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
Heritage-Driven Boot Campaigns
The Red Wing Made the Hard Way Goes Against Sneaker Drops
Dating Profile Billboards
Simply Spiked BOLD Moves Tackles Dating App Fatigue
Debunking Skincare Campaigns
The Periodic Fable by The Ordinary Exposes Beauty Industry Buzzwords
Gen Z Advertising Initiatives
Tubi Targets Younger Viewers with Ad Innovations at IAB NewFronts
Nostalgic Y2K-Inspired Commercials
Dove Reinterprets 'Don't Cha' with the 'Hot Like Us' Campaign
Modern Backlit Signages
Toronto Sign Media Elevates Brand Visibility with Custom Illuminated Signs
Pristine Fast Food Campaigns
McDonald's All Flavour, No Mess Spotlights a Tidy Snack
Playful Creative Design Billboards
Canva Unveils 3D Billboards to Spotlight its Capabilities
Enigmatically Suspenseful Fashion Campigns
Tom Ford Presents Its Fall 2025 Advertising Campaign
Major Fan-Centric Candy Campaigns
Skittles Debuts the Playful Skittles Obsessed Initiative
Pet-Powered Beauty Campaigns
e.l.f. Cosmetics' Animal Intelligence Redefines "AI"
Authentic Connection Campaigns
Heineken's Hijack Socialization Encourages Out-of-Home Gatherings
Milestone Beauty Campaigns
The Body Shop Launched Its 'Rebellious by Nature' 50th Anniversary Ad
Halloween Essentials Campaigns
IKEA Turns Home Essentials into Shields for Scary-Movie Nights
Wishlist-Spotlighting Billboards
Sephora Canada Features Customer Wishlists on Holiday Billboards
Interactive Advertising Installations
Intimissimi's 'Feel the Billboard' Uses Tactile Advertising
Haute Auto Pattern Campaigns
The Audi Car Couture Ad Turns Car Parts into Dressmaking Layouts
Night QSR Campaigns
The Mcdonald’s Night Posters Turn Post-Party Cravings into Glowing Urban Art
Functionally Focused Dog Campaigns
The Honest Kitchen's Inflatable Dogs Challenge Beauty Standards
Gen Z-Themed Soda Campaigns
Pepsi Relation-Sips Showcase Small Gestures This Valentine's Day
Romantic Retailer Basket Campaigns
The Asda Red Baskets are Arriving for Valentine's Day
Urban Landscape-Inspired Campaigns
The Casablanca Fall 2025 Advertising Campaign is Interesting
Cinematic Auto Marketing Campaigns
Mazda Debuts the '5 Sides of the All-New CX-5' Film
Entertainment-Powered Retail Experiences
AT&T Brings Toy Story 5 to Interactive Store Activations
Surreal Car Care Campaigns
Turtle Wax's You Are How You Car Reimagines Drivers as Their "Car-Self"
Telenovela-Inspired Beauty Campaigns
e.l.f. Cosmetics' Big Game Ad Airs Ahead of Halftime
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
Self-Discovery Soda Ads
Pepsi The Choice Features a Polar Bear Finding His Taste Preference
Geo-Targeted Beauty Campaigns
It's a 10 Haircare Engages Uber Riders Going to Ulta & Sally Beauty
Pet-Finding Billboards
Hrvatski Telekom Created Scented Billboards That Attract Lost Dogs
Condiment Marketing Campaigns
Hellmann’s Launched Its ‘Main Flavour Energy’ Marketing Campaign
Customer-Starring Billboards
Bobbie's Campaign Spotlights Moms as "the OG Influencers"
Cheeky Food-Focused Soda Campaigns
The 'Share a Pepsi' Campaign Encourages Pairing with Food
Bee Habitat Billboards
Disney x National Geographic Bee Billboards Double as Shelters
Home-Centric Beauty Campaigns
Sally Beauty Debuts the Holiday Beauty at Home Campaign
Marketer-Targeted Albums
The Spotify Tunetorials Campaign Blurs Education and Entertainment
Festive Scratch-and-Sniff Billboards
Subway's Interactive Ad Shares the Aroma of Stuffing
High-Value Pizzeria Promotions
The Little Caesars More for $9.99 Promotion Maximizes Value
Decluttered Ad Campaigns
IKEA Unpackaged Goods Organizes Branded Products into Storage Containers
Absurd Gummy Ads
Skittles Gummies' "Uncomfortably Soft" Ads Were Shot Without AI and CGI
Imaginative Fantasy-Inspired Campaigns
Canva Spotlights its Creative Tools Ahead of Halloween
Scan-to-Sniff Fragrance Billboards
Rare Beauty's Activation with Shopify Shop Promote a New Scent
Unfiltered Sleep Campaigns
The IKEA Sleep Talk Reviews Campaign Uses Real Nighttime Mutterings
Creative Music-Based Campaigns
Bose Launched its 'Life Deserves Music. Music Deserves Bose.' Spot
Cinematic Condiment Campaigns
Mike's Hot Honey Has Debuted Its First National Advertising Campaign
Eating Ritual Campaigns
Müller You Know How You Like It Celebrates Unique Snacking Methods
Aspirational Mother's Day Campaigns
Tiffany & Co. Boasts 'Strong Like Mom' Mother's Day Campaign
Mobile Beauty Pop-Ups
Henkel’s göt2b Debuts a Citywide Mobile Beauty Experience
Emotion-Led Household Brand Campaigns
Royale’s ‘There for All’ Campaign Emphasizes Daily Moments
Heritage Grocery Packaging
Bob’s Red Mill Redesigned Its Packaging for Easier Shelf Navigation
Human-Made Car Campaigns
The Coded Love Letter is a Porsche Short Film Made with Hidden References
Personalized AI Billboards
Mercado Libre's Custom Billboards Analyze Their Surroundings and Adapt
Gamified Scent Marketing Experiences
Axe's Grab The Sweet Turned a Bus Stop into a Claw Machine
Pick-Your-Own Bouquet Billboards
5,000 Tesco Mother’s Day Tulips Formed an Interactive Display
Gamified Snack Packaging
Hershey’s Released Pokémon Chocolates with 151 Collectible Foil Designs
Adventurious Luxury Furniture Campaigns
Louis Vuitton's 2025 Travel Campaign is Visually Appealing
After-Dark Pizza Ads
Morrisons' Market Street Halloween Pizza Ads Transform at Night
Celebrity-Fronted Luxury Bag Campaigns
Gucci Debuts 'Beauty and the Bag' with Kate Moss
Burger Ad Campaigns
Burger King’s New Campaign Suggests Even Babies Can’t Resist the Whopper
Poetic Secondhand Campaigns
Depop's Where Taste Recognizes Taste Celebrates Style Doppelgangers
British Countryside-Inspired Holiday Campaigns
The Miu Miu Holiday 2025 Campaign is Sophisticated
Early Allergen Exposure Ads
The Square Baby Super Bowl Spot Promotes a Science-Backed Message
Lyrics-Inspired OOH Campaigns
Taskrabbit Interprets Pop Culture Songs for Summer Home Tasks
Humorous Chocolate Spots
Toblerone Introduced its ‘Chocolate Like Nobody’s Watching’
Chicken Wing Teasing Campaigns
This Pizza Hut Wings Campaign Pokes Fun at Competitors
Chameleon-Inspired Flavor-Focused Campaigns
Tootsie Roll Debuts a Color-Changing Chameleon
Experiential Grocery Campaigns
No Name launches a multi-city grocery goss campaign
Polo Shirt Marketing Campaigns
U.s. Polo Assn. Launches a Global Campaign Highlighting Its Origins
Interactive Scented Billboard Ads
LOLA MullenLowe Presents a Scented Lynx/Axe Campaign
Football-Focused Sofa Campaigns
Pepsi Presents the Refresh the Game Campaign with Icons
Video Business Cards
Vidcard Helps to Make Connections and Leave a Lasting Impression
Causal Retail Media Metrics
Albertsons Media Collective Quantifies True In Store Ad Lift
Bubble Wrap Billboards
Tombola's Interactive Billboards Engage Passersby with a Sensory Activity
Ice Cream Popsicle Campaigns
Häagen Dazs’ Devoured Campaign Sparks Craving Through Absence
Playfully Branded Crosswalks
OREO Turned Marked Areas Outside Some Kroger Stores into OREO Walks
Photocopied Fast Food Campaigns
McDonald's Office Delivery Ads Scanned Popular Menu Items
Social-First Body Care Campaigns
Suave Runs the 'Smell Like Your Ex(foliating Body Wash)'
Affectionate Cat Campaigns
SHEBA's Ignored to Adored Invites Cat Parents to Build Better Bonds
Spontaneity-Inspired Travel Campaigns
Wyndham Debuts 'Where There's a Wyndham, There's a Way'
Creative Eerie-Themed Soccer Campaigns
Nike Football Reimagines Soccer with 'Scary Good'
Vibrant Cafeteria-Inspired Campaigns
Lunchtime Becomes a Joyous Time in 'The Lunchables Effect'
Tactile Marketing Campaigns
She Said Yes Strives to Increase Tactile Engagement
Cut-Out Easter Treat Disguises
Cadbury Created Print Ads That Hide Easter Eggs as Everyday Items
Performance Tire Brand Campaigns
Goodyear Launched Its Fast Is In Us Global Eagle Tire Campaign
Mystery-Driven Beauty Brands
Enigma Launched with the Philosophy That Beauty Should Be Personal
Interactive Traveling Marketing Initiatives
Heinz Pllayfully Spotlights the Heinz Ketchup Zero
Human-Centric Marketing Agencies
Literal Humans Prioritizes Authentic Storytelling Over AI Content
Playful Hide-And-Seek Holiday Campaigns
Chaumet's Holiday 2025 Campaign Film is Whimsical
Empowering Cosmetic Campaigns
The Revlon Be Unforgettable Campaign Reinterprets a Brand Tagline
Customized Restaurant Campaign Platforms
OpenTable Has Launched OpenTable Media
Emotional Delivery Campaigns
Shipt’s 'No Order Is Ordinary' Campaign Emphasizes Connection
Limited-Edition Beer Campaigns
San Miguel launches a Limited-Edition Beer Campaign for Summer
Culture-Driven Product Launches
Church’s Texas Chicken launches Churchie Sauce with a local event
Body Typography Campaigns
Holland & Barrett Back Your Body Uses Anatomy to Form Letter Shapes
Destination-Branded Transportation
Themed Taxis Promote Scottish Travel During Major Soccer Events
AI-Personalized Streaming Ads
Amazon Customized Prime Video Ads Using Shopping Behavior Data
Sports Advertising Moments
Genius Sports Found Emotional Sports Moments Can Double Ad Recall
Gamified Discount Events
Build-A-Bear Uses Mystery Offers to Drive Engagement
Value-Driven QSR Campaigns
Domino's 'Who Likes Pizza?' Visualizes Pizza's Worth
Branded App Takeovers
TikTok Introduces Logo Takeover Ads That Dominate the App’s Opening Screen
Post-Game Breakfast Campaigns
McDonald's Flipped Its Ads Sideways for Super Bowl Recovery
Trading-Focused Marketing Initiatives
Exness Debuts an Ambitious Global Marketing Initiative
Silent Nature Campaigns
Jeep Promotes Its Cherokee Hybrid with Quiet Wildlife Photography
Performance Marketing Platforms
PebblePost Expanded into Connected Television Advertising
Festive Fairytale Campaigns
Boots' Gift Happily Ever After Celebrates Meaningful Gifting
Celeb-Packed Humorous Beer Campaigns
Bud Light's Keg Commercial is Airing for Super Bowl LX
Shopping-Friendly Ad Formats
Equativ Shoppable Ads Allow Consumers to Seamlessly Make Purchases
Attention Economy Agencies
VaynerX Launches Tamara Group to Drive Social-First Brand Relevance
Nostalgic Beauty Campaigns
Dove's #UnseenBeauty Initiative Challenges Y2K Beauty Standards
Predictive Mobile Advertising Features
T-Mobile Advertising Solutions Unveiled Contextual AI Ads
Human-First Marketing Agencies
Alev Digital Prioritizes Human Creativity Over AI-Generated Content
Massive Public Video Ads
SelectBlinds Spotlights Its Room Darkening Collection in Times Square
Christmas Retail Delivery Campaigns
The Debenhams Delivered Campaign Was Created by Exposure
Copywriting Automation Tools
AI Product Marketing Generates Fast Product Descriptions At Scale
Cheekily Satirical Sweetener Ads
In The Raw Embraces Satire with a Comedic Hero Film
Ad Creation Assistants
Mintly Enables Fast Ad Generation Using Templates from Top Brands
Playful Brand Messaging Campaigns
Chicago Town Pizza Unveiled the 'It IS that deep' Ad
Leather Goods-Focused Holiday Campaigns
Delvaux Debuted an Elevated Holiday Campaign This Year
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
Ad Creation Platforms
Magritte Helps Marketers Discover, Design, and Launch Ads Quickly
Customizable Marketing Postcards
Smartpress' Sticker & Magnet Postcards Fight Digital Fatigue
Cheeky Auto Campaigns
Hyndai Presents the Entertaining and Practical He Got Money Campaign
Founder Marketing Tools
Marketing Toolkit For Founders Helps Create Marketing Content Every Month
In-Store Ad Networks
ISM Powers Programmatic Advertising Across Retail Locations
Marketing Discovery Tools
Marketer Tools Helps You Find Unique Solutions For Every Marketing Need
Local Restaurant Activations
Pepsi Hosts Community Events to Drive Restaurant Discovery
AI Marketing Tools
21 Free AI Marketing Tools Helps Founders Complete Marketing Tasks Faster
Nature-First Store Concepts
Rocky Embraces Its Nature-First Ethos in the Store Environment
Market Analytics Tools
Zabble Insights Turns Google Reviews Into Clear Business Intelligence
Transparency Driven Shoppers
Akeneo's 'PX Pulse' Highlights Demand For Clearer Product Details
Local Shop Portrait Campaigns
Coca-Cola Highlights Bosses Campaign Celebrating 125 Years in UK
Data-Activated Direct Mail Programs
AI Mail Predicts Homes Most Likely to Convert to Leads & Sales
Brandless Packaging Campaigns
McDonald’s Tested a Name-Free 'Famous Order' Promotion
Retail Marketing Advancements
Westfield Rise Debuts a Programmatic Targeting Solution For Malls
Calmly Dimmed Billboard Campaigns
Nescafé Joins Oglivy to Create the Decaf Billboards
Startup Marketing Resources
The Marketing Playbook For Startups Breaks Down 80+ Growth Tactics
Visual Discovery Campaigns
Pinterest Autumn-Winter Ads Highlight Castlecore Dreams and Fuzzy Vibes
Purpose-Driven Brand Contests
Publicity for Good is Supporting Goodness with Its Contest