13 Top Video Ads To Inspire Your Marketing Strategy In 2023
If there’s one thing that’ll never fail in the digital space, it’s a good, old-fashioned video marketing strategy that gets everybody and their mother talking.
In fact, now that people are viewing more video content than ever before (reportedly double since 2018), it’s safe to say that investing in videos is a sure-fire way of generating more leads online.
That’s right, video is still king.
As a digital marketer, it can be tricky playing the court jester on various social media platforms where audiences can be particularly unforgiving. Gulp.
But fear not, oh worried one, we’ve scoured the internet to find you the best video ads that’ll not only inspire you to create engaging videos, but also help you up your marketing game in no time.
Are you ready?
13 Video Ad Examples That Are Killing It On Social Media Right Now
Our Blades Are F***ing Great (DollarShaveClub.com)
The Next Big Thing Is Already Here (Samsung)
Transform Your Business (Salesforce)
Manage Your Team’s Workload (monday.com)
What Most Schools Don’t Teach (code.org)
The Whole Working-From-Home Thing (Apple)
1. DollarShaveClub.com: “Our Blades Are F***ing Great”
Setting a prime example of how epic video storytelling can turn an ordinary product into a billion-dollar business, this viral hit eschewed the ‘tried-and-tired’ approach that was taken on by many popular brands at the time.
So, instead of boring us with 90 seconds of a ridiculously attractive man admiring his shaven face, the ad starts with CEO Michael Dubin asking a simple question: “Are our blades any good?”.
This is followed by pure absurdity at its best – from a toddler shaving a man’s head to a goofy-looking bear giving the thumbs up – Dubin keeps his target audience entertained all throughout the ad.
Not only did the video rack up millions of views but in July 2016, Dollar Shave Club went on to be acquired by Unilever for a whopping $1 billion.
2. Amazon: “Alexa’s Body”
Featuring American actor Michael B. Jordan as Amazon’s widely popular virtual assistant Alexa, this ad managed to set plenty of hearts aflutter (over 78 million to be precise) on YouTube itself.
With the handsome movie star taking the physical form of Alexa, fans get a chance to envision a life where Jordan makes mundane tasks, such as dimming the lights, seem like the greatest thing since sliced bread.
The 60-second spot cleverly combines the power of a celebrity endorsement together with a product which has already gained a massive following over the years.
Moreover, the ad served as the perfect platform to showcase Amazon’s 2020 Echo model while promoting the release of Jordan’s movie “Without Remorse” on Amazon Prime – that’s two pitches for the price of one.
3. Taco Bell: “Web of Fries”
When it comes to social video ads, there’s no other brand that does it quite as well as Taco Bell. A case in point is this fake movie trailer, starring American actor Josh Duhamel, which promotes the launch of its limited-edition Nacho Fries.
Yes, fries.
What starts out as a simple quest to find out why Taco Bell doesn’t serve fries turns into an action-packed spot with all the elements of a cinematic masterpiece – think crazy clowns, a ‘big fries’ conspiracy, and ahem, the Burger People.
“Web of Fries” is a great example of how video ads do not always have to sound like an announcement. Sometimes all you need is a riveting story to keep your audience hooked.
4. Walnut.io: “#WeAreProspects”
There's nothing more frustrating than having to buy software online. No one understands this better than the team at Walnut.io who've come up with the perfect solution to this problem: #WeAreProspects.
But in order to prove their point, they cleverly highlight the problem in this ad which shows a customer struggling to buy a shirt at a store. As she's asked about everything from traffic lights to business emails, you can't help but find yourself wanting to tear your hair out too.
Here's what our in-house video marketing expert Kyle Weber had to say about why this ad works so well:
It uses a fantastic concept and storyline to draw attention to issues with online purchasing experiences. It does a great job of explaining the problem without doing any explanation—it all comes through in the story.
5. Webflow: “We Have A Typo”
Uh-oh. It’s every designer’s nightmare – the dreaded TYPO!
But swooping in to save the day is Webflow’s no-code solution to correcting simple typos; a solution which wouldn’t require involving “Peter” and the rest of the tech team – as demonstrated in this ad.
“This ad is a personal favorite, but I could have chosen any number of Webflow ads,” says Kyle. “It does a great job of illustrating an experience any marketer can identify with while adding humor and quirkiness to keep the viewer engaged.”
While it can be difficult making creative video ads for SaaS products, a good rule of thumb would be to focus on simplifying technical or complex issues in a manner that seems fun and relatable as well.
6. Travelers Insurance: “Legacy”
There’s only one way to make insurance video ads seem less frightening: add plenty of humor. Right?
Wrong.
Ask the brilliant marketing team at Travelers Insurance who prove that sometimes it pays to take the road ‘less travelled’. In this case, they decided to use the concept of legacy to create a video ad that doesn’t just tug at the heartstrings but also, reminds us about the importance of having insurance.
Following the story of a father and daughter, as they manage their hardware store over the years, the ad showcases how the family-owned business continues to stay strong even after being ripped apart by a natural disaster – all thanks to insurance.
7. Under Armour: #WEWILL
What’s not to love about two athletes playing with a soccer ball whilst dangling hundreds of feet up in the air from a hot-air balloon?!
Created in partnership with GoPro, this ad manages to capture the thrill and excitement felt by sports professionals – whether that’s on the field or in the air.
Made for Instagram, this is the type of content that can hold your attention as you scroll through millions of other videos on your newsfeed. A good takeaway from this ad is that you don’t have to always promote the brand; sometimes building a lifestyle around your brand on social media can do wonders too.
8. Knorr: “Love at First Taste”
Knorr had launched its ‘Love at First Taste’ campaign in an attempt to bond with young millennials back in 2016.
After a global research project indicated that sharing the same flavor profile can increase attraction between two people, the brand decided to conduct a social experiment that included 14 strangers who had been paired according to their love of similar flavors.
This unscripted ad features the singletons meeting and feeding each other for the first time – while discovering their love for food and flavors together.
Gaining 100 million views in the first three weeks, the campaign went a step further by building an emotional connection with single foodies everywhere through the launch of an online interactive platform called the ‘Knorr Flavour Profiler”.
9. Samsung: “The Next Big Thing Is Already Here”
If you’re looking for the best Facebook video ad examples, then this Galaxy S II ad definitely tops the list.
Why is it perfect?
Well, for starters, it is the ideal length (60 seconds) needed to capture viewers’ interest without leaving them overwhelmed or bored.
Also, it hilariously highlights the subtle rivalry going on between two of the biggest tech brands in the world – Samsung and Apple. Poking fun at the iPhone fanboy mentality, the ad starts off with long queues of ardent Apple fans outside multiple stores. As they eagerly await the launch of the ‘next big thing’ in the smartphone world, they happen to chance upon Android users… and their phones.
What follows next is an awakening of sorts as the iPhoners are given a rundown of all the epic features that make the Galaxy S II far more superior than the competitor’s product.
Subtle. Very subtle.
10. Salesforce: “Transform Your Business”
For those wondering how to make video ads on LinkedIn that don’t seem too sales-y, this commercial by Salesforce is a great example.
By highlighting the ideal customer experience, the ad helps us better understand how companies can level up in various departments to match their consumer’s expectations.
Whether it’s customer service or IT, this 30-second spot shows how Salesforce helps “bring companies and customers together” – all the while providing a better experience for both.
The bottom line? Corporate ads do not always have to be dull and uninspiring. With a little bit of creativity and fun visuals, it’s possible to create feel-good content that works well for both B2B and B2C audiences.
11. monday.com: “Manage Your Team’s Workload”
It’s not the easiest thing in the world to stay on top of everything your team’s doing every single day – that is, unless you have monday.com.
While it may seem like just another project management tool, this ad proves otherwise as a team lead (aptly dressed in a ballet leotard) highlights all the various functionalities that make monday.com a great addition to any company.
Not only does he expertly point out everyday challenges, but also explains how the platform can help solve these problems for any manager. As our video marketing expert Kyle Weber notes:
“While the script gets right to the point, jokes and dynamic transitions are sprinkled throughout to maintain a level of entertainment amidst the pitch, not to mention the creative props used to illustrate pain points.”
12. code.org: “What Most Schools Don’t Teach”
As a non-profit organisation pushing for more schools across the US to teach computer science, code.org knew there was only one way to get people’s attention: influencer marketing.
The result is this ingenious piece of content that features some of the biggest names from diverse backgrounds – including Facebook/Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg and NBA All-Star Chris Bosh – sharing their experiences with coding and why it’s needed in today’s world.
There’s even a call-to-action included towards the end of the ad that encourages viewers to visit code.org in order to learn more about coding. What this ad essentially does is open up a whole new conversation about computer science while giving the next generation of coders the tools they need to succeed in the world.
13. Apple: “The Whole Working-From-Home Thing”
Our list of the greatest video ads ever made would not be complete without this Apple commercial that perfectly encapsulates remote work in virtual office including those with virtual business addresses.
Yes, that thing which became popular during the pandemic.
Following the success of the brand’s award-winning 2019 commercial called “The Underdogs”, this sequel showcases the same crew adjusting to work from home as they struggle to come up with the next groundbreaking box design – in one week.
From screaming kids to embarrassing wardrobe fails, this ad showcases the realities of working from home while promoting various Apple products and devices that are used by the team to make their dream design come to life.
The ad provided much-needed comic relief for office workers around the world as they coped with their new working conditions.
Want to Create a Video Ad People Remember?
Something special happens when a video ad is really good. It ceases to be an annoying 30 seconds you can't wait to skip, and instead gains an identity of its own – a link you look forward to sharing with your friends, or a skit you just can't get out of your head. These are the video ads that, frankly, end up on lists like this one. Read on and learn how to supercharge your videos with our guide to video marketing.
You've got a great brand. You've got a great product or service. Don't you deserve that video that actually connects with your audience? If you're ready to get started, look no further. Work with Superside and get the real value from our video services.
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