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
Basketball-Inspired Complimentary Menu Promotions
Wendy's Offers Free Fries and Frosty on April 7
Co-Branded 6-Packs
Heinz and Heineken Created a Craveable Matchup for Sports Fans
Global Flavor Collections
The World Heist Menu from Mcdonald’s Unveils Global Favoritesin the Uk
Cross-Network Playoff Promotions
NHL and Multiple Broadcasters Launch a Playoff Marketing Campaign
Pristine Fast Food Campaigns
McDonald's All Flavour, No Mess Spotlights a Tidy Snack
Next-Gen Jelly Bean Campaigns
Jelly Belly Bean Appétit Entices a New Generation of Fans
Fashion-Inspired Food Marketing
Magnum Blends Beauty, Music and Luxury Culture into Its Brand
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
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
Licensed Flavor Collaborations
Conagra Blends Celebrity and Brand Partnerships Into Snacks
Retail Advertising Campaigns
IKEA Hides Price Tags to Highlight Material Quality in a New Campaign
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
Entertainment-Powered Retail Experiences
AT&T Brings Toy Story 5 to Interactive Store Activations
Cross-Industry Insight Networks
The Think Party Explores the Future of Socialization
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
Chicken-Focused National Campaigns
Mighty Spark Embarks on a Multi-Faceted Growth Strategy
Music Competition Cafes
Hard Rock and Coca-Cola launch a global artist competition
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
Playable Brand Universes
adidas and Brawl Stars Connect Gaming, Apparel and Live Fan Experiences
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
Cheeky Anti-Food-Sharing Campaigns
KFC Promotes Its Bucket for One with a Special Campaign
Basketball Championship-Themed Convenience Promotions
7-Eleven is Offering Deals for March Madness
Future-Facing QSR Business Strategies
McDonald's Next Details Future Menu, Service and Tech
Superstitious Grocery Stunts
Tesco's Every Bit of Luck Helps Helped Fans Wish Their Team Well
After-Dark Pizza Ads
Morrisons' Market Street Halloween Pizza Ads Transform at Night
Nostalgic Summer Snacks
Entenmann's Launches Childhood-Inspired Seasonal Treats
Gamified Snack Packaging
Hershey’s Released Pokémon Chocolates with 151 Collectible Foil Designs
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'
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'
Culture-Driven Product Launches
Church’s Texas Chicken launches Churchie Sauce with a local event
Hot Dog-Inspired Summer Campaigns
Regal and Nathan's Famous Launch Hot Dog Summer
Coordinated Convenience-Focused Promotional Campaigns
7-Eleven Runs Promotions for Two Events
World Cup Hospitality Experiences
Stella Artois Turns Bars into Immersive FIFA Viewing Locations
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
Play-Based Family Campaigns
Pirate's Booty Encourages Screen-Free Family Adventures
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
Co-Brandeed Promotional Campaigns
Montucky Cold Snacks and the Flamin' Hot Brand Portfolio Team Up
Athletic Event-Timed Tech Campaigns
TCL Ran a Comprehensive Ad Campaign During the Olympics
Empowering Soccer-Themed Cultural Campaigns
LOTTO Launches the Legends Begin with LOTTO Campaign
Mobile Brand Experiences
M&M's Brings an Interactive Caravan to the Tour De France
Snack Bar-Promoting Experiential Campaigns
Einstein Energy Super Snack Bars Ran a Campaign at SXSW
Experiential Loyalty Programs
Lowe's and Live Nation Reward Members with Concert Perks
Culinary Tradition Food Campaigns
The Merchant Gourmet 'Yes Chef!' Campaign is Running Now
Interactive Traveling Marketing Initiatives
Heinz Pllayfully Spotlights the Heinz Ketchup Zero
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
Golden Croissant Prize Hunts
Two Magpies Bakery Launches a Willy Wonka-Style' Promotion
Cross-Platform Loyalty Programs
WestJet and Petro-Canada Link Travel and Fuel Rewards
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
In-Person Creativity Cafe Campaigns
The Made in Starbucks Campaign Spotlights Customer Creativity
Outdoor Cooking-Focused Campaigns
Solo Stove Debuts the 'Squash the Beef at the Big Game' Campaign
Viral Bakery Reinventions
Sainsbury's Launches Dipped Croissants Inspired by Social Pastry Trends
Red Head-Focused Look-Alike Contests
Wendy's Draws in Attention with a NYC Look-Alike Contest
Humorous High-Intensity Campaigns
Nike Launched its Star-Studded 'Rip the Script' Video Campaign
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
Menu Discovery Challenges
Original ChopShop's Feel Good Foodie Challenge Rewards Menu Exploration
Complimentary Competitive Sandwich Promotions
This Bread Zeppelin Promotion Spotlights a Classic
Destination-Branded Transportation
Themed Taxis Promote Scottish Travel During Major Soccer Events
App Competitor Analysis
Clash of Apps Provides Insights to Track and Analyze Your App Competitors
Tiered QSR Pricing Initiatives
Wendy's Debuts the Value-Driven Biggie Deals Menu
Signature Food Giveaways
Craveworthy Brands' Bet on the Bite Shares Free, Fan-Fave Menu Items
Interactive Game Advertisements
Samsung Ads GameBreaks Encourage Deeper Engagement
Gamified Discount Events
Build-A-Bear Uses Mystery Offers to Drive Engagement
Summertime Supermarket Giveaways
The Tesco Freebie Thursdays Campaign is for Clubcard Members
Franchise Commerce Marketing
poppi Connects Retail Products with Love Island Experiences
Spicy Spread Campaigns
Philadelphia Mexican Style Launched with Creator-Led Marketing
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
City-Wide Comedy Campaigns
Cheez-It's Seize the Cheese this Fringe Activates Festival-Goers
Competitor Analysis Tools
Competitive Landscape Analysis Tool Reveals Key Competitor Insights Fast
Seasonal Value Campaigns
Huey Magoo's Combines Value Meals with Collectible Cups
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
Nostalgia-Powered Retail
Zellers Revives a Canadian Favorite With New Ontario Stores
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
Playful Brand Messaging Campaigns
Chicago Town Pizza Unveiled the 'It IS that deep' Ad
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
Co-Branded Summer Entertaining Promotions
The Trivento and Weber Promotion Offers Prizes and More
In-Store Retail Media Networks
Raley's Expands Shopper Advertising Through Grocery TV
Community-Driven Loyalty Programs
Salad House Turned Guest Spending Into Local Donations
Marketing Jargon Games
Marketing Bingo Turns Buzzwords Into A Fun Client Meeting Game
Local Restaurant Activations
Pepsi Hosts Community Events to Drive Restaurant Discovery
Neighborhood Storytelling Campaigns
Vitaminwater Expands Neighborhue with Community Mural Stories
BFF-Themed Financial App Campaigns
Experian Embraces the Concept of 'Big Financial Friend'
Divisive Savory Spread Campaigns
The Marmite Love it. Hate it. Cook with it. Campaign is Cheeky
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
Entertainment-Driven Direct Mail
Valpak and Hallmark Turn Mailers into Movie Experiences
Music Festival Refreshment Campaigns
This Lipton Summer Campaign Offers VIP Festival Experiences
QSR Brand Identity Strategies
Bob's Your Uncle Overhauled Popeyes Canada's Brand Identity
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
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
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
Co-Branded Music Competitions
Hard Rock Cafe & Coca-Cola Debut Hard Rock Rising Music Competition
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