For better or worse, people have had a lot of feelings about advertising this year.
Thanks to social media, advertisers can no longer launch their campaigns in a vacuum, hoping that their marketing investment will then be rewarded with increased sales. Advertising is now a two-way street and brands need to be ready for consumer feedback at all times.
Increasingly, these reactions are turning into negative reactions at unprecedented levels. Whether it’s increased tensions during an election year, continued polarization, or anxiety over emerging technologies, marketers often find themselves in a tense environment when trying to reach consumers.
Apple, Coca-Cola, Calvin Klein and Bumble are among the brands that sparked emotion, criticism and even outrage last year.
Below, the ads that struck a chord in 2024.
NYX | Super Bowl 2024 ad
As the new Big Game announcer, NYX learned the hard way that making jokes at the expense of men doesn’t suit the NFL. It is naughty and suggestive spot with Cardi B and a bunch of clumsy guys who overused his Duck Plump lip gloss to highlight their private parts were voted out by the league. At the last minute, NYX and McCann New York produced an edited – some might say neutered – version, while angry social discussions quickly highlighted the NFL’s hypocrisy. –TL Stanley
“Weird” green billboard
The billboard appeared on I-95 in Palm Beach County, Florida, about 6 miles from Mar-a-Lago.
In a remarkable example of Bratvertising, two seasoned ad creators launched a digital billboard that added the Charli XCX treatment to a Democratic Party rejection of the Trump-Vance ticket. Simply reading “weird,” in black text on a lime green background, the work cleverly combined viral memes in support of presidential candidate Kamala Harris. The anonymous creatives worked with Florida Immigrant Coalition Votes, spending a whopping $600 for space in Palm Beach County, not far from Mar-a-Lago, for the trendy IYKYK campaign. –TL Stanley
elf beauty | “So many cocks”
elf Beauty wants to increase the rate of women and diverse members added to company boards.
Known for its fun and unexpected marketing, elf Beauty took his bold tactics straight to the boardroom This year. Advertisements that have flooded New York’s financial district have highlighted a surprising fact: There are more men named “Dick” on the boards of America’s public companies than there are women or diverse groups. A cheeky slogan – “So many assholes, so few of everyone” – struck a chord and the campaign went viral. The positive, fearless and unmissable cheerleader cam. –Brittaney Kiefer
Swehl | “Just Add Milk with Molly Baz”
Swehl
Internet erupted with cries of censorship after Swehl’s billboard featuring cookbook author Molly Bazher pregnant belly, rhinestone bikini and two lactation cookies were deemed too spicy for the masses. Critics said outdoor billboard vendor Clear Channel, which flagged the ad for review, applied double standards in judging the ad’s depiction of women’s bodies. Capitalizing on the support provided by messaging and events, Swehl saw its website traffic increase by 500%, attracting 40,000 new users. The ensuing furore eventually attracted supplement maker Seed, which revived the banned ad in the same Times Square space, and later formula startup Bobbie, which produced a sequel of sorts featuring a breastfeeding Baz. –TL Stanley
Calm | Election night advertising
By saying nothing, Calm spoke volumes. The brand’s 30 seconds of pure silencebroadcast on CNN and ABC during live coverage of the 2024 presidential election, instantly became a major talking point. The experimental approach, a risky creative tactic, was intended to give viewers an anxiety-inducing respite from the cacophony of the night. It also played into the meditation app’s history of showing up at controversial political events with a conversational “we got you” sensibility. The simple, lightly branded spot proved more effective than any elaborate narrative campaign. –TL Stanley
Calvin Klein | Announcements from Jeremy Allen White
Calvin Klein
This was far from the first super sexy, skin-baring Calvin Klein ad, and it won’t be the last. But 2024 did indeed begin with thirst: the internet melted watching (and rewatching) The Bear star Jeremy Allen White strip down to his underwear, frolic on a New York rooftop and showing off her chiseled physique while modeling sleek briefs. from the brand’s spring collection. While the video has become an example of double standards in acceptable marketing, it has also done wonders for the 32-year-old actor’s growing popularity. It even made the red sofa famous. –TL Stanley
Bumblebee | “We’ve changed, so you don’t have to.”
Bumblebee
Dating app fatigue has reached a fever pitch this year, and it’s increasingly clear that young users abandon apps in favor of meeting potential connections in person. So some waited impatiently Bumble’s name changewhich, in teasers, claimed to meet the needs of “exhausted” women. However, the later revelation suggested that Bumble had partly missed the point. The brand later apologized for billboards that read, “You know damn well a vow of celibacy is not the answer” and “You won’t give up dating and become a nun.” . Critics said the ads went against women’s empowerment by showing insensitivity to issues such as bodily autonomy, consent, the asexual community and reproductive rights in the current American political climate. –Brittaney Kiefer
Apple | ‘Crush’
It was a sleek product demo for Apple’s new AI-powered iPad Pro. A hydraulic press flattens creative objects, including paint cans, cameras and musical instruments, then lifts up again to reveal Apple’s thin device. The ingenuity of the advertising, however, was overlooked in the tumult that followed. Reviews called advertising “heartbreaking,” “disgusting,” and “destructive,” saying it posed a technological threat to human creativity. As creatives worry about the impact of AI on their profession, Apple has unwittingly exploited a widespread fear. The brand later apologized for the ad and removed it from television. –Brittaney Kiefer
Jaguar | “Do not copy anything”
Jaguar bold rebranding left many people perplexed. The luxury car brand replaced its fierce cat logo with a mix of upper and lower case fonts. There were no cars in sight in the accompanying ad. Instead, the Avant-Garde-style film featured a techno soundtrack and a diverse cast of models dressed in neon outfits. Jaguar’s new look has angered fans, including X owner, Tesla CEO and Donald Trump’s right-hand man Elon Musk, who responded to the rebranding with the sarcastic question: “Do you sell any cars? Cue the outcry from Musk fanboys and conservative activists, who accused Jaguar of “woke” marketing. Or was Jaguar’s unexpected move necessary to revive a declining business? Only time – and car sales – will tell. –Brittaney Kiefer
Coca-Cola | “The holidays are coming”
Distrust of AI has been a major theme this year, and a few advertisers who have used the technology have failed to understand sentiment. Case in point: Coca-Cola’s AI-generated remake of its classic Christmas ad, “Holidays Are Coming.” Like Apple’s “Crush” earlier in the year, critics interpreted the new Coke ad as a visual metaphor for the destruction of human creativity and connection at the hands of technology. Some said it was just a marketing ploy. As Coke learned the hard way, it’s hard to reboot a beloved classic — and even harder when relying on an emerging technology that stirs discomfort and anxiety among the general public. –Brittaney Kiefer
