If 2018 was the year of Insta-everything, then 2019 was the year we started coming back to reality. In the advertising world, brands used new and traditional mediums this year to build messaging inspired by the strength of the human spirit. Our favorites brought people together in earnest with campaigns that celebrated individuality, creativity, and taking the time to enjoy the little things. 

Read on for our six favorite advertising campaigns from 2019 – so far!

1. Glossier’s "Feeling Like Glossier” Campaign

Born out of social media from the Into the Gloss blog, Glossier exploded organically as a beauty brand/community and continues to have an extremely passionate millennial audience behind it. The company is all about bringing people together and celebrating what it means to be beautiful – and, most importantly, to feel beautiful. The company recently introduced a campaign (with TV spots and all!) that features real people and challenges the traditional standards of beauty.

Why We Like It: The traditional message that cosmetics companies have always conveyed to women is that a particular product or collection of products will fix their imperfections. It’s prescriptive, and it indicates that women have problems that need to be corrected in order for them to be happy. Another problem is that these campaigns historically only catered to women. Glossier’s brand, especially with this campaign, instead celebrates their customers’ individuality, expressing that there really is no “right” or “wrong” way to look.

2. Reese’s Feature Length ASMR Movie

ASMR (or: autonomous sensory meridian response) has gotten widespread attention this year, thanks to social media making it popular among the masses. Some people report that ASMR videos or audio clips (featuring sounds like whispers, clicking, or scraping) give them a relaxed, almost “tingly” feeling. Reese candy Canada released a feature length film inspired by this pop culture phenomenon with the help of a handful of ASMR artists. 

Why We Like It: According to Reese, the experience of relaxing and being “in the moment” occurs through ASMR just as it does by eating the peanut-buttery candy. It was a very smart move to utilize pop culture in a way that 1) makes sense and 2) provides extended entertainment. 

3. Spotify “Let the Song Play”

You know when you’ve parked your car but a song comes on that is just so good you have to sit and let it finish before you get out? Or the feeling you get when you love a song and need to really just jammmmm to it? That’s the premise behind Spotify’s “Let the Song Play” campaign. The spot showcases three people who might not have much in common, save for their love of Sia.

Why We Like It: With “Let the Song Play,” Spotify highlights the universal experience of listening to music and how it can bring us together. In a world that can often seem divided, we look for opportunities that make us feel connected. When an ad can do that, it’s a pretty powerful thing.

4. Sephora “Identify As We”

Makeup retailer Sephora introduced a powerful campaign leading up to Pride Month 2019. Instead of just making rainbow-themed products, it created the “Identify As We” campaign and accompanying manifesto with the message of inclusivity that “we belong to something beautiful.” This message that there are many different definitions of beauty, and that all members of the LGBTQA+ community are invited to participate, is still rather unique.

Why We Like It: In light of past situations, Sephora has taken steps to celebrate and educate about diversity and inclusion, and to actually take action beyond apologies. The fact that Sephora has committed to taking steps beyond messaging (like in-store initiatives) in order to foster a welcoming environment for everyone is admirable.

5. WeTransfer’s "Please Leave"

This year, WeTransfer introduced the “Please Leave” campaign, which encourages artists to get off their computers and experience the inspiration in the real world instead of through a screen. The campaign positions WeTransfer as a tool that helps people free up their time so that they can focus on more creative real life endeavors.

Why We Like It: The relationship between product, benefit and human experience are very clearly expressed in this campaign. The foundation is of the message is “this product helps streamline your work so that you can get back to experiencing the joys of life” - at our core, isn’t that all we really want?

6. Diesel’s “Be a Follower”

Poking fun at social media and influencer culture, Diesel’s “Be a Follower” campaign inspires people to be real and just enjoy their lives. The series shows influencers struggling to fulfill everyday tasks, like eating and travelling, and shows that it’s more fun to “be a follower.”

Why We Like It: Social media can place enormous pressure on people. We see others and expect that we should be younger, prettier, better dressed, richer, happier. But Diesel reminds us that life through the other end of the screen is actually much more complicated than that.

Advertising is a vehicle for storytelling, and great stories are those that bring people together to celebrate themselves and be inspired to be the best they can be. It can be a challenge to convey a message of inclusivity that feels honest and sincere, but when it’s done well, it’s well worth it.

Looking for ways to create digital advertisements that tell beautiful, inspiring stories? The team at Doukas Media takes a relationship-based approach to story-telling that drives tangible business results.