As the May 2017 marketing trends reveal, brands are increasingly resorting to more deceptive means in order to get their point across. Whether it is an obvious joke or something a little more sneaky, marketing is not as straightforward as it used to be.
One of the most clever marketing tactics brands are adopting is to challenge consumers on what they think they like. For instance, Tim Hortons recently opened a fake cafe called 'Perfectly Uncomplicated Lattes' to show consumers that great lattes don't need to come from an expensive coffee shop. Similarly, Suave Professionals created a minimalist label for its shampoo to fool millennials into thinking it was an up-and-coming brand. Both examples demonstrate how brands are resorting to more deceptive means to make consumers think more about why they buy certain products.
In contrast to some of the more deceptive tactics, the 2017 marketing trends also reveal brands using more obvious jokes to promote their products. Examples of this humorous approach include KFC Canada's voice-activated chicken buckets and Duolingo's fictional emoji language course.
Top 75 Marketing Ideas in May
From Deceptive Shampoo Campaigns to Voice-Activated Chicken Buckets:
Katherine Pendrill — May 28, 2017 — Marketing
75
Boutique Designer Gyms
Dsquared2's Ceresio 7 Gym and Spa is for the Fashionably Fit
74
Bikini Uniform Coffee Shops
The Bikini Beans Espresso Coffee Shops Boast Baristas in Swimwear
73
Musical Tech Festivals
Moogfest 2017 Serves as the Synthesis of Music, Art, and Technology
72
Deceptive Shampoo Campaigns
Suave Professionals Has Released a Creative Ad to Market Its Shampoo
71
Pet Adoption Photography Campaigns
The World For All Series Sends a Message with Optical Illusions
70
Experiential Tech Stores
Toronto Will Become the Home of the Next Samsung Experience Store
69
Coveted Luxe Streetwear Pop-Ups
A New Louis Vuitton and fragment design Collection Was Released
68
VIP Pizza Boxes
Domino's Loyalty Program for Customers Turns Them into Shareholders
67
Deceptive Coffee Shop Menus
Tim Hortons Opened a Fake Cafe Called 'Perfectly Uncomplicated Lattes'
66
Tech Brand Vodka Gifts
The Google Campus Warsaw Offers Complimentary Vodka for Visitors
65
Hawaiian Airline Cabins
Hawaiian Airlines' New Cabin Design Incorporates Cultural Details
64
Lifeguard Tower Hotels
This Beachside Hut in Tel Aviv is Now a Luxury Pop-Up Hotel
63
AI Beauty Assistant Apps
Dior Insider's Technology is Available Through Facebook Messenger
62
Late-Night Meal Deliveries
With Door Dash, Jack in the Box is Offering Night Meal Delivery
61
Swedish Furniture Shop Restaurants
Ikea Standalone Cafes Could Soon Be in City Centers Worldwide
60
Germy Petri Posters
This Soap Ad Campaign Features Enormous Petri Dishes Full of Live Bacteria
59
Replacement Crayon Campaigns
The Crayola Who's Leaving Countdown Celebrates the Brand's New Color
58
Fire Safety Simulators
'Escape My House' Stresses the Importance of Having a Fire Escape Plan
57
Mini Fitness Festivals
Virgin Sport Teased the Hackney Festival of Fitness with a One-Day Event
56
Springtime Sakura Parties
Japan's Kirin Brewery Offers Indoor Cherry Blossom-Viewing Events
55
Concept Car Spa Soirees
This Buick Style Event Boasted Manicures in Honor of the Buick Avista
54
Cryptic TV Billboards
These Mysterious TV Ads Celebrate the Return of David Lynch's Twin Peaks
53
Surprise Rewards Programs
Kimpton Hotels Offers Spontaneous 'Karma Credits' to Guests
52
Progressive Female Representation Campaigns
Dove and Mindshare Joined to Redefine Beauty Standards
51
Virtual Dinner Dates
Deilveroo's 'Milan on the Thames' Connects Diners in London and Italy
50
Athletic Fairy Tale Footwear
New Balance Created Beauty and the Beast Shoes for Women and Girls
49
Polluted Art Galleries
This Pop-Up Gallery Exclusively Features Art Made with Air Pollution
48
Life-Sized Soda Spouts
The Dr. Pepper Fountain Was Created by the Company for a Loyal Fan
47
Adaptable QSR Uniforms
McDonald's New Fast Food Uniforms Were Created by Fashion Designers
46
Clever Animal Adoption Campaigns
This Pedigree Campaign Prompts Parents to Get a Shelter Dog
45
Health Assessment Posters
These Cancer Research UK Posters Offer a Free Breathing Test
44
Cereal Character Competitions
Weetabix and Cartoon Network are Encouraging Play with Food
43
Energetic Escape Challenges
The Red Bull Mind Gamers Partook in the Escape Room World Championship
42
Gamified Checkout Systems
Consumers May Win Prizes In-Store and Online with Luckycycle
41
AR Easter Egg Games
British Land Launched a Virtual Easter Egg Hunt Game
40
Beacon Technology Services
Conichiwa Provides On-Demand Services for Many Different Industries
39
Promotional V8 Ringtones
Ford's 2018 Mustang GT Ringtone Shows Off the Muscle Car's New Features
38
Voice-Activated Chicken Buckets
KFC Duped Consumers with 'The Bucket' on April Fool's Day
37
Chat-Based Loyalty Programs
The Coach WeChat Account Offers a Membership Program
36
Inked Pollution Murals
These Awareness-Raising Billboards Were Made with Air-Ink Technology
35
Price Point Soccer Jerseys
Fluminense de Feira Has Invented a Creative Way to Earn Ad Revenue
34
Memorializing Advisory Labels
Studio Brussel Created a Purple Parental Advisory Label for Prince
33
In-Store Tuxedo Showrooms
Nordstrom is Teaming Up with The Black Tux to Offer Tuxedo Rentals
32
Pop-Up VR Bars
The House of Peroni Event Featured Immersive Works of Art
31
Emoji Language Courses
This App for Learning Language Teased an Emoji Course for April Fool's Day
30
Marijuana Protest Pop-Ups
The Crave Collective Set Up a Grow Room in Australia to Make a Statement
29
One-Day Festival Previews
Bestival Teased the Experience Offered at Its Full Four-Day Event
28
Atypical Tourism Ads
These Bizarre Illinois Travel Posters Encourage Chicago Residents to Explore
27
Air Filtration Billboards
Toyota's "Eco-Billboard" Removes Nitrogen Dioxide from the Air
26
Fantasy Story Sneakers
These Limited-Edition Asics Sneaker Packs Celebrate Disney's Newest Film
25
Concept Pub Crawl Beers
These Beer Bottles Were Inspired by the Famous Otley Run
24
Violence-Exposing Photo Booths
Terre Des Femmes Created the Shocking Bruise Automat Campaign
23
Cage-Cleaning Animal Experiences
Guests Pay to Scoop Polar Bear Dung At Wuhan Haichang Ocean Park
22
Car Company Webisodes
Chevrolet's 'Small Talk' Webisodes are Designed for Millennial Drivers
21
Augmented Investigation Apps
The 'Archer, P.I.' App Integrates AR and Printing Technology
20
Team Jersey Air Fresheners
KIA Motors' Automotive Air Fresheners Boast NBA-Themed Scents
19
Expanded Basketball Figurine Collections
GoDaddy is Offering New Itty Bitty Ballers Figures
18
Smartphone-Shaped Landscape Frames
This Phone Advertisement Shows the Galaxy S8's Large Screen
17
Fairy Tale Sock Collections
Stance's Fun Disney Socks Feature Themes from Beauty and the Beast
16
Telecom Hotspot Onesies
The T-Mobile 'ONEsie' Offers Unlimited Coverage for April Fool's Day
15
Personalized Meal Boxes
KFC India's 'I-Box' Provides a Printed Selfie in One's Likeness
14
Miniature Burger Pranks
McDonald's Launched 'The Micro Mac' for April Fool's Day
13
Exclusive Concert Events
Gorillaz and T-Mobile Launched a Secret Gig for Fans
12
Fictional Tech Company Plug-Ins
The Pipey Browser Extension Pays Homage to Microsoft's Clippy
11
Non-Branded Fast Food Ads
These Mindy Kaling Commercials for McDonald's Never Feature Its Name
10
Promotional Photo-Op ATMs
This Attack on Titan ATM Encourages Photo-Taking Nearby
9
Voice-Activated Burger Spots
Burger King's Google Home Ad Makes the Device Talk About the Whopper
8
Augmented Reality Table Lamps
Lampix will Change the Way Users Work and Play
7
Crayon Farewell Tours
The Celebrate Dandelion Campaign Encourages Crayola Fans to Say Goodbye
6
Burger-Flavored Toothpastes
Burger King's Fun Toothpaste Flavor Mimics the Taste of the Whopper
5
Sarcastic Healthcare Ads
North Memorial's Commercials Show How Frustrated US Patients are
4
Down Syndrome Awareness Ads
'Not Special Needs' Aims to Break Barriers for Those with Disabilities
3
Adversarial Airline Ads
The New Emirates 'Friendly Skies' Spot Highlights United's Recent Troubles
2
App-Inspired Laser Tag Games
This Event Brought Bubble Witch 3 Saga to Life Through Laser Tag
1
Civil Unrest Ad Spots
Pepsi and Kendall Jenner's New Commercial Uses Activism to Sell Soft Drinks
Related Ideas
Anti-AI Beer Billboards
Heineken's Latest Ads Poke Fun at AI Friendship Devices
Gen X Beauty Campaigns
Bluemercury's Up Next Campaign Celebrates Women 40+
Summer Soda Brand Campaigns
Sprite 'Turns Up the Refreshment' With its Immersive Campaign
Matcha-Mayo Condiments
Heinz x PerfectTed Matcha Mayo Unites Two Favorite Products
Debunking Skincare Campaigns
The Periodic Fable by The Ordinary Exposes Beauty Industry Buzzwords
Nostalgic Y2K-Inspired Commercials
Dove Reinterprets 'Don't Cha' with the 'Hot Like Us' Campaign
Trend-Aligned Menu Launches
Jamba's New Summer Bundles are Inspired by Gen Z and Millenial Trends
AI-Satirical Ad Spots
Dollar Shave Club Uses Generative AI To Skewer Tech Hype
Pristine Fast Food Campaigns
McDonald's All Flavour, No Mess Spotlights a Tidy Snack
Grocery-Inspired Beauty Pop-Ups
The Markup Marché by The Ordinary Challenges Industry Buzzwords
Versatile Beauty-Enthusiast-Approved Products
L’Oréal Paris Spotlights its Trending Must-Haves
Interactive Soccer-Themed Brand Activations
Henkel House Was Designed to Delight US Soccer Fans
Major Fan-Centric Candy Campaigns
Skittles Debuts the Playful Skittles Obsessed Initiative
Minimalist Pizza Chain Rebrandings
The Latest Domino's Brand Refresh is Expansive
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
Celebrity Coffee Brand Campaigns
Nespresso Launched Its Vertuo World Campaign With Dua Lipa
Faux Food Pop-Ups
MoMA Design Store Unveils an Immersive 'MoMA Mart' Pop-Up for NYC
Halloween Essentials Campaigns
IKEA Turns Home Essentials into Shields for Scary-Movie Nights
Functionally Focused Dog Campaigns
The Honest Kitchen's Inflatable Dogs Challenge Beauty Standards
Romantic Retailer Basket Campaigns
The Asda Red Baskets are Arriving for Valentine's Day
Gamified Condiment Experiences
HEINZ’s Ketchup Blast Turns Meals Interactive
Provocative Tequila Campaigns
PATRÓN's ‘Censored Truth’ Sheds Light on Transparency
Spooky QSR-Branded Merchandise Lines
Tim Hortons Debuts New Halloween-Themed Seasonal Merchandise
Gourmand Beauty Products
Cake Beauty Brings Dessert-Inspired Haircare to Mass Retail
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
Modern Hustle-Inspired Food Campaigns
StarKist Co. Positions Itself as Fuel for the Modern Hustle
Cheeky Sports-Inspired Diaper Campaigns
Huggies Aligns Family Planning with a Major Sports Event
Real Mashed Potato Campaigns
Idahoan Foods Debuted the 'Get Real' Campaign
One-of-a-Kind Beauty Campaigns
The Beauty Machine by Dove Challenges Algorithm-Driven Standards
Eating Ritual Campaigns
Müller You Know How You Like It Celebrates Unique Snacking Methods
Takeout-Style Serum Sets
Glow Hub’s Skin Sips to Go are Packaged Like Cups in a Carrier
Condiment Marketing Campaigns
Hellmann’s Launched Its ‘Main Flavour Energy’ Marketing Campaign
Cheeky Food-Focused Soda Campaigns
The 'Share a Pepsi' Campaign Encourages Pairing with Food
Customer-Starring Billboards
Bobbie's Campaign Spotlights Moms as "the OG Influencers"
Elevated Easter Hunt Campaigns
The Cadbury Better the Hide, Better the Hunt Campaign is Joyful
Experiential Marketing Campaigns
MIKE AND IKE, HOT TAMALES, and Marvel Team Up for Campus Tour
Luxury Festive Campaigns
Bloomingdale’s Unveils Its 2025 Holiday Campaign
Home-Centric Beauty Campaigns
Sally Beauty Debuts the Holiday Beauty at Home Campaign
Marketer-Targeted Albums
The Spotify Tunetorials Campaign Blurs Education and Entertainment
Playful Rice Cup Campaigns
Minute Rice Launches the Humorous Bowl Heads Campaign
Film-Inspired Vodka Marketing Campaigns
GREY GOOSE Partners with The Devil Wears Prada 2
Anniversary-Celebrating Brand Evolutions
Smoothie King Debuts 'The Best Kind of Delicious'
Imaginative Fantasy-Inspired Campaigns
Canva Spotlights its Creative Tools Ahead of Halloween
Human-Centric Bank Branding Campaigns
TD Bank Group Launches the More Human Platform
Unfiltered Sleep Campaigns
The IKEA Sleep Talk Reviews Campaign Uses Real Nighttime Mutterings
Gen Z Soda Campaigns
Enjoy the Moment with a Coca‑Cola Targets a Generation That Wants to Unplug
Revamped Beverage Marketing Platforms
Sprite Launches the It’s That Fresh Marketing Platform
Cinematic Condiment Campaigns
Mike's Hot Honey Has Debuted Its First National Advertising Campaign
Sensorial Soda Campaigns
Sprite's 'Hurts Real Good With Sprite' Targets Gen Z
Traveling Fashion Showcases
The Guess Bus in Sydney is an Example of Experimental Marketing
Social Experiment Cafes
International Delight Set Up the Simply Coffee Café to Capture Reactions
Comprehensive Fast Food Reports
Yum! Brands, Inc. Explores Food Trends Influencing the Industry
Beer-Brand Holiday Campaigns
Natural Light Beer Introduces its Garageflage Line
Hair Repair-Focused Campaigns
Pantene's New Campaign Celebrates Southern Hair With a Summer Twist
Pick-Your-Own Bouquet Billboards
5,000 Tesco Mother’s Day Tulips Formed an Interactive Display
Humorous Mother's Day Campaigns
bubly Addresses Mother’s Day Mishaps with the 'Gift Glow Up Shop'
Burger Ad Campaigns
Burger King’s New Campaign Suggests Even Babies Can’t Resist the Whopper
AI-Driven Design Hubs
Unilever Leans into AI Design Content with 'Sketch Pro'
Experiential Grocery Campaigns
No Name launches a multi-city grocery goss campaign
Body Care Rebranding Initiatives
Tree Hut Embraces the Sentiment of 'Uncontain Yourself'
Poetic Secondhand Campaigns
Depop's Where Taste Recognizes Taste Celebrates Style Doppelgangers
Lyrics-Inspired OOH Campaigns
Taskrabbit Interprets Pop Culture Songs for Summer Home Tasks
Chicken Wing Teasing Campaigns
This Pizza Hut Wings Campaign Pokes Fun at Competitors
Production-Led Live Commerce Events
P.Louise Launches Get Unteddy With Me on TikTok Shop
Sentimental Dairy Campaigns
'Everybody Milk' by Dairy Farmers of Ontario Celebrates Daily Rituals
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
Next-Gen Consumer Goods Technologies
Unilever and Google Cloud Partner to Produce Strong Products
Curated Discovery Stores
The Shelf Spotlights Emerging Food, Drink and Wellness Brands
Interactive Scented Billboard Ads
LOLA MullenLowe Presents a Scented Lynx/Axe Campaign
AI-Powered Satirical Ads
Dollar Shave Club Uses Generative AI To Skewer Corporate Culture
Emotion-Led Household Brand Campaigns
Royale’s ‘There for All’ Campaign Emphasizes Daily Moments
Satirical Destination Marketing Videos
The Viral Switzerland is Fake is Cheeky and Tech-Driven
Unfiltered Skincare Campaigns
The Indu Spots Happen Campaign Celebrates Unretouched Teen Skin
No-Nonsense Frozen Snack Campaigns
Yasso's Foolproof Freezer Challenges April Fool's Day Pranks
Ice Cream Popsicle Campaigns
Häagen Dazs’ Devoured Campaign Sparks Craving Through Absence
Brand Refresh Campaigns
The 'Walmart. Who Knew?' Campaign Challenges Retail Perceptions
Cheeky Food-Made Beauty Ranges
Warburtons Spoof Beauty Range Creates Picture-Perfect Lunches
Convenient Meal Campaigns
Ben's Original Debuts Its New Campaign — Keep It Original
Social-First Body Care Campaigns
Suave Runs the 'Smell Like Your Ex(foliating Body Wash)'
Thoughtful Ice Cream Campaigns
DOVE® Ice Cream's #MiniWinMonday Emphasizes Minor Accomplishments
French Beer Marketing Campaigns
1664 Features Robert Pattinson in Its New Acting-Inspired Campaign
Spontaneity-Inspired Travel Campaigns
Wyndham Debuts 'Where There's a Wyndham, There's a Way'
Cost-Conscious Clothing Campaigns
The Primark 'Never Basic' Campaign Focuses on Value
Vibrant Cafeteria-Inspired Campaigns
Lunchtime Becomes a Joyous Time in 'The Lunchables Effect'
Illusory Ice Cream Pop-Ups
Häagen-Dazs Celebrated St. Patrick's Day with an O'Häagen's
Health-Boosted Candies
Baby Bottle Pop's Adulthood Survival Collection Recognizes Popular Callouts
Experiential Flavor Campaigns
McCormick Launches a Multi-Sensory Black Currant Dining Experience
Independent Burger Restaurant-Focused Campaigns
Hellmann’s Boasts the Mom & Popular Campaign
Food-Inspired Street Art
Knorr's Dish Pics Campaign Replaces Unwanted, Unsavory Images
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
Culinary Tradition Food Campaigns
The Merchant Gourmet 'Yes Chef!' Campaign is Running Now
Simplified Snacking Campaigns
Go Raw's Uncomplicate Snacking Fights Nutrition Information Overload
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
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
90s-Era Snack Product Campaigns
The Pringles One You Pop Campaign Revives the Tagline for Gen Z
No-Nonsense Haircare Campaigns
The No Gimmicks Campaign by LolaVie Focuses on Proven Products
Avocado Oil-Based Product Campaigns
Chosen Foods Debuts the Chosen to Save Food Campaign
AI-Powered Sampling Experiences
Swish is Revolutionizing How Consumers Try New Products
Anti-Bias Fashion Unveilings
Primark Created "Kim Parr" to Challenge Preconceptions
Expansive Meat-Free Food Campaigns
The Meat Free Made Easy! Campaign Features Over 40 Brands
Festive Fairytale Campaigns
Boots' Gift Happily Ever After Celebrates Meaningful Gifting
Hair Salon-Powered Sports Campaigns
Great Clips Ties Its Latest Campaign to the Stanley Cup
Tax-Focused Marketing Campaigns
Intuit Debuts the Second Iteration of 'Now This is Taxes'
Refreshed Private Label Products
CVS Brand Products Have Been Rebranded with Simplicity in Mind
Nostalgic Beauty Campaigns
Dove's #UnseenBeauty Initiative Challenges Y2K Beauty Standards
Festival-Themed Retail Snack Campaigns
Kellanova Announced Flavour Fest ’25 in the UK
Cheeky Cow-Inspired Qsr Campaigns
Chick-Fil-A Continues Its Iconic Eat Mor Chikin Campaign
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
Christmas Retail Delivery Campaigns
The Debenhams Delivered Campaign Was Created by Exposure
Illusory Dining Concepts
A Taste Illusion Experience Plays with Diners' Perception on April 1st
Chaotic Milkshake Campaigns
Müller FRijj's Just feel the Urjj Challenges Content Directed at Gen Z
Interactive Unboxing Activations
Peperami Created a Dynamic Chicken Tikka Skewers Experience
Foodservice Product Showcases
McLane Company is Unveiling New Products at the 2025 NACS Show
Workday Break-Focused Campaigns
KitKat Debuts the 24/7 Teams Meeting Campaign Concept
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
Omnichannel Seasonal Support Campaigns
Bestway Wholesale Launches 'Buzz About the Sweetest Deals'
Summer-Forward Food Billboards
Waitrose Launched its 'Let Your Summer Side Out' Campaign
Athlete-Branded Outdoor Appliances
Ninja Launched a New Campaign For Upgraded Backyard Cooking
Ad Creation Platforms
Magritte Helps Marketers Discover, Design, and Launch Ads Quickly
Pre-Portioned Food-Centric Holiday Campaigns
Dorot Gardens Launches 'Make a Note to Grab Dorot'
Ready-Made Brand Marketplaces
Brands Like These Sells One-Off, Agency-Quality Brand Kits
Kebab-Inspired Restaurant Totems
KFC Calls Attention to Its New Döner Menu via its Totems
Cheeky Celeb-Inspired Tool Campaigns
Bosch Launches 'Just a Guy' for the Super Bowl
Artisan-Inspired Bakery Products
These Deli Kitchen Bakery Products Shake Up Traditional Offerings
Brandless Packaging Campaigns
McDonald’s Tested a Name-Free 'Famous Order' Promotion
Retail Marketing Advancements
Westfield Rise Debuts a Programmatic Targeting Solution For Malls
Purpose-Led Emerging Brands Initiatives
7-Eleven Taps 27 Brands for Its 2026 Brands with Heart™
Grandmotherly Lunchmeat Campaigns
Eat Your Buddig Spotlights a No-Nonsense Caretaker
Refreshed Private-Label Identity
Sobeys Relaunched its In-House Compliments Brand
Retail Conversation Marketing Campaigns
Tesco Launches 'Need Anything From Tesco' Platform
Canadian Turkey-Focused Campaigns
Think Turkey Debuts the Nationwide You Turkey Campaign