of the whole world with this 1971 campaign, focusing on the ease with which a McDonald's meal could be obtained.

Year: 1971

Agency: Needham, Harper & Steers

Absolut Vodka's Absolut Bottle

First released in 1981, the Absolut Vodka's advertising campaign is still in use today and becomes the world's longest-ever uninterrupted campaign.

Year: 1981

Agency: TBWA

Clairol's "Does she ... or doesn't she?"

Time magazine has stated about the advertisement campaign, “The question, as every reader of advertisements knows, refers to artificial hair color—and the odds on an affirmative answer have dropped from 15 to 1 to 2 to 1 since Miss Clairol first asked it 11 years ago.”

Year: 1957

Agency: Foote, Cone & Belding

Coca-Cola's "The pause that refreshes"

The stunning example of ad "The pause that refreshes" (USA 1930s to 1950s) was the rare advertisement campaign that remains for decades.

Year: 1929

Agency: D'Arcy Co.

Nike's "Just Do It"

The most memorable advertising campaign slogans in history is Nike's "Just Do It".

Year: 1988

Agency: Wieden & Kennedy

DeBeers' "A diamond is forever"

Voted as the most iconic advertising slogan of the twentieth century, Diamond Is Forever was created by a young copywriter called Frances Gerety in 1947.

Year: 1948

Agency: N.W. Ayer & Son

Miller Lite's "Tastes great, less filling"

The commercials were a big hit for Miller Lite drinkers thanks to notables including Rodney Dangerfield and football coach John Madden.

Year: 1974

Agency: McCann-Erickson Worldwide

Avis' "We try harder"

The phrase “We Try Harder” is the longest-lasting and respected taglines in advertising campaign.

Year: 1963

Agency: Doyle Dane Bernbach

Related links:

Top Ten Successful Ad Campaigns in History

Choosing the Best Advertising Campaigns

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