There are various marketing tactics used by major companies to promote their products. Usually, companies like to go big and flashy for their business forgetting that sometimes less can be a lot more.
Subtle forms of marketing leave all the bold flash and in-your-face advertising in the backseat while it shines with low key presentation that is just as effective. Not-so-flashy ads like the CarMax commercial --featuring personified puppies-- hooked buyers with its clever appeal and undeniable cuteness. Not all buyers can be bought with per-meditated publicity stunts, and prefer slower paced marketing tactics that just work just as well.
The "wow factor" isn't always what gives a business a booming head start, and these reserved forms of advertising prove that they can still have impressive results.
25 Examples of Subtle Marketing Tactics
From Adorable Animal Ads to Radically Romantic Billboards:
Malika Renee Butss — Feb 26, 2014 — Marketing

24
Pictorial Popsicle Packaging
Freeze Ice Lollies Branding Features Iconic Images of Colorful Treats

23
Butchered Snack Branding
Real Meat Jerky Packaging Presents Itself Simply But Successfully

22
Creepily Illustrated Toothpaste Ads
The Colgate Pro Sensitive Toothpaste Campaign is Disturbing
21
Geektastic Love Songs
‘Canon Boy Meets Nikon Girl: the Rap Video' is Hilariously Aweso
20
Fast Food Diorama Ads
The McDonald’s Happy Meal 2013 Campaign Promotes Children's Creativity
19
Choco-Bar Juice Boxes
The Cocoa Metro Campaign is Crafty, Creative and Clever
18
Personifed Canine Campaigns
The Acne Studios Spring/Summer 2013 Advert Stars Fashionable Animals
17
Surreally Mouthed Fish Ads
The Saila Breath Mint Campaign Centers Around Hilarious Hybrids
16
Car Key Landscape Ads
The Volkswagen Amarok Campaign is Imaginatively Adventurous
15
Romantic Snowman Ads
‘The Journey’ by John Lewis is Adorably Enduring
14
Bad Food Boomerang Ads
The Teva Losec Capsules Campaign Fights Against Acid Reflux
13
City-Garbed Couple Ads
The Thalys Fast Train Campaign Focuses on Long Distance Relationships
12
Dueling Brother Campaigns
The 'Claude vs Pierre' Stella Artois Commercial is Cute
11
Canine Car Shop Ads
The 'Slow Bark' CarMax Ad is Made for the Puppy Bowl
10
Illustrated Avian Supplement Packaging
Pearlfisher's Avian Packaging is Beautifully Minimalist
9
Cheek-Bursting Sweet Bread Ads
The Panettone Tottus Campaign Revolves Around Eager Children
8
Animal Print Branding
Saloio Cheese Packaging Wears the Skin of its Livestock Source
7
Tooth-Shaped Plate Ads
The Even Mouthwash Campaign Encourages Removing All the Dirt
6
Bittersweet Canine Auto Ads
This Citroen Car Commercial Shows Two Dogs in Love
5
Transforming Candy Campaigns
Enjoy Strawberry and Pear with these Starburst Flavour Morphs Ads
4
Family-Finding Foster Videos
The Story of I Shows How Parents Can Bring Joy to a Lonely Child
3
Monstrous Pimple Ads
The Oatmeal Spot Clear Ad Campaign Shows What People See When They Have a Zit
2
Sweet Escape Perfume Commercials
The L'Eau de Chloe Advertising Campaign is Fresh and Spring-Like
1
Clumsy Animal Branding
Pekabesko Pate Packaging Features Cartoon Creatures in Dangerous Situations
Related Ideas
Creative Ad Responses
Kiehl’s Response to Censorship Embraces Bold Creativity
Cleverly-Disguised Fountain Cups
Pepsi's Latest Campaign Stunt Introduced 'Undercover Cups'
AI-Generated Ketchup Ads
Heinz Designed an Advertisement Using the Slogan 'It has to be Heinz'
Aggressive Athlete Ads
Nike Launches the Winning Isn’t for Everyone Campaign
SEO Optimization Tools
'Positional' Enhances Search Visibility and Content Performance
AI Marketing Storytelling
Coca-Cola AI Campaign Brings Nostalgia and Innovation Together
Sound-Focused Ice Cream Ads
Magnum Ice Cream Ads Bring the Ultimate Sensory Experience to Life
Playful Billboard Campaigns
Dreamies Treats Unveil a Show-Stopping 3D Billboard Campaign
Humorous Brand Campaigns
The Ikea Rewards Program Embraces Its Late Arrival with Humor
Professional SEO Services
Business Owners Can Elevate Your Online Presence with Optimization
Humorous Menswear Ads
Men’s Wearhouse Goes Full Funny with its 'Love the Way You Look' Campaign
Positive Social Media Campaigns
The New Tumblr Campaign Champions Community Over Controversy
Clear In-Game Billboard Advertisements
SCS Software's Truck Simulator Uses Real-Life Advertising
Truth-Forward Beauty Campaigns
The Ordinary X Uncommon Unveil the Beauty Industry’s Biggest Myths
Advanced Email Marketing Solutions
tinyEmail Reaffirms Its Dedication to Enhancing Email Marketing
Sniffable Deodorant Billboards
Sure's Out-of-Home Campaigns Invites Passersby to Take a Whiff
Comedic E-Commerce Brand Spots
Instacart Unveiled a Teaser for its Super Bowl Commercial
Heartwarming Bank Campaigns
Chase's Next Thing You Know Campaign Captures a Full Life
Parisian Airport Pop-Ups
Moët Hennessy's Paris Concept Event Featured Travel Exclusives
History-Centric Advertisements
Royal Ontario Museum's Epic Natural History Ad is Inspiring
Hug-Inspired Olympics Campaigns
Coca-Cola's Summer Olympics Campaign was Inspired by True Events
AI-Powered Advertiser Campaigns
Instacart Utilizes its Automation Tools for Universal Campaigns
Athlete-Backed Shoe Campaigns
Nike Released Awaken Your Madness with International Soccer Players
Suggestive-Visual Celebratory Chocolates
Marks & Spencer Launched New Valentine's Day Chocolates
Naturalistic Taco Stand Campaigns
Coca-Cola Launched a Street Photography Campaign in Norway
Purposeful Consumer-Focused Campaigns
IKEA's Sleepfluencers Campaign is a Clever Way to Give Back
In-Game Billboard Advertising
Gameloft Enables Partners to Advertise Natively in its Games
Fashion Brand Christmas Ads
Chanel's 'Winter Tale' is a Magical Holiday Ad from the Luxury Icon
Airline Highlight Advertisements
Spirit Airlines 'More Fly' Campaign is A Fresh Take on Travel
Influencer-Inspired Ads
Tomcat's Ad Shows an Influencer Mouse with a Fatal Unboxing Twist
Versatile Hot Honey Campaigns
Mike's Hot Honey Launches the 'You'll Love It with Mike's' Campaign
Individuality-Focused Brand Campaigns
Adidas Originals' New Campaign Champions Timeless Classics
Athletic Apparel Interactive Billboards
Gymshark Unveils the Shoplift Campaign Ahead of Sale
Star-Studded Tech Campaigns
Jewellery Pros and Music Talent Promote the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds
Auto-Focused AI Marketing Tools
Dealer Creative AI Boosts Social Media Content for Dealerships
Humorous Payment Campaigns
Paypal's Latest Campaign Features Actor Will Ferrell
Unusual Fast Food Ads
KFC’s ‘Believe’ Campaign Ad Pushes Chicken Obsession to New Heights
Charming Christmas Advertisements
Sainsbury’s Christmas Ad 2024 Evokes Childhood Nostalgia
Art-Promoting Campaigns
Beige Billboards Spark a Bold Call to Save Charlotte’s Art Scene
Futuristic Imaginative Design Concepts
Toyota Introduces the Unique E-Collection of Products
Iconic Character-Inspired Campaigns
Etsy's Christmas Ad Celebrates Personalized Gifting
Multichannel Retail Campaigns
Urban Outfitters' 'Happy Lolidays' Campaign is Engaging
Sensitivity Marketing Campaigns
Cetaphil Teams Up with Lil Wayne for Super Bowl Spot
Offbeat Fashion Campaigns
ASOS 'Inspired By' Delivers Non-Traditional Inspiration to Style-Seekers
AI-Assisted Business Ads
Google Workspace's 50 States, 50 Stories Shares Small Businesses Using AI
Vibrantly Comedic Travel Campaigns
The 'Booking.yeah' Campaign Features The Muppets
Cinematic Video Game Spots
Droga5’s ‘Wake Up’ Campaign for Xbox Shows an Escape from the Everyday
Cheeky Coffee Ads
Starbucks' New Ads Celebrate Personal Connections Through a Modern Twist
Humorous Mens Fragrance Campaigns
A New Axe Campaign Takes Sweetness to Absurd New Heights
Human-Grade Pet Food Campaigns
The Honest Kitchen Debuts a Pet Parenthood Campaign
Marketer-Targeted Cereal Ads
Surreal's Out-of-Home Campaign Speaks to Marketers, Not Consumers
Fruity Creative Campaigns
Tic Tac® Chewy! Debuts the Soft on the Inside Campaign
Data-Driven QSR Campaigns
Burger King's BK Unwrapped Reveals Customers' 2024 Ordering Preferences
Feel-Good Ad Campaigns
Pella’s 'Make Life Brighter' Campaign Celebrates Home and Comfort
Delivery Driver-Centric Pizza Ads
Pizza Hut's New Commercial is Cheeky and Playful
Therapeutic Nature-Inspired Campaigns
Craghoppers Introduces Its Autumn/winter 2024 Campaign
Vivaciously Redefined Car Brands
Jaguar Debuts its 'Copy Nothing' Campaign
Sensory Cat Food Campaigns
WHISKAS' Purradise Imagines Worlds to Satisfy Every Type of Cat
Educational Valentine's Campaigns
No More’s 'Language of Love' Campaign Exposes Coercive Control
Rom-Com Dating App Campaigns
Tinder's It Starts With a Swipe Reimagines Meet Cutes
Mystery-Style Holiday Ads
Waitrose Adds Mystery to the Festive Season with ‘Sweet Suspicion’ Ad
Adventurous Roadtrip Retail Campaigns
The Pilot Flying J 'See You Out Here' Campaign is Relatable
Global Runner-Inspired Campaigns
PUMA Introduced its 'Go Wild' Campaign
Humorous Pet Furniture Campaigns
IKEA Playfully Presents its UTSÅDD Collection in a Campaign
Neighborhood-Inspired Campaigns
Kotn's F/W 2024 Collection is Released with a Witty Short-Film
Uneventful Big Game Ads
The Angel Soft Super Bowl Ad is Made to Be Missed for a Bathroom Break
Luxury Valentine’s Day Campaigns
Gucci’s Together Valentine’s Day Campaign Emphasizes Connection
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
Innovative Outdoor Advertising Campaigns
Unilever's Dirt is Good Turns Billboards into Playgrounds
High-Concept Brand Campaigns
The ‘Legitimate You’ Campaign Proves Every Brand Can Look Pro
Visual Museum Campaigns
MoMA’s New Museum Campaign Transforms NYC into an Art Lover’s Paradise
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
Graphic Fashion Animation Campaigns
Louis Vuitton Remasters Takashi Murakami's Superflat Animation
Comedic Body Wash Ads
Moist Humor by Dove Debuted During SNL50: the Anniversary Special
Humorous Payment Platform Campaigns
The Great PayPal Checkout Spotlights the Pay Later Services
Music-Inspired Retail Campaigns
Macy’s is Launching Its Summer’s Greatest Hits Campaign
Co-Branded Custom Ads
Lexus and Universal Pictures Partner for the 'Experience OZmazing' Spot
Mid-20th-Century Holiday Campaigns
Saks Fifth Avenue Unveiled its 'Gifts of Delight' Campaign
Heritage Brand Boot Ads
Blundstone Launches Global Campaign Celebrating Personal Boot Stories
Seasonal Soda Ads
Olipop's Christmas Ad Challenges Big Soda
Rewarding Ketchup Ads
Heinz's Post-Post Credits is the First Ad Interrupted by a Movie
Cheerful Healthy Snack Campaigns
Garden Veggie Snacks' YUMbelievably Delicious is Innovative
Whimsical Candle Christmas Campaigns
The Yankee Candle 'Make it More Magical' Campaign is Festive
Super Bowl Drive-Thru Commercials
Taco Bell Debuts Its Live Más Drive-Thru Cams Campaign
Quirky Plant-Based Food Ads
Gosh! Food's Falafel Advertisement is Surprising
Body-Positive Brand Campaigns
Dove's Super Bowl Ad Challenges Toxic Body Talk in Sports
Marketing Idea Generators
Thunderbucket Provides Marketing Ideas and Observations at Speed
Reimagined Classic Beer Campaigns
Guinness Gives 'A Lovely Day' a Modern Artistic Refresh
Specialty Cheese Campaigns
Alouette Unveiled its Creative 'Flavor That Sings' Campaign
Do-Good Pizza Taste Tests
The Good Tastes Better Social Experiment Sees Purpose Impact Perception
All-Dark Marketing Campaigns
IKEA Introduces its Darkest Campaign Yet with Try Oslo's Help
AI-Generated Ad Tools
X’s Grok Could Transform Marketing for Brands
Harmony-Emphasizing 3D Advertisements
Wuliangye Debuted a Clever Ad in New York’s Times Square
Kindness-Promoting Ad Reboots
Coca-Cola’s Christmas Kindness Campaign Returns for the Holidays
Pet Play-Centric Campaigns
Pet Valu Debuts the Multi-Faceted Playtime Campaign
AI Marketing Tools
Awesome AI Marketing Provides a List of AI Tools for Digital Marketers
Peeling Cheese Packaging Billboards
This Babybel Billboard is Inspired by the Product's Packaging
Social-First Car Campaigns
Škoda's Reddit Car Share Amplified the Voices of Passionate Fans
Emotion-Driven Cider Campaigns
Angry Orchard's Latest Campaign Subverts Anger-Inducing Moments
Excellence-Focused Bourbon Campaigns
Maker’s Mark Launches the Perfectly Unreasonable Campaign
Heist-Themed Cheese Ads
This Maxi Babybel Ad Celebrates the Cheese's Return
Anniversary-Celebrating Storytelling Ads
The Walt Disney Company Mark Marvel's 85th Anniversary
Heartwarming Holiday Car Ads
Toyota Debuts Three Ads During NBCUniversal’s Primetime Specials
Saucy High-Definition Screen Campaigns
Zaxby’s is Leveraging the Busy Black Friday Shopping Period
Canadian-Focused Campaigns
Maple Leaf Foods Sparks Pride with Its 'Look for the Leaf’ Campaign
Reimagined Story-Driven Campaigns
Visa Presented its 'Typewriter' Campaign at the 2025 Oscars
Poeticized Luxury Fashion Campaigns
Club 21 Debuts its Cinematic 'Salute The Detail' Campaign
Omnichannel Automotive Services
Automotive Mastermind has Adapted to Modern Consumer Patterns
Miniature Billboard Ads
Little Canada's Mini Media Initiative Spotlights Brands on Tiny Billboards
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
Advanced Printing Techniques
BrandMyDispo Has Introduced Printing Techniques for Custom Mylar Bags
Marketing Social Advocacy Tools
Nut Tree Helps Smaller Brands Boost Their Presence
Business Operation-Optimizing Tools
Vemlo Debuts Tools for Business Operations & Online Visibility
Influencer-Starring Car Commercials
Toyota's New Short Film Seeks to Resonate with Gen Z Customers
Bizarre Soda Campaigns
Dr Pepper's Try More Weird Disrupts Life's Boredoms with Weirdness
Alternative Butter Ads
Lurpak's Crush Expectations Redefines Plant-Based as Edgy, Not Earthy
Drone Marketing Initatives
LEGO Takes to the Sky with Drone Show and Aerial Messages
Marketing Measurement Strategies
Rockerbox Recently Launched Its Unified Measurement Playbook
No-Nonsense Grooming Campaigns
The Rock Face Makes Scents Campaign Pokes Fun at Marketing Cliches
Startup Growth Strategies
Do Things That Don't Scale Offers Startup Tactics for Growth
Ethical Tea Commercial Campaigns
Clipper Teas Showcases its New Marketing Tactics for 2025
Pet-Themed Branding Initatives
Lyft and Animal Planet Promoted Puppy Bowl in February
Nostalgic Seasonal Snack Campaigns
This Tyrrells Campaign Encourages Holiday Snacking
Emotionally Engaging Holiday Advertisements
Teleflora Captured Attention with The Power Of Wishes
Short Film-Inspired Ads
Apple’s New ‘The Underdogs’ Ad Features Various Apple Products
Stylistic Footwear Campaigns
Bata Launched its 'Make Your Way' Campaign with a Focus on Comfort
Appealing Text-To-Visual Tools
Word Glow Converts Text into Stunning Visuals for Social Media
Vibrant Runner-Targeted Commercials
PUMA Southeast Asia Debuts a Community-Based Video Campaign
Product Fit Training
Nail Your Niche Helps Startups Find Product-Market Fit With Marketing
Mango-Scented Newspaper Ads
Swiggy Instamart Launched a Scented Campaign in the Times of India
Ad Inspiration Archives
Nobody Reads Ads Showcases Print and Outdoor Ads With Notable Success
Comedic Groundhog Day Campaigns
Lay's Flavor for Days Campaign Taps into Groundhog Day
Reflection-Encouraging Edible Oil Campaigns
Simply Fresh Marks the New Year with a New Campaign
Home Relaxation Beer Promotions
This Abbot Ale Promotion Encourages Cozy Nights at Home
Imaginative Children's Holiday Campaigns
Aretto and Hamleys Partner on an Engaging Campaign
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