Real Life Marketing Professionals React to Real-World Campaigns

What makes good marketing? Is it standing out from the crowd, memorability, marketing that directly drives sales? Or, and most likely, a combination of all the above? To find out what makes good marketing, we had some of our marketing and advertising pros watch and react to three different real-world campaigns that have launched recently, meaning you might even recognize them!

The campaigns we’ve chosen for this are:  

1. Slack: The Big Meeting
2. Teamwork.com: Meet The Client
3. Squarespace: A Website Makes It Real

Join our experts below as they discuss what stands out to them about these real-world ad campaigns and what they think makes marketing effective overall.  

If you want to get an idea of how your marketing efforts compare to your competitors, watch Impact’s webinar, Assessing Your Marketing: An Inside Look.  

Recapping The Review

The recent Slack advertisement captivated audiences with its engaging presentation, eliciting smiles and a sense of relatability. It cleverly highlights a universal truth: everybody hates a meeting, especially a meeting about a meeting.  

By acknowledging this common frustration within the corporate culture, Slack taps into a key consumer insight that resonates with many professionals. This relatability not only draws viewers in but also sets the stage for Slack to show off. The playfulness of the ad also aligns seamlessly with Slack’s brand personality while emphasizing distinct value propositions of included features.

Rather than simply stating the product's advantages, the ad creatively illustrates how Slack can streamline communication and eliminate unnecessary meetings—an enticing prospect for any business. This approach demonstrates an understanding of their target audience's pain points while transforming them into compelling reasons to engage with Slack's offerings.  

Looking ahead, it will be fascinating to observe how Slack continues to leverage this campaign across various platforms while maintaining the messaging and its very playful tone. 

Recapping The Review

I was quite thoroughly entertained right off the bat by this ad campaign from Teamwork.com marketing their organizational software. The casting, cinematography, art direction, and writing were all spot on. Not to mention the acting. Everything was spot on.  

I love how they took an everyday problem and frustration that is familiar to us all (a difficult client) and villainized him to create a dark corporate thriller. Between the “stalker” phone calls, demanding deadlines, and eerie laughs, the situation was all too familiar and reminded me of my agency days when you can never seem to get it 100% right, no matter how good the work is.  

It’s clever how they also brush on overworked vendors, budget problems from “over-scope,” and everything else that sucks the life out of us [creatives in corporate] and makes us dread “the client.”

They also added in a new word, “clienty,” which I will now be using. A+ on whoever was responsible for this campaign. It has major legs. 

Recapping The Review  

Firstly, it was funny. Humor, an almost infallible hook in any story, plays a central role in this ad. It’s a refreshing departure from the often dry and heavily technical pitches one might expect from a web services provider. By leading with laughter, Squarespace not only captivates but also leaves a lingering joyful mood associated with its brand.

Another thought I had was on the repetition. The frequent (i.e. almost the entire script) repeated the Squarespace name throughout the spot in another smart and strategic play. In an era of constant information or value prop bombardment, repetition can cut through the noise when done well.  

Employing a narrative style that hints at the classic hero’s journey framework also deeply engages viewers. By following a protagonist through challenges ultimately conquered (presumably with the help of Squarespace), the ad cleverly mirrors the trials and triumphs of its target audience: small business owners setting out to carve a niche in the (digital) world. It also doesn’t hurt to use an actor who’s critically acclaimed. Classic Super Bowl ad, but definitely effective!

Perhaps most memorably, the ad dips into the well of absurdism—melding an "old-timey" setting with modern-day elements like laptops. This striking visual dissonance not only grabs attention but enhances the memorability of the message that Squarespace is for anyone at any time.

All in all, in my opinion, this Squarespace ad cleverly melds humor, repetition, a relatable hero's journey, and a dash of the absurd to create a compelling narrative that's as engaging as it is effective. It's clear Squarespace isn't just selling a product; it's telling a story.

Wrapping Up Our Takeaways  

Effective marketing isn’t just about a striking image or a cool tagline — it’s about creating a connection, driving action, and leaving a lasting impression.  

After watching and analyzing these campaigns, our marketing pros highlighted the power of storytelling, humor, and authenticity in making an ad truly resonate with the audience. Whether it’s Squarespace’s sleek messaging, Teamwork.com’s relatable humor, or Slack’s clever take on meetings, each of these campaigns offers valuable insights into what makes marketing work.  

Their common theme, however, is the creativity used in development, direction, and execution leaving us with one final key takeaway: when it comes to marketing, don’t be afraid to get creative.  

For a quick evaluation of your own marketing efforts, check out Impact’s webinar, Assessing Your Marketing: An Inside Look.