15 Product Advertising Examples That Actually Drove Sales

From Nike to Apple, here are 15 ad campaigns that converted. Plus, get your comprehensive blueprint for product ads.

Key Takeaways: ✅Effective product advertising goes beyond features; it connects emotionally and solves real problems for a precisely targeted audience. ✅Top-performing product advertisements, including Nike’s #JustDoIt and State Farm’s “Like a Good Neighbaaa,” consistently leverage creativity and emotional connection to drive sales and create memorable campaigns. ✅Building successful product advertising requires a systematic approach: research, defining a clear value proposition, identifying measurable goals, performing continuous A/B testing, and optimizing for a strong ROI.

Global advertising spending in the advertising market is forecasted to reach US$ 1.16 trillion in 2026. Yet most product ads fail to connect. According to Statista, in 2024, businesses in the USA invested $792 billion in digital advertising; however, average click-through rates remain disappointing across various platforms.

But some brands did crack the code.

Nike's "Play New" campaign drove higher sales by celebrating the act of trying again. Dollar Shave Club's 90-second video disrupted an entire industry and led to a $1 billion acquisition. 

In this blog, we've analyzed 15 product advertising examples that drove massive popularity and results. You'll discover the psychological triggers, creative frameworks, and implementation strategies behind each success. Let’s get started!

Top 15 Product Advertising Examples

Here are the top 15 examples of advertisements for a product:

1. State Farm - "Like a Good Neighbaaa" (2024)

• Product: Auto Insurance
• What Made It Work: The State Farm showed Arnold Schwarzenegger's accent, using humor. It transformed the traditional "Like a Good Neighbor" tune into "Like a Good Neighbaaa".
• Why It Worked: The commercial succeeded because it paired nostalgia with the wit of an A-list celebrity, generating instant memorability. It utilized mispronunciation to great effect and turned into a viral meme, reaching far beyond the original TV ad.
• Key Takeaway: You can even use the power of humor and celebrity stardom, take mispronounced words, and convert them into winning campaigns.

2. Apple iPhone 15 Pro - "Shot on iPhone: Get Him Back!"

• Product: iPhone 15 Pro
• What Made It Work: Apple integrated popular music flawlessly with product demonstration, showing the phone's video capabilities through an actual music video production featuring a number-one chart artist.
• Why It Worked: Gen Z wants to be entertained, along with being just a customer of a product. Apple recognized this and produced something that offered actual entertainment value.
• Takeaway: The best product/feature demos don't feel like demos at all. When you integrate your features into genuinely good content, people are more likely to watch it.

3. Nike - "Just Do It: Dream Crazy" (2024)

• Product: Athletic Apparel & Footwear
• What Made It Work: Maintained Nike's core motivational messaging while featuring diverse athletes overcoming real challenges, staying true to the brand's 35-year-old campaign while feeling fresh and current.
• Why It Succeeded: The ad evolved into global themes of persistence and accomplishment that transcended sports, making the brand relevant to everyone trying to achieve their goals.
• Key Takeaway: Effective campaigns develop yet never depart from their fundamental brand DNA; consistency establishes trustworthiness, and adjusting brings relevance.

4. Coca-Cola - "Real Magic: It's Magic When the World Comes Together"

• Product: Coca-Cola Beverages
• What Made It Work: It created a strong visual metaphor employing hugs to signify togetherness. It was inspired by Olympic athletes hugging competitors, which later spread across crowds globally.
• Why It Succeeded: In line with Olympic ideals of world unity, Coca-Cola worked as the impetus for people coming together during a time of great cultural significance.
• Key Takeaway: Link your brand to universal positive feelings and significant cultural events to increase message exposure and emotional resonance.

5. CeraVe - Super Bowl 2024

• Product: Skin Care Products
• What Made It Work: It worked because of the wordplay between the actor's name and also because the brand built an unexpected, funny relationship that was both clever and spontaneous.
• Why It Worked: The satirical approach to traditional beauty advertising, while highlighting product benefits, made the brand feel more approachable and self-aware.
• Takeaway: The most effective celebrity collaborations stem from unlikely combinations - search for innovative approaches beyond usual endorsements.

6. Google Pixel - "Javier in Frame"

• Product: Google Pixel Smartphone
• What Worked: Highlighted guided frame technology with real-life storytelling of a visually impaired man and his girlfriend who are trying to film.
• Why Successful: The ad expressed true product functionality while advocating for inclusion. The commercial was created by a registered visually impaired director, Adam Morse, making the message more real.
• Key Takeaway: Genuine representation demands genuine voices. And it involves individuals in the community you're representing in the creation process, which creates trust.

7. Booking.com - "Muppets Campaign" (2026)

• Product: Travel Booking Platform
• What Made It Work: The Muppets and the ordinary humans searching for the ideal vacation booking created nostalgic appeal. The ad also spanned across various generations while staying brand consistent.
• Why It Worked: Booking.com's third consecutive year with the most-watched Super Bowl ad demonstrates its expertise in pairing iconic characters with straightforward product messaging.
• Takeaway: Consistent creative excellence creates brand awareness - identify what works and refine it, rather than entirely revamping it annually.

8. Dunkin' - "DunKings" Series

• Product: Coffee & Donuts
• What Made It Work: The ad showcased Ben Affleck's real Boston affiliation and past viral Dunkin' moments to build out a long-form story around his fixation on the brand.
• Why It Succeeded: It built out character progression that did not feel contrived, along with placing celebrity endorsement into entertainment.
• Key Takeaway: Exceptional campaigns with effective creative ideas can evolve into sustained brand narratives that foster deeper consumer attachment.

9. The Farmer's Dog - Emotional Pet Food Ad

• Product: High-End Pet Food
• What Worked: The commercial traced a dog's entire life journey with its human family and depicted the passage of time through subtle visual cues. Furthermore, the ad included perspective shots from the dog's point of view.
• Why It Succeeded: Farmer's Dog commercial made an emotional short that just so happened to be about pet food instead of a normal product commercial. It got people to relate to the common bond between families and pets.
• Key Takeaway: Sometimes the best product commercials hardly mention the product - emphasize the emotional truth your product enables instead of features and benefits.

10. Ram Trucks - Glen Powell Campaign (2026)

• Product: Ram Trucks
• What Made It Work: It used Glen Powell's emerging star power and natural charm to personify the tough, capable persona Ram needs to convey.
• Why It Succeeded: Merged celebrity personality with brand ideals perfectly, so the endorsement sounded natural instead of transactional.
• Key Takeaway: Celebrity endorsements are most effective when there is genuine alignment between the celebrity's reputation and the brand's ideal image.

11. T-Mobile - Starlink Partnership

• Product: Telecommunications Service
• What Made It Work: T-Mobile positioned its groundbreaking technology innovation at the forefront instead of using celebrity endorsements. It demonstrated an actual problem-solving for a potential customer connection.
• Why It Worked: Provided a tangible solution while establishing T-Mobile as the most forward-thinking carrier.
• Takeaway: Sometimes the product innovation is the hero - lead with true technological advancements when you have them.

12. Doritos - "Abduction"

• Product: Doritos Chips
• What Worked: This Doritos ad was created by a customer. Doritos introduced a challenge for its consumers to make better ads than their marketing team, resulting in authentic creativity that felt fresh and unfiltered.
• Why It Won: User-generated content has built-in legitimacy, and the offer of a million-dollar prize created tremendous engagement and media attention.
• Takeaways: Your customers can do a better job than your agency. Crowdsource when it's within the personality of your brand.

13. Mastercard - Touch Cards

• Product: Credit Card Services
• What Made It Work: Mastercard used the striking visual metaphor of a spotlight to focus on accessibility features, making an important product innovation feel cinematic and powerful.
• Why It Succeeded: Illustrated true dedication to inclusion by highlighting a feature that makes financial services more accessible to all.
• Key Takeaway: Cause-oriented marketing works when it's calling out true product innovations that serve real issues for underserved communities.

14. Volvo - Baby Safety

• Product: Volvo Vehicles
• What Made It Work: The commercial depicted the time-consuming activity of baby-proofing a vehicle while suggesting that Volvo's safety features are so easy to use that no such hassle is ever involved.
• Why It Succeeded: The campaign marketed safety features by not depicting most of them, instead suggesting effortless protection through a compelling visual metaphor.
• Key Takeaway: Sometimes what you don't include is stronger than what you do - allow viewers to fill in the gaps with their interpretation.

15. Mountain Dew Baja Blast - "Kiss From A Lime"

• Product: Mountain Dew Baja Blast
• What Made It Work: Created a memorable moment through singer Becky G meeting SEAL (whose face had been bolted onto the body of an actual seal) in a dreamlike environment.
• Why It Worked: Amidst an overcrowded advertising world, being strange and memorable at times beats being more traditionally "good." It created enormous social media buzz.
• Takeaway: Mountain Dew commercial calculated that strangeness can cut through advertising clutter. And at times, being unforgettable is more important than being conventionally attractive.

Helpful read:  10 Small Business Marketing Strategies to Propel Growth

What is Product marketing vs. Brand marketing?

Many marketers confuse these products and brand advertising strategies. They serve different purposes and require distinct approaches.

Types of Product Advertisements

Types of product advertising now include everything from traditional TV commercials to AI-powered personalized ads. Understanding these options helps you choose the right mix for your business goals and budget.

1. Search Engine Marketing (SEM)

Here are the different ways of advertising a product through search advertising:

A. Search advertising 

You know when you Google "best wireless headphones" and see those sponsored results at the top? That's search advertising, and honestly, it's where most smart marketers put their money first.

Search dominates everything - we're talking about 40.9% of the global digital advertising market. Because someone typing that search isn't just browsing - they're shopping. Your ad shows up exactly when they want to buy something. It's like having a salesperson who knows exactly when customers walk into the store ready to purchase.

B. Video Advertising

Videos explode everywhere. The video segment recorded the largest revenue share in 2024, driven by platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. You can actually show your product working. Instead of describing how smooth your blender is, just blend some stuff and show the results. This is much more convincing than a bunch of text.

C. Social Media Advertising

Social media apps like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok are extremely popular platforms. You can target new moms in Denver who like organic food and drive SUVs with one good social media product advertising strategy. Companies are expected to dump over $276 billion into social media advertising in 2026, with Facebook and Instagram delivering the best returns. Eventually, when people share or comment on them, their friends see it too. Social media product advertising offers detailed demographic targeting, visual storytelling capabilities, and built-in sharing features that naturally amplify reach 

D. Display Advertising

Display advertising is the banner ads you see on websites. Most people might just ignore them. But here's where they actually work: retargeting. Display advertising is actually growing at 15.5% per year (Source: Wordstream), beating out most other channels. Someone visits your website, looks at your running shoes, then leaves without buying? Show them those exact shoes for the next week while they browse other sites. 

E. Mobile Advertising

Mobile ads can do things desktops can't - like knowing you're standing outside a coffee shop and showing you a discount for that exact location. Mobile ads grabbed 77% of all digital ad spending in 2024(Source: Wordstream), which makes total sense when you think about it. In-app ads work great too. People spend hours playing games or scrolling social media on their phones. Catch them when they're already engaged and relaxed.

2. Traditional Product Advertising

The traditional advertising products are here as follows - 

A. Television Advertising

TV product advertising remains a powerful tool for achieving broad reach campaigns. The U.S. advertising market is projected to reach $455.90 billion by 2026, with television maintaining a significant market share. This format provides massive audience reach, audio-visual storytelling capabilities, and brand credibility association.

B. Print Advertising

Print product ads target specific readership demographics through newspapers, magazines, and direct mail. Despite digital growth, this type of product advertising maintains relevance for certain audiences and products. Print advertising offers high engagement rates among targeted readers, longer attention spans compared to digital formats, premium brand positioning, and precise geographic and demographic targeting.

C. Radio Advertising

Radio product advertising is an effective way to reach local audiences. This format provides high frequency and local market penetration, cost-effective production and placement, commute-time audience capture, and integration with digital audio and podcast advertising. Radio works particularly well for local businesses, time-sensitive promotions, and products requiring frequent reminder messaging.

D. Outdoor Advertising

Outdoor product advertising provides broad visibility in high-traffic areas. This includes billboard advertising for maximum visibility, transit advertising reaching commuters, street furniture ads on benches and kiosks, and digital outdoor displays with dynamic content capabilities. Outdoor advertising provides 24/7 exposure, precise geographic targeting, and seamless integration with mobile campaigns through location-based technologies and QR codes.

3. Emerging Product Advertisement Examples

Some of the latest product advertisement examples are as follows -

A. Influencer Marketing

Influencer product advertising leverages trusted voices to promote products authentically and effectively. This approach includes micro-influencers for higher engagement, product collaborations, and more. Moving forward, it also helps in building long-term partnerships that foster authentic relationships, as well as multi-platform campaigns that maximize reach. Influencers provide social proof, authentic product demonstrations, and access to niche audiences that traditional advertising cannot effectively reach.

B. Programmatic Advertising

Automated product advertising uses AI for optimal placement and targeting. The global programmatic advertising market reached $678.37 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach USD 2,753.03 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 22.8% from 2024 to 2030. This technology enables real-time bidding for optimal ad placement, advanced audience targeting and segmentation, cross-device campaign optimization, and performance-based budget allocation.

How to create an effective product advertising campaign

Here are some actionable steps to develop effective product advertising:

Step 1: Research Your Target Audience

You can begin the advertising campaign by identifying your target audience. Analyze demographics, customer behaviors, and pain points by conducting surveys and getting insights from the data. Later, create detailed buyer personas that guide all campaign decisions.

Step 2: Define Your Unique Value Proposition

Deep dive and understand what makes your product unique and valuable. Instead of focusing on features, think about how it will add value for the users. Ask yourself, "Why should customers choose you over competitors?" Test different value propositions with your audience.

Step 3: Set Clear Campaign Goals

Now, define specific and measurable objectives. For example, increase sales by 25%, generate 500 leads, or boost brand awareness by 30%. Consider setting realistic timelines and budgets for each goal.

Step 4: Choose Your Advertising Channels

Select platforms where your audience spends more time. Consider budget, product complexity, and campaign goals. Start with 2-3 channels, then expand based on performance data.

Step 5: Create Compelling Ad Creative

Use high-quality images or videos, write clear headlines, and strong calls-to-action to grab the audience’s attention. Make sure to maintain consistency across all materials while adapting for each platform.

Step 6: Set Up Tracking and Analytics

Install conversion tracking, Google Analytics, and platform pixels. Define key performance indicators (KPIs). Set up dashboards to monitor campaign performance in real-time.

Step 7: Launch and Test Campaigns

Start with small budgets to test performance. Run A/B tests on headlines, images, audiences, and calls-to-action. Monitor results daily and adjust based on early data.

Step 8: Analyze and Optimize

Review performance metrics weekly. Identify top-performing creatives and audiences. Reallocate the budget to winning combinations. Pause underperforming ads and test new variations.

Step 9: Scale Successful Campaigns

Consider increasing budgets for high-performing ads. Expand to new audiences and platforms. Create similar campaigns for other products. Document successful strategies for future use.

Step 10: Monitor and Maintain

Make sure to continuously track campaign performance and update the creative to prevent ad fatigue. Respond to customer feedback and market changes. Plan follow-up campaigns to maintain momentum.

Check out: Top Advertising Agencies in Chicago

Product Advertising Strategies That Work

Modern product advertising strategies leverage data, personalization, and multi-channel approaches to maximize impact. Successful campaigns combine proven tactics with emerging trends to stay competitive.

1. Storytelling-Focused Campaigns

Develop product advertising and a comprehensive content strategy centered on compelling narratives that showcase your products as solutions to real problems. Create emotional connections through authentic customer stories, behind-the-scenes content, or aspirational lifestyle messaging. Storytelling makes products memorable and builds stronger brand relationships than feature-focused advertising alone.

2. User-Generated Content Integration

Leverage authentic user-generated content to build trust and social proof. Encourage customers to share photos, videos, and testimonials featuring your products. User-generated content outperforms branded content because customers trust peer recommendations. This strategy reduces content creation costs while increasing authenticity and engagement.

3. Cross-Channel Campaign Integration

Coordinate product advertising across multiple platforms for maximum reach and frequency. Ensure consistent messaging while adapting the creative for each channel's format and audience behavior. Cross-channel campaigns enhance brand recall and offer multiple touchpoints for customer engagement throughout the buying journey.

4. Personalization and Dynamic Content

Use customer data to deliver relevant product advertisements based on browsing history, purchase behavior, and preferences. Implement dynamic product ads that automatically showcase items customers viewed or similar products. Personalized advertising significantly improves conversion rates by showing the most relevant products to each individual.

6. Influencer and Partnership Marketing

Collaborate with trusted voices in your industry to expand reach and build credibility. Choose influencers whose audiences align with your target market and whose values match your brand. Focus on long-term partnerships rather than one-off promotions to build authentic relationships and sustained impact.

7. Performance-Based Optimization

Continuously analyze campaign data to identify top-performing creatives, audiences, and channels. Reallocate budgets toward the highest-ROI activities while testing new approaches. Use automated bidding and optimization tools to improve efficiency while maintaining strategic oversight and creative control.

Common Product Advertising Mistakes to Avoid

Businesses waste serious cash on these rookie mistakes. Don't be one of them:

• Targeting everyone - You can't sell yoga mats to both gym rats and office workers with the same message. Pick a lane.
• Listing boring features - Nobody cares about "advanced technology." Tell them how it makes their life easier.
• Ignoring mobile users - If your ad suffers on phones, you're not going to make money. Most people browse on mobile anyway.
• Mixed messaging - Your Facebook ad says one thing, your website says another. Pick a story and stick with it.
• Not testing anything - Launching without A/B testing is like gambling blindfolded. Test headlines, images, everything.
• Never checking results - Running ads without watching performance is burning money. Check daily, pause what's not working.
• Expecting instant wins - Ads need time to work. Give campaigns at least two weeks before panicking.
• Weak call-to-actions - "Learn more" is pathetic. Say "Buy now" or "Get 50% off" instead.

Wrapping up

The most effective product advertising examples share common elements: they know their audience inside out, focus on benefits instead of features, and advertise where their customers actually hang out.

Nike doesn't sell shoes - they sell the feeling of being an athlete. Google doesn't list Pixel specs - they show you capturing perfect moments. These companies win because they solve problems while making you feel something.

Most importantly, your success starts with immediate action: audit current campaigns against this guide's frameworks, focus on 2-3 high-performing channels, implement A/B testing, and optimize based on performance data rather than assumptions. The fundamentals for product advertising remain constant: understand your audience, communicate clear value, and measure everything.