There are some companies that have been in a friendly competition for as long as they have been in existence. It’s no secret that these companies are trying to steal a competitor’s thunder and when these rivalries are exhibited in the form of a campaign or video poking fun at one another, it’s fun to see who will win the game of one-upmanship.
There are tons of examples of how to steal customers with witty campaigns. One standout campaign is one from McDonald’s that involved simply changing the names of its WiFi networks to entice nearby people in to its restaurants with exclusive deals, since it noticed customers at rival businesses were stealing free access to the Internet.
Another involved an elaborate ‘Phone Swap,’ which had people at a music festival trade their phones when they ran out of battery for a temporary trial run of a brand new Sony Xperia. Again, tons of incentives were given when people made this trade and some lucky winners got to keep their new phones at the end of the festival.
Of course, a company doesn’t have to be in direct competition to steal a bit of thunder from another company. A prime example of this is a hi-tech billboard by British Airways was cleverly parodied in a low-tech way by Domino’s Pizza.
19 Friendly Competition Marketing Strategies
18
Cheeky Competitor-Costumed Ads
In This Halloween Ad, a Can of Pepsi Dresses Like a Scary Red Soda
17
Faux Apple Promotion Sites
The Scoopertino Website Parodies Fake Apple News and Products
16
Apple-Mocking Campaigns
This iPhone 4 Parody Features a Series of Ads Playing Off Brand Slogan
15
Rival Company Coversation Posters
'Brandversations' Illustrates Discourse Between Competing Brands
14
Mocking Mac Advertisements
The Bryan Evans ‘apple-Fied’ Campaign Mimics Classic Imager
13
Ironically Blurred Brand Shirts
This Ironic Nike Shirt Has a Blurred Out Brand Logo
12
Unbranding Parody Graphs
This 'Starbucks to the Future' Chart Pokes Fun at Logo Downsizing
11
iPhone Mocking Ads
The Samsung Galaxy S Ad Plays on the iPhone 4 Reception Problem
10
Tech-Mocking Cider Ads
This Ad for Somersby Cider Takes Unsubtle Shots at Apple Product Launches
9
Portly Cereal Icons
Fat Tony the Tiger by Ron English Warns Against Sugary Breakfasts
8
Chicken Car Commercial Parodies
This Hilarious Jaguar Ad Makes Fun of Mercedez' Chicken Commercial
7
Epic Viral Holiday Spoofs
Delov Digital Spoofs Volvo's Epic Split with a Chuck Norris Version
6
Self-Spoofing Ads
Mac Half Life 2 '1984' Teaser Parodies the Classic Apple Ad
5
Competitor-Mocking Tablet Ads
This Microsoft Windows 8 Ad Makes Fun of Apple’s Renowned Feat
4
Incentivized Phone Trades
Sony Enticed Attendees of 'Way Out West' with a Free Phone Swap
3
Customer-Attracting WiFi Campaigns
Mcdonalds Uses Funny WiFi Network Names to Attract Customers
2
Fake Product Pranks
Upwell Installed Its Own Multifunctional Light Switch in IKEA
1
Cult-Mocking Ads
Hacienda Restaurant Stirs Up a Controversy with Kool-Aid Cult Billboards
Related Ideas
Anti-AI Beer Billboards
Heineken's Latest Ads Poke Fun at AI Friendship Devices
Co-Branded 6-Packs
Heinz and Heineken Created a Craveable Matchup for Sports Fans
Basketball-Inspired Complimentary Menu Promotions
Wendy's Offers Free Fries and Frosty on April 7
Global Flavor Collections
The World Heist Menu from Mcdonald’s Unveils Global Favoritesin the Uk
Pristine Fast Food Campaigns
McDonald's All Flavour, No Mess Spotlights a Tidy Snack
Cross-Network Playoff Promotions
NHL and Multiple Broadcasters Launch a Playoff Marketing Campaign
Authentic Connection Campaigns
Heineken's Hijack Socialization Encourages Out-of-Home Gatherings
Next-Gen Jelly Bean Campaigns
Jelly Belly Bean Appétit Entices a New Generation of Fans
Halloween Essentials Campaigns
IKEA Turns Home Essentials into Shields for Scary-Movie Nights
Gamified Holiday Promotions
Starbucks for Life Merrython Blends Gameplay with Prize Giveaways
Wishlist-Spotlighting Billboards
Sephora Canada Features Customer Wishlists on Holiday Billboards
Telecom Event Ticket Campaigns
Verizon and David Beckham Teamed Up for the FIFA World Cup 2026
Gamified Loyalty Campaigns
Collect Points with IKEA Family Presents Updated Membership Benefits
Licensed Flavor Collaborations
Conagra Blends Celebrity and Brand Partnerships Into Snacks
Night QSR Campaigns
The Mcdonald’s Night Posters Turn Post-Party Cravings into Glowing Urban Art
Supermarket Tourism Campaigns
K-Supermarket's Tripadvisor Listings Share a Taste of Food Culture
Retail Advertising Campaigns
IKEA Hides Price Tags to Highlight Material Quality in a New Campaign
Brighton Retail Launch Ads
IKEA Brighton Uses Seagull Splatter Campaign to Win Local Attention
Friendly Fandom Campaigns
Heineken Kicked Off Fans Have More Friends with a Fun Social Experiment
Cheeky Sports-Inspired Diaper Campaigns
Huggies Aligns Family Planning with a Major Sports Event
Modern Hustle-Inspired Food Campaigns
StarKist Co. Positions Itself as Fuel for the Modern Hustle
Cross-Industry Insight Networks
The Think Party Explores the Future of Socialization
Experiential Student Activations
Just Eat's Hey U Up Campaign Coincides with Freshers’ Week
High-Profile Home Improvement Campaigns
The Home Depot Joins Forces with David Beckham
Condiment Marketing Campaigns
Hellmann’s Launched Its ‘Main Flavour Energy’ Marketing Campaign
Celebratory Soccer QSR Campaigns
McDonald’s 2026 FIFA World Cup Campaign Has Meals and More
Experiential Fast Food Collaborations
Popeyes Turned Chicken Tenders Into a Music Venue Experience
QSR Secret Menus
Mcdonald’s Secret Menu Launch Turns Fan Hacks into Official Offerings
High-Value Pizzeria Promotions
The Little Caesars More for $9.99 Promotion Maximizes Value
Soccer-Themed Snack Branding
These Mondelēz Products Get Fans Ready for the World Cup 2026
Imaginative Fantasy-Inspired Campaigns
Canva Spotlights its Creative Tools Ahead of Halloween
Entertainment-Powered Retail Experiences
AT&T Brings Toy Story 5 to Interactive Store Activations
Playable Brand Universes
adidas and Brawl Stars Connect Gaming, Apparel and Live Fan Experiences
Nostalgic Summer Snacks
Entenmann's Launches Childhood-Inspired Seasonal Treats
Cultural Mullet Campaigns
Mcdonald’s McMullet Campaign Turns a Viral Joke into a Live Activation
Playful Pickle Initiatives
Pickle It Forward Lets Pickle Lovers & Pickle Haters Win at McDonald's
Festive Convenient Store Offerings
7-Eleven Gears Up for the Holidays with Food, Beverages & More
Eating Ritual Campaigns
Müller You Know How You Like It Celebrates Unique Snacking Methods
Basketball Championship-Themed Convenience Promotions
7-Eleven is Offering Deals for March Madness
After-Dark Pizza Ads
Morrisons' Market Street Halloween Pizza Ads Transform at Night
Gamified Snack Packaging
Hershey’s Released Pokémon Chocolates with 151 Collectible Foil Designs
Anti-AI Marketing Campaigns
Cadbury 5 Star Launched Its 'Make AI Mediocre Again' Initiative
Burger Ad Campaigns
Burger King’s New Campaign Suggests Even Babies Can’t Resist the Whopper
Anniversary-Celebrating Brand Evolutions
Smoothie King Debuts 'The Best Kind of Delicious'
Poetic Secondhand Campaigns
Depop's Where Taste Recognizes Taste Celebrates Style Doppelgangers
Celebrative Ketchup Campaigns
Heinz Lunched its Festive 'It's Heinz Season' in Southeast Asia
Athlete-Backed Beverage Campaigns
PepsiCo and NFL Players Debut 'Tailgate Crashers'
Cheeky Anti-Food-Sharing Campaigns
KFC Promotes Its Bucket for One with a Special Campaign
Culture-Driven Product Launches
Church’s Texas Chicken launches Churchie Sauce with a local event
Coordinated Convenience-Focused Promotional Campaigns
7-Eleven Runs Promotions for Two Events
Throwback Grocery Campaigns
Economic Nostalgia Inspired Instacart's Summer Like It’s ‘99
Holiday Retail Campaigns
Walmart's WhoKnewVille is a Seuss-Inspired World of Festive Cheer
Experiential Grocery Campaigns
No Name launches a multi-city grocery goss campaign
World Cup Hospitality Experiences
Stella Artois Turns Bars into Immersive FIFA Viewing Locations
Classically French Car Campaigns
Oui Oui Baguette by Renault Treated Drivers to Free Baguettes
Reimagined Pizza Loyalty Programs
Pizza Hut Reels in Customers with Hut Rewards
Playfully Branded Crosswalks
OREO Turned Marked Areas Outside Some Kroger Stores into OREO Walks
Fast Food Cybersecurity Campaigns
McDonald's Netherlands Shared Data on Change Your Password Day
Photocopied Fast Food Campaigns
McDonald's Office Delivery Ads Scanned Popular Menu Items
Sports-Themed Beer Campaigns
This BrewDog Promotion Offers the Chance at a Year of Free Beer
Colleague-Connecting Pubs
The Office by Heineken Celebrates the Best Part of Work Culture
In-Person Creativity Cafe Campaigns
The Made in Starbucks Campaign Spotlights Customer Creativity
Viral Bakery Reinventions
Sainsbury's Launches Dipped Croissants Inspired by Social Pastry Trends
Co-Brandeed Promotional Campaigns
Montucky Cold Snacks and the Flamin' Hot Brand Portfolio Team Up
Mobile Brand Experiences
M&M's Brings an Interactive Caravan to the Tour De France
Nordic QSR Campaigns
McDonald's Launches a New Campaign Inspired by its Dedicated Fans
Athletic Event-Timed Tech Campaigns
TCL Ran a Comprehensive Ad Campaign During the Olympics
Gamified Grocery Activations
The Asda Check-Out Challenge Leveraged a Nostalgic Game Show Format
Empowering Soccer-Themed Cultural Campaigns
LOTTO Launches the Legends Begin with LOTTO Campaign
Independent Burger Restaurant-Focused Campaigns
Hellmann’s Boasts the Mom & Popular Campaign
Interactive Traveling Marketing Initiatives
Heinz Pllayfully Spotlights the Heinz Ketchup Zero
Culinary Tradition Food Campaigns
The Merchant Gourmet 'Yes Chef!' Campaign is Running Now
Football-Focused Venue Marketing Campaigns
Dave & Buster's Delivers on Social Atmosphere & Dining
Trust-Focused Home Cleaning Campaigns
Molly Maid® Introduces the 'A Friend Like Molly' Campaign
Cross-Platform Loyalty Programs
WestJet and Petro-Canada Link Travel and Fuel Rewards
Humorous High-Intensity Campaigns
Nike Launched its Star-Studded 'Rip the Script' Video Campaign
Festive Rom-Com Cheese Campaigns
This Boursin Christmas Campaign Stars Fred Sirieix
Region-Specific Pizza Campaigns
Emmy Squared Pizza Launches Regionally Inspired Pizzas in the US
Condiment Portfolio Campaigns
Kraft Heinz Debuts Its United Tastes of America Campaign
Soccer-Focused Official Snack Campaigns
Lay’s Ran the Lay’s Fan of the Match Opportunity
Outdoor Cooking-Focused Campaigns
Solo Stove Debuts the 'Squash the Beef at the Big Game' Campaign
Red Head-Focused Look-Alike Contests
Wendy's Draws in Attention with a NYC Look-Alike Contest
Value-Driven QSR Campaigns
Domino's 'Who Likes Pizza?' Visualizes Pizza's Worth
Post-Game Breakfast Campaigns
McDonald's Flipped Its Ads Sideways for Super Bowl Recovery
Soccer Tournament-Long Store Promotions
7-Eleven Debuts the Special FanLand Promotion
Toaster Pastry Billboards
Ginsters Set Up a Pastry Toastie Billboard in a Commuter Hotspot
Accessible Design Campaigns
Canva's Really, Really Good Design Transformed a Sandwich Business
Co-Branded Family-Oriented Events
Disney and Formula 1 Launch Fuel the Magic Campaign
Menu Discovery Challenges
Original ChopShop's Feel Good Foodie Challenge Rewards Menu Exploration
App Competitor Analysis
Clash of Apps Provides Insights to Track and Analyze Your App Competitors
Complimentary Competitive Sandwich Promotions
This Bread Zeppelin Promotion Spotlights a Classic
Tiered QSR Pricing Initiatives
Wendy's Debuts the Value-Driven Biggie Deals Menu
Interactive Game Advertisements
Samsung Ads GameBreaks Encourage Deeper Engagement
Spicy Spread Campaigns
Philadelphia Mexican Style Launched with Creator-Led Marketing
Gamified Discount Events
Build-A-Bear Uses Mystery Offers to Drive Engagement
Destination-Branded Transportation
Themed Taxis Promote Scottish Travel During Major Soccer Events
Tax-Focused Marketing Campaigns
Intuit Debuts the Second Iteration of 'Now This is Taxes'
Festival Season Refreshment Campaigns
The Capri-Sun Festival Feeling Campaign is Running in the UK
Cheeky Wrap-Focused Campaigns
Jimmy John's Introduced the Wrap Exchange
Cheeky Cow-Inspired Qsr Campaigns
Chick-Fil-A Continues Its Iconic Eat Mor Chikin Campaign
Franchise Commerce Marketing
poppi Connects Retail Products with Love Island Experiences
Competitor Analysis Tools
Competitive Landscape Analysis Tool Reveals Key Competitor Insights Fast
Summertime Supermarket Giveaways
The Tesco Freebie Thursdays Campaign is for Clubcard Members
Workday Break-Focused Campaigns
KitKat Debuts the 24/7 Teams Meeting Campaign Concept
Christmasy Customer-Rewarding Retailer Campaigns
The One Stop 2025 Christmas Campaign Gives Back
Personalized Present Campaigns
The Wonderbly Everyone’s Got Favourites Campaign is Rolling Out Now
Seasonal Spin & Win Campaigns
Spar Scotland Launches 'Spin into Spring' Game
Music Festival Refreshment Campaigns
This Lipton Summer Campaign Offers VIP Festival Experiences
Playful Brand Messaging Campaigns
Chicago Town Pizza Unveiled the 'It IS that deep' Ad
Human-Centered Marketplace Campaigns
Etsy's Shop Other Jeffs Celebrates Independent Sellers
Omnichannel Seasonal Support Campaigns
Bestway Wholesale Launches 'Buzz About the Sweetest Deals'
Empathy-First Loyalty Playbooks
SumUp's CEO Highlights Main Street Tactics For Tech Loyalty
Summer-Forward Food Billboards
Waitrose Launched its 'Let Your Summer Side Out' Campaign
Community-Driven Loyalty Programs
Salad House Turned Guest Spending Into Local Donations
Local Restaurant Activations
Pepsi Hosts Community Events to Drive Restaurant Discovery
BFF-Themed Financial App Campaigns
Experian Embraces the Concept of 'Big Financial Friend'
QSR Brand Identity Strategies
Bob's Your Uncle Overhauled Popeyes Canada's Brand Identity
Divisive Savory Spread Campaigns
The Marmite Love it. Hate it. Cook with it. Campaign is Cheeky
In-Store Retail Media Networks
Raley's Expands Shopper Advertising Through Grocery TV
Founder Marketing Resources
Better Marketing Blog Shares Practical Playbooks For Founders
New Year Retailer Promotions
The Tesco Everyday Low Prices Promotion Cuts 3,000 Price Points
Nostalgia-Powered Retail
Zellers Revives a Canadian Favorite With New Ontario Stores
Friend-Focused Fried Chicken Promotions
Lee's Famous Friendsgiving is Running All November Long
Strategic Reward-Focused Retail Campaigns
WeShop Launches 'Shopping Starts Here' Campaign
Collaborative Air Fryer Campaigns
Birds Eye and Tefal Partnered for 'A Better Everyday' Campaign
Brandless Packaging Campaigns
McDonald’s Tested a Name-Free 'Famous Order' Promotion
Board Game-Themed Food Promotions
Premier Foods and Hasbro Partnered for an On-Pack Promotion
Recycling-Focused Travel Campaigns
Coca-Cola and Merlin Entertainments Partnered for a Promotion
Purpose-Led Emerging Brands Initiatives
7-Eleven Taps 27 Brands for Its 2026 Brands with Heart™
Brand Recognition Games
Product Guesser Tests Brand Recognition Through Interactive Play Tool
Early-Morning Easter Campaigns
Morrisons Launched a Campaign That Only Runs from 4AM to 7AM
Digital Fundraising Competitions
Headquarterz Launched the Community Cup
Global Creative Billboard Competition
Gymnation Launches ‘Your Ad. Our Billboard’ Competition
Complimentary Small Cheese Pizzas
Pizza Pizza Celebrated Sports Milestones with Free Pizza
Heist-Inspired Fashion Campaigns
The Get Away by Primark Tells a Story of Thrilling Good Deals
Purpose-Driven Brand Contests
Publicity for Good is Supporting Goodness with Its Contest
Football Season Retailer Snacks
7-Eleven Game Day Snacks Offer a Variety of Options
Retail Conversation Marketing Campaigns
Tesco Launches 'Need Anything From Tesco' Platform
Competitor Monitoring Tools
Bardeen Community Playbook Tracks Competitors And Sends Alerts
Ad Intelligence Tools
View Live Competitor Ads Instantly With Competitor Ad Tracker