The best ads are like good films. Amazing possibilities are realised, creating a powerful message that resonates with our emotions. And yes, like films, they make you want to buy stuff, but if the stunt accomplished is big enough, it becomes a noteworthy event, going beyond a “Buy This Now” moment.
Here is a countdown of some of the most epic events that advertising has produced.
7. Largest Dice Roll
Nothing inverts your a sense of scale like a pair of giant dice tumbling down a snowy mountainside. Flown via helicopter and then released, the dice drew attention to a gambling website while being a novel way to select winning numbers.
EPIC SCALE: An Avalanche of Interest – 13 thousand views
6. Trafalgar Sun
What is more eye-catching than a giant orange sun at night? Hung up like a Christmas ornament in busy Trafalgar Square, London, this beautiful glowing orb also closely resembles the juice company’s logo, creating a unique crowd experience that powerfully reminds people of the brand.
EPIC SCALE: Rich in Vitamin ‘See’ – 82 thousand views
5. Vertical Fashion Show
The weird headless silhouettes seen flying around Sao Paulo weren’t a promo for Independence Day: Resurgence (unless aliens are tres chic). Fully clothed mannequins attached to drones were flown up and down office complexes, creating a lot of local buzz by taking runway fashion in a whole new direction (up). The use of cutting edge drone technology also implies the brand is riding the wave of the future.
EPIC SCALE: Really High Fashion – 158 thousand views
4. HD Armageddon
TV ads frequently boast crystal clear resolution, so what’s a new and fresh way to send that old message? Simple: replace a glass window pane with a TV screen, and prank interviewees into thinking they’re witnessing a real meteor strike. Genuine fear explains the TV’s high resolution in ways words can’t, plus upsetting a serious interview atmosphere with a ridiculous prank makes for a fun and viral video.
EPIC SCALE: Earth-shattering – 18 million views
3. Click For Drama
If a button could instantly inject drama into your boring life, would you press it? A TV channel placed this choice, and the button, in front of the Belgian public. Ordinary folks who gave in to curiosity were quickly surrounded by a bungling ambulance crew, fisticuffs on the street, an impromptu gun battle, an American football team and a lingerie model on a motorbike. Immersive and fun, the branding rolled out a visceral taste of TV drama, making the big reveal of their channel logo much more impactful.
EPIC SCALE: Epic Mode Engaged – 54 million views
2. Poltergeist Cafe
A girl loses it in your local cafe – but here’s the twist – she has the mental power to throw a dude against a wall, displace furniture, and pop books from the shelves by screaming. This terrifyingly prank (brought to life by actors and special effects props) was meant to advertise an upcoming horror movie, and scared a lot of cafe patrons in the process. Their looks of shock (along with bleeped expletives), were a powerful endorsement for the acting and special effects of the film.
EPIC SCALE: Mind Blown – 66 million views
1. Message to Space
Nothing says epic quite like “visible from outer space”. Inside the ad, a young girl sends her astronaut dad a message, not via email, but through 11 cars that trace giant words of love across the desert sand. The beautiful coordination of the cars conveys their steering ability, while the personal message of love keeps the advertisement grounded, appealing to the heart even as it wows our minds.
EPIC SCALE: The Nascar Lines – 71 million views
We can judge impressiveness simply by the huge audiences of the ads, but for their sheer creativity and ambitious planning, it’s hard to deny all of them have earned the title of Epic Marketing.
By Vincent Tan
