The Top 20 Printed Adverts of 2014
Rob Fletcher delves into the wonderful world of advertising and picks out some of the best and most effective printed adverts from the last 12 months.
Although there has been plenty of talk about the advantages digital technology can bring to the marketing sector, print advertising remains alive and well, with agencies and printers alike coming up with innovative and exciting ideas.
During the last 12 months, we saw a whole host of printed adverts that captured the imagination of the masses, which made the task of picking just 20 adverts for our list quite a challenge. With that said, in no particular order, here are what we thought were some of the most innovative and creative printed adverts from 2014.
Robinsons – The Wimbledon Tennis Championships printed advert campaign
Agency: Bartle Bogle Hergarty
Printer: Various
Description: Robinsons’ latest print campaign for its long-term support of Wimbledon
Picture: Courtesy of BrandRepublic.com
Canal Plus – Cannes Film Festival printed poster series
Agency: BETC
Printer: Unknown
Description: Famous film posters designed to include part of the Canal Plus logo
Picture: Courtesy of Canal Plus
Moo.com – fictional character business cards
Agency: Moo.com (in-house)
Printer: Moo.com (in-house)
Description: Business cards for famous fictional characters such as Batman
Picture: Courtesy of Moo.com
Kit Kat – printed billboard campaign
Agency: JWT
Printer: Unknown
Description: “Half-finished” printed billboards to reflect KitKat’s famous ‘Take a Break’ tagline
Picture: Courtesy of AdsoftheWorld.com
Pedigree (Brazil) – printed advert campaign
Agency: AlmapBBDO
Printer: Various
Description: Pedigree dog treats to help control pets
Picture: Courtesy of Pedigree
Tigo – printed advert campaign
Agency: Biedermann
Printer: Various
Description: Printed adverts promoting Tigo’s roadside assistance on your phone service
Picture: Courtesy of CreativeBloq.com
Aldi (UK) – printed advert campaign
Agency: McCann
Printer: Various
Description: Aldi poking fun at the loyalty scheme offered by competitor supermarket chain Morrisons
Picture: Courtesy of BrandRepublic.com
Ikea – printed billboard
Agency: Thjnk
Printer: Beisner druck
Description: Text printed in three different colours. Each time a certain light is switched on, it reveals a new portion of the text.
Picture: Courtesy of AdWeek
TWIT: Texting While in Traffic – billboard campaign
Agency: Brian Singer (designer)
Printer: Unkown
Description: Printed billboard shames those caught texting whilst driving in San Francisco
Picture: Courtesy of Guzmodo
Nescafé (France) – ‘usable’ print campaign
Agency: Geometry Global
Printer: Redworks
Descrption: Printed material that can be turned into coffee mugs
Picture: Courtesy of AdsoftheWorld.com
The Royal British Legion – ‘Live On’ print campaign
Agency: Rainey Kelly Campbell/Y&R
Printer: Various
Description: Part of the orgaisation’s ‘Live On’ campaign, honouring British soldiers killed in military action
Picture: Courtesy of The Royal British Legion
New York Restoration Campaign – ‘It’s not a tree’ print campaign
Agency: Tierney (US)
Printer: In-house
Description: Highlighting the lack of trees in New York by labelling random objects that are not trees to raise awareness.
Picture: New York Restoration Campaign
PayPal – New York Times newspaper advert
Agency: PayPal (in-house)
Printer: New York Times
Description: Poking fun at the mass hacking of private information from the Apple Cloud and promoting the security of its own services.
Picture: Courtesy of AdWeek
Good Energy – print campaign
Creative agency: Lucky Generals
Media agency: M2M
Illustrator/printer: Yuko Kondo (Debut Art)
Description: Vibrant print campaign showcasing the environmental credentials of Good energy
Picture: Courtesy of Good Energy
Ford – Ford Explore SUV print campaign
Agency: BBR Saatchi & Saatchi
Printer: Various
Description: Optical trickery advert challenging consumers to “park” the SUV between the two black cars
Picture: Courtesy of Marketing Magazine
McDonalds (Sweden) – billboard campaign
Agency: DDB Stockholm
Printer: Brand Factory
Description: McDonalds Sweden poking fun at its Norwegian counterpart by promoting the cheaper price of burgers in Sweden
Picture: Courtesy of DigitalJournal
Selsun Blue – billboard campaign
Agency: lg2
Printer – lg2fabrique
Description: Selsun Blue promoting its anti-dandruff shampoo via a fun billboard campaign
Picture: Courtesy of AdWeek
Volkswagen – Polo GTI print campaign
Agency: DDB (Mexico)
Printer: Various national magazines
Description: Part of a series of adverts highlighting the ease of travelling from home to work in the new Polo GTI
Picture: Courtesy of Creativeblog.com
Band Aid – print campaign
Agency: JWT Dubai
Printer: Various
Description: Promoting the strength and flexibility of Band Aid’s plasters by showing one being used by Marvel superhero the Hulk
Picture: Courtesy of Coloribus.com
Aquafresh – Flexigel print campaign
Agency: Callegari Berville Grey (France)
Printer: Various
Description: Demonstrating the flexibility and movement of the Aquafresh Flexigel toothbrush
Picture: Courtesy of Adsoftheweek.com
Topics
Interested in joining our community?
Enquire today about joining your local FESPA Association or FESPA Direct
Recent news
Personalisation
Streamlining personalisation with tech: Insights from the SmartHub Conference 2025 speakers
Personalisation Experience 2025 (6 – 9 May 2025, Messe Berlin, Germany) is running its inaugural SmartHub Conference from 6 – 8 May 2025.
02-05-2025
Inks
Special Effects in DTF: How Neon Inks Are Making Apparel Pop
Neon fluorescent inks are the latest innovation in DTF printing, offering vibrant, eye-catching effects under both daylight and UV light, giving apparel decorators a competitive edge. Testing shows good wash durability, though market perception of added value is still developing. With increasing adoption and ongoing technological advancements, neon represents a significant upgrade for creative customisation.
01-05-2025
Personalisation
Unlocking Growth Opportunities in the Printed Personalised Apparel Industry
The printed personalised apparel industry is booming, projected to reach $10.1 billion by 2030. Driven by consumer desire for self-expression and branding needs, technological advancements like DTG/DTF and e-commerce integration are key. Sustainability, eco-friendly materials, and on-demand printing are crucial growth drivers. Businesses leveraging these trends, including AI and social media, have significant commercial potential.
01-05-2025
Personalisation
Personalisation: From mass production to print-on-demand
Technological advancements are driving the growing trend of personalisation, fueled by consumer demand for unique products. From packaging campaigns like Share-a-Coke to customised apparel by Nike and Adidas, and AI-powered tools, the shift from mass production to print-on-demand is evident. The SmartHub Conference at the Personalisation Experience from 6 - 8 May will explore these opportunities and challenges for businesses.
30-04-2025