While loud billboards, posters, shop windows and flyers are screaming for your attention, there are some advertisers that are taking a subtler approach to marketing with hidden ads.
Although some of these advertisements are placed in fairly noticeable locations, as typical ads would be, these kind of hidden ads are extremely subtle, conceal themselves, change locations or fade over time. A few of these elusive ads also play on location-specific factors like weather, or require some kind of interaction before they fully reveal themselves.
With this kind of approach to advertising, the aim seems to be about capturing the attention of a very specific audience that is most likely to be on the look out already, versus the eyes of everyone.
28 Cleverly Hidden Ads
From Water-Based Graffiti Ads to Cleverly Concealed Campaigns:
Laura McQuarrie — May 16, 2014 — Marketing
28
Hidden Message Travel Ads
Expedia Vacations Hides Greetings in Luggage Tags for Newest Print Ads
27
Ingenious Interactive Ads
These Interactive Ads for French Railways Encourage People to Travel
26
Water-Based Graffiti Ads
These Commercial Graffiti Footprints Leave Their Mark but Not a Mess
25
Interactive Fairy Tale Windows
Galeries Lafayette's Holiday Window Display Retells a Classic Story
24
Invisible Kid Ads
The SOS Children's Villages Campaign Brings Light to a Sad Situation
23
Hidden Animal Ads
The Johannesburg Zoo Campaign is Cleverly Camouflaged
22
Weather-Activated Advertisements
These Ads for Stella Artois Cidre Only Appear in Warmer Weather
21
Cleverly Concealed Campaigns
The 'ACCEM' Political Ads are Both Powerful and Informative
20
Invisible Children Ads
The Ponteio Lar Shopping Campaign Asks for Warm Clothes Donations
19
Road-Covered Vehicle Ads
The Volkswagen Side Assist Campaign Shows What is Hidden
18
Hidden Front-Row Ads
The UFL 'Closer to the Action' Campaign Will Snag You the Best Seat
17
Heat-Triggered Paint Illustrations
This Racing Red Bull Helmet Features a New Heat-Triggered Paint
16
Bird Seed Billboards
Nouvelle Soft's Toilet Paper Advertisement Has Nature Say Thanks
15
Sneaky Tweet-Revealed Ads
These Ads for the Isabel Marant H&M Collection Cleverly Use Twitter
14
Scratch-Off Advertisements
These Ads Promote an Exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago
13
Concealed Cruising Cars
The Invisible Mercedes Plays Tricks with One's Eyes
12
Fading Youth Ads
The Prince's Trust Campaign Helps Young Adults Get Jobs and Training
11
Couples Only Vending Machines
Coke's Invisible Vending Machine Doesn't Reveal Itself for Singles
10
Illusory Beach Beverage Ads
This Minimal Coke Ad Hides the Coca-Cola Swoosh Between Two Ladies
9
People-Blending Beverage Ads
Sprite 'Camo' Campaign Encourages You to Express Yourself
8
Multi-Faceted Violence Ads
This ANAR Campaign Shows a Different Message to Kids and Adults
7
Camouflaged Skateboard Ramps
These Nomad Skateboards Ramps Are Nearly Invisible in the City
6
Stamped Child-Finding Posters
A Poster Made from 1,000 Stamps Helps to Find Missing Kids in Canada
5
Colorfully Hidden Product Ads
IKEA'a Products Are Almost Invisible in the 'Choose Color' Ads
4
Disappearing Act Car Campaigns
A Vanishing Auto in the Volkswagen Golf GTI 'Time Machine' Ad
3
Augmented Reality Bus Ads
The Pepsi MAX Ad Creates Shocking Scenes for People Waiting for Buses
2
Concealed Trainer Fitness Challenges
ASICS' 'Next Epic Challenge' Presents a Hidden Challenge
1
Sneaky Free Speech Campaigns
For World Press Freedom Day, HUMO Snuck Uncensored Words into China
Related Ideas
Luxury Bag Pop Ups
Hermès Debuted a Designer Bag Installation Pop Up in Manhattan
Cleverly-Disguised Fountain Cups
Pepsi's Latest Campaign Stunt Introduced 'Undercover Cups'
Aggressive Athlete Ads
Nike Launches the Winning Isn’t for Everyone Campaign
AI-Generated Ketchup Ads
Heinz Designed an Advertisement Using the Slogan 'It has to be Heinz'
Anti-Consumption Natural Ads
The 'Girls Just Wanna Grow Plants' Ad Aims to Reducing Consumption
Invisible Furniture Capsules
IKEA's Invsbål Campaign and Capsule are a Playful April Fool's Joke
AI-Lead Car Ads
Ford Launched an AI Campaign Dubbed 'Be Surreal, Be Ford'
Spontaneous Summer Picnics
Absolut Vodka & Sprite's HANGOUT-OF-HOME Inspires Unplanned Gatherings
Clear In-Game Billboard Advertisements
SCS Software's Truck Simulator Uses Real-Life Advertising
AI-Generated Real-World Transformations
AI-Artist Who Gives a Unique Design to Real Objects
Ingenious De-Influencing Ads
Cuyana's De-Influencing April Fool's Campaign Highlights Greenwashing
Illusory Brick Wall Illuminators
The OG Brick Lamp Hides in Plain Sight to Illuminate After Dark
Premium Clean-Cut Drink Branding
The Sparkling ICE Branding Refresh Enhances Visibility
Beer-Pouring Party Billboards
JUBEL Made a Billboard That Pours Pints Invites People in to Party
Parisian Airport Pop-Ups
Moët Hennessy's Paris Concept Event Featured Travel Exclusives
Groundbreaking AR Posters
Wall's Out-of-Home Ads Make AR Experiences Unmissable with WinDOOH Tech
Digital Debit Card Campaigns
Interac Introduces 'The Lost Wallet Board' Installation in Toronto
Hug-Inspired Olympics Campaigns
Coca-Cola's Summer Olympics Campaign was Inspired by True Events
Weatherized Lifestyle Sneakers
adidas Introduces its GORE-TEX Gazelle for the Season Ahead
Ketchup Dispenser Billboards
'Smack for Heinz' Helps Fans Complete Meals with a Favorite Condiment
Athlete-Backed Shoe Campaigns
Nike Released Awaken Your Madness with International Soccer Players
Novel Home Security Concepts
Swift Creatives Introduces 'Sculptural Surveillance'
Naturalistic Taco Stand Campaigns
Coca-Cola Launched a Street Photography Campaign in Norway
Humorous Automotive Campaigns
Hyundai’s 'Where Have You Been?' Ad Merges Nostalgia and Branding
Illustrative 420 Campaigns
Vizie Unveils His Latest Work for Grassroots' 420 Campaign
In-Game Billboard Advertising
Gameloft Enables Partners to Advertise Natively in its Games
Color Blindness-Exclusive Billboards
TD Unveils a Campaign to Highlight Its Accessibility Adapter
Break-Encouraging Soda Branding
The Diet Coke Break Campaign Includes Customized Cans
Purposeful Consumer-Focused Campaigns
IKEA's Sleepfluencers Campaign is a Clever Way to Give Back
Sporty Fashion Spring Campaigns
adidas Originals Introduces the 1000 Back Campaign
Engaging Shelf Displays
Netvisual is Elevating In-Store Advertising with its Shelf Edge Displays
Athletic Apparel Interactive Billboards
Gymshark Unveils the Shoplift Campaign Ahead of Sale
Personalized In-Flight Ads
United Airlines Kinective Media Offers Curated Travel
Reactive Fan-Based Football Campaigns
Coors Light Launched a New 'Coors Light Coors Light' Spot
Lazy Cereal Campaigns
SURREAL Cereal Cheekily Pokes Fun at New Year's Resolutions
QSR Menu Billboard Campaigns
Burger King Shows Real Burger Sizes with Real Size Campaigns
Seasonal Phone Booth Activations
Spotify's Q4 is Calling Urges Brands to Start Holiday Advertising
Curious Whiskey Campaigns
Four Roses' Don't Mention It Campaign Targets Younger Whiskey Drinkers
Collossal Crocodile Campaigns
The Lacoste 'Play Big' Campaign Features Artists and Athletes
Iconic Character-Inspired Campaigns
Etsy's Christmas Ad Celebrates Personalized Gifting
AI-Generated Holiday Soda Ads
The Coca-Cola Holidays Are Coming Ad Has Been Updated with AI
Convention-Challenging AC Campaigns
Samsung's WindFree Ad Stars a Savvy Grandma-Fluencer
Gen Alpha Marketing Campaigns
Claire's is Targeting TikTok Growth for its Latest Ads Spending
Anti-Greenwashing Soap Ads
Navigating Eco-Consumer Irony with Better Climate Store's "Greenwash"
Activewear-Branded Smartphones
The Conceptual Adidas FOG Phone Highlights the Three Stripes Logo
Craveable Soda Packaging
Sprite is Reviving Its Obey Your Thirst Campaign for a New Generation
Eerie Film-Based Deodorant Campaigns
Secret Deodorant Debuts a Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Commercial
Architecture-Inspired QSR Ads
This New McDonald’s Campaign Encourages Eating at Home
Marketer-Targeted Cereal Ads
Surreal's Out-of-Home Campaign Speaks to Marketers, Not Consumers
Hydrating Outdoor Billboards
Gatorade's BPM Pay Panels Replenish Urban Athletees on the Go
Street Art Metaverses
LG OLED & Shepard Fairey Teamed up for a Frieze Los Angeles Exhibition
Urban Sneaker-Inspired Exhibits
Museum of Graffiti Introduces the Sneaker Stories Pop-Up Exhibit
Therapeutic Nature-Inspired Campaigns
Craghoppers Introduces Its Autumn/winter 2024 Campaign
Festive Advent Campaigns
Cadbury's 24 Out-of-Home Ads Represent the Countdown to Christmas
Soda Logo Rebranding Campaigns
Pepsi's New Logo Goes Across the Globe with a Bright Light Show
Mystery-Style Holiday Ads
Waitrose Adds Mystery to the Festive Season with ‘Sweet Suspicion’ Ad
Scented Fast Food Billboards
McDonald's Set Up a French Fry-Scented Billboard
Smart Shopping Cart Ads
Instacart Unveiled Ads for Its AI-Powered Caper Carts
Graffiti-Painted Beer Packaging
1664 x André Saraiva Debut a New Vibrant Collaboration
Visual Museum Campaigns
MoMA’s New Museum Campaign Transforms NYC into an Art Lover’s Paradise
Pollution-Removing Murals
This Campaign Sucks by Dentsu Brings Awareness to London's Air Quality
Neighborhood-Inspired Campaigns
Kotn's F/W 2024 Collection is Released with a Witty Short-Film
Serum-Dispensing Billboards
The Inkey List's Hydrating Billboard Shares Free Hyaluronic Acid Serum
Provocative Guerrilla Campaigns
Jewelry Brand MWCurated Uses Fake Infidelity Flyers for Marketing
Hyper-Targeted Shoppable Posters
Glossier and Shop Launched Posters with Geo-Gated Location Tech
Anthropomorphic Store Campaigns
IKEA's Short Social Films Promote Its Click-and-Collect Service
In-Game Advertising Services
StackAdapt Offers Engaging Game Advertising for its Clients
Mindful-Shopping Campaigns
The Ordinary’s 'Slovember' Campaign Promotes Intentional Shopping
Cup-Stealing Clothing Collections
Stella Artois' Steal Artois Collection Honors Bar Culture
Virtual Pub Museums
Heineken Pub Museums Spotlight Important Cultural Locations
Pop-Up Sensory Showers
Dove's South Bank Activation Spotlights MicroMoisture Technology
Creator-Friendly Initiatives
Patreon Lights Up Times Square with Creator-Centric Billboard
Water Digital Wallet Loyalty Cards
Liquid Death Has Introduced the Liquid Death Country Club
Color Infusion Paint Campaigns
vitaminwater's Paint Your Rent Brightens Lives & Living Spaces
Eco-Minded Millennial Ads
Coors Seltzer's 'Call to Inaction' Campaign Aims to Save Water
Footballer-Backed Global Campaigns
Pepsi Unveils the 'Where There's a Ball There's a Way' Campaign
Connected Beer Jerseys
Miller Lite's Running of the Beer Ads Turns Fans into Walking Billboards
Co-Branded Custom Ads
Lexus and Universal Pictures Partner for the 'Experience OZmazing' Spot
Seasonal Soda Ads
Olipop's Christmas Ad Challenges Big Soda
Nature-Emphasizing Outdoor Campaigns
Craghoppers Introduces Its Spring/SSummer 2024 Collection
Tree-Integrated Mysterious Art
Banksy Unveils a Mysterious Tree Mural in London's Finsbury Park
Quirky Plant-Based Food Ads
Gosh! Food's Falafel Advertisement is Surprising
Boneless Wing Ads
Whataburger Cleverly Launches Its Boneless Wings with This Ad
Peaceful Holiday Ads
IKEA's Take A Holiday From The Holidays Reminds People to Find Calm
Cheeky Martini Ads
Grey Goose's Classic Martini Cocktail Ad Pokes Fun at Celeb Creative Directors
Eye-Catching Low-Calorie Beers
Lowrise Unveils a New Low-Calorie Beer Product to Entice Shoppers
Low-Power Paper-Like Retail Signs
The Samsung Color E-Paper Display Has an Eye-Friendly Profile
All-Dark Marketing Campaigns
IKEA Introduces its Darkest Campaign Yet with Try Oslo's Help
Tongue-In-Cheek Soda Campaigns
Pepsi Jokes at Coca-Cola in It's Tastes Better Campaign
Illusory Artwork-Displaying TVs
Hisense CanvasTV Hides in Plain Sight When Not in Use
Peeling Cheese Packaging Billboards
This Babybel Billboard is Inspired by the Product's Packaging
E-Commerce Advertising Solutions
Reddit is Enhancing its Reach with the New Dynamic Product Ads
Travel-inspired Brand Campaigns
Michelin Launches the On the Road and Beyond! Campaign
Navigational Protein Bars
Perfect Bar Created a Bar with a GPS to Lead Shoppers to Its Product
Artistic Multi-Beverage Ads
The Coca-Cola Family is Spotlighted in this Unique Ad
Minimizing Phone Usage Initiatives
Heineken's Latest Campaign Addresses Phone Use at Music Events
Digital City-Inspired Art Works
New Digital Art is on Display in Grand Central Station
Swipable Curated Ad Inspiration
Swipify Lets Users Swipe Through the Latest Ad Campaigns
Soccer-Inspired Mural Campaigns
Hisense Has Launched Its Beyond Glory Mural Campaign
Air-Purifying Litter Boxes
The WoofiGo Hidden Plant Litter Box Smartly Removes Smells
Artistic Libation Campaigns
The Madrí Excepcional 'Paint Your Pint' Competition Challenges Fans
Heist-Themed Cheese Ads
This Maxi Babybel Ad Celebrates the Cheese's Return
Decorative Removable Paints
Glasst Unveils Unpaint to Easily Remove Paint
Anniversary-Celebrating Storytelling Ads
The Walt Disney Company Mark Marvel's 85th Anniversary
Computer-Supported Artful Benches
Hidden Presents the Mac Pro Bench on Store Display
Street Artist Digitalized Exhibitions
LG OLED and Shepard Fairey Showcase Digital Street Art
Geo-Targeting Store Advertisements
Tesco Recommends Ads Based on a Shopper's Location in a Store
Botanical Bodycare Pop-Ups
Lush Turned a Store into a Secret Garden Pop-Up for a Special Collab
Recycled Ad Campaigns
Mars is Reusing Fan-Favorite Ads to Bring Attention to Climate Change
Whimsical Bright Creative Workspaces
Publicis Groupe's New Workspace is in New York's SoHo
Greek Countryside Rural Retreats
Invisible Studio Created the House in an Olive Grove in Corfu
Reality-Bending Car Ads
CarGurus Ad Features Melting Lego and Gourmet Chef Toddlers
Interactive Quiet-Locating Maps
Quiet Places Finder Helps People Locate Calm in the Big City
Scannable Skincare Murals
The Ordinary's Interactive Augmented Reality Mural Promotes Bodycare
Cheeky Financial Stress-Alleviating Campaigns
HOPWTR Has Debuted a Creative Promotional Campaign
Playful QSR Campaigns
Cossette Forms the New McDonald's Campaign to Closest Restaurant
Hard-To-Read Health Campaigns
A Specsavers Campaign Encourages Movie-Goers to Check their Sight
Innovative Digital Signage
Creative Realities Enhances Fan Engagement & Outcomes with New Signage
Summer Patio Pop-Ups
The Sol Patio+ Provides a Comfortable Place to Wait for a Table
Advanced Printing Techniques
BrandMyDispo Has Introduced Printing Techniques for Custom Mylar Bags
Hyper-Local Gym Ads
GymBox's Made for London Life Ads Juxtapose City Living and Gym-Going
Bizarre Soda Campaigns
Dr Pepper's Try More Weird Disrupts Life's Boredoms with Weirdness
Mini Musical Productivity Ads
Slack's The Big Meeting Takes on a Musical Number
Angular Stealthy Holiday Retreats
The Stay Under the Radar Home is on a Former Military Base
Skateboarding-Inspired Ads
Vans Launched the ‘Always Pushing’ Ad Highlighting Skating Culture
Creative Sun Safety Installations
Giant Beach Installation is a Reminder to Practice Sun Safety
Short Film-Inspired Ads
Apple’s New ‘The Underdogs’ Ad Features Various Apple Products
Revamped Juice Overhauls
Ocean Spray Announces a Brand Overhaul with Modern Influences
Invisibility-Illusion Portable Cloaks
The Invisibility Shield Co. Relies on Science
Mango-Scented Newspaper Ads
Swiggy Instamart Launched a Scented Campaign in the Times of India
Advertising Demand-Side Platforms
Yahoo Launched Yahoo Creative to Help Advertisers
AI Ad Campaigns Chatbots
Deep Clue Streamlines Campaign Creation by Offering Actionable Advice
Efficiency-Driven Digital Ad Solutions
ShopLiftr is Revolutionizing Digital Advertising
Billboard-Transformed Tent Shelters
Wunderman Thompson Morocco Creates the Life-Saving Outdoors
Artistic QR Codes
QR Artwork Directory Creates QR Codes That Boost User Engagement
Classic Ad Campaign Revivals
Seagram's 7 Crown is Reviving Old Ads for Its New Campaign
Subtle Marketing Pop-Ups
FOMO Nudge Encourages Users to Buy with Subtle Pop-Ups
Grocery Store Ad Spots
Morrisons, the UK Supermarket Chain, Celebrates Its Low Pricing in This Ad
Location-Based Photo Sharing
Harbor Creates Personalized Picture Albums Through location Sharing
Niche Interest Ads
Interest Navigator Uncovers Interests That are Hidden from Most Advertisers