2016 is still young, but the world’s print advertisers have wasted no time. We’ve already seen some top brands and even some lesser-known names venture into the world of print advertising with spectacular results. Print adverts reach an audience that digital, television and other forms of advertising can’t, and when well executed, can have a profound and lasting effect. We’ve chosen four of our favourite print ads of 2016 so far – could your business craft campaigns like these?
Stolichnaya Vodka (Playboy)
In February 2016, Playboy Magazine ran its first ever non-nude issue. This move was seen as a major step forwards in terms of modernisation and equality, and some have suggested that it might attract more premium ad revenue to the publication. Stolichnaya Vodka were quick to capitalise, running a series of print ads with the caption ‘the only topless photo in this issue’. The images showed a bottle of Stoli vodka with the glass digitally removed, leaving only the label and the cap. We thought this was an extremely clever way of contextualising a print ad to a specific event – this landmark Playboy issue ensures that the campaign will be talked about and remembered.
Antimo (No more Motion Sickness)
The best print ads are short on copy and big on impact, and that’s certainly the case with this campaign from pharmaceutical company Antimo. The ad shows a tempestuous, storm-whipped sea, bisected in the centre by a smooth alleyway of calm water. A cruise liner sails this channel as the waves crash to either side, the copy reading: ‘no more motion sickness’. It’s a simple concept executed well – sometimes all you need for an effective print advertising campaign are visuals as strong as these.
Ethos Travel (Time to Get Away)
By now we’ve all seen pretty much every travel agency print ad you can imagine. Dessert island beaches, sun loungers and pools, smiling faces – there’s definitely a recurring theme, so it’s refreshing when someone comes along and does something a little different. These Ethos Travel ads eschew the traditional travel ad imagery in favour of packed calendars spelling out phrases such as ‘f**k my life’ and ‘help me God’. The message of the ‘Time to Get Away’ campaign is clear: leave work stresses behind and enjoy a holiday instead!
Smart (Still Only 2.69m)
Print ads have an immediacy that other forms of advertising can only aspire to. They have to communicate a product’s USP in a single second, using as few words as possible. We think these Smart Car campaigns are as good an illustration of this practice as any we’ve seen. They show a picture of the new Smart fortwo next to a fraction of a second car, and beneath is an arrow denoting the dimensions of a rival vehicle. The message is immediate: the Smart is smaller.
Print adverts such as these four are extremely effective ways of bringing your brand’s products and services to a new audience while communicating their key selling points in an immediate, unforgettable fashion. If you’d like to create strong print marketing campaigns this year then PMG can help. Talk to us today to find out more about our print management and print design services.
