In this age of technology and social media, capturing the attention of consumers for even a second can be challenging, but these innovative TV marketing campaigns are here to showcase how a little creative thinking can go a long way.
Going beyond traditional print ads and commercial campaigns, TV shows are turning to things like over-the-top publicity stunts and online engagements to generate consumer interest. Nowadays it takes more than a mere 30-second ad to capture viewer attention, people need to feel invested and involved in order to dedicate their time to watching a specific series over another. These innovative TV marketing campaigns are showcasing examples of how television shows are going that extra mile to stand out amongst their competitors.
From shows like The Walking Dead using zombie pranks as a promotional tool to TV shows that use platforms like Twitter and Instagram as a base for premieres, these marketing tactics are showcasing how television networks are using unexpected techniques as a means to generate buzz and awareness.
35 Innovative TV Marketing Campaigns
From Superhero Simulation Games to Promotional Zombie Burgers:
Tana Makmanee — Dec 28, 2014 — Marketing
34
Promotional Zombie Burgers
These Fake Human Flesh Burgers Celebrate the Walking Dead Premiere
33
Instagram-Based TV Premieres
Adult Swim's 'Rick and Morty' Was Launched in Full on Instagram
32
Terrifying Digital Billboards
Sky Austria Promotes 'The Walking Dead' with Shocking Zombies
31
TV Script Twitter Campaigns
The TNT Twitter Campaign for Mob City Gives us a Taste of the Show
30
Social Media Inspired Programs
'Hatching Twitter' by Nick Bilton is Being Turned into a TV Series
29
Fictional Tyrant-Toppling Campaigns
Game of Thrones Fans Tweeted to 'Bring Down the King'
28
Social Celebrity Game Campaigns
MTV Started a Virtual Facebook Hide-and-Seek with Steve Angello
27
Terrifying Urban Zombie Pranks
The AMC Walking Dead Hoax Terrorized Unsuspecting New Yorkers
26
Apocalypse-Ready Advertising
The 'In Case of White Walkers' Cases are Located in Sweden
25
Blood Currency Shops
The Blood Store Trades Blood Donations for Walking Dead TV Show Merchandise
24
Cinematic AR Stunts
FOX Spain's Augmented Reality Experience Wows TV Fans
23
Augmented Reality Fantasy Experiences
The Game of Thrones Oculus Rift Experience is Thrilling
22
Friendship-Testing Pranks
This TV Promotion Turns Friends into Accomplices
21
Hashtag Conversation Visuals (UPDATED)
The Second Jimmy Fallon Hashtag Skit Stars Jonah Hill
20
Celebrity Host-Tracking Apps
The Tonight Show Jimmy Fallon App Ensures You’re in the Know
19
Virtual Reality Television Experiments
The Oculus Rift Voice Experience Allows You to Judge
18
Undead Television Pranks
The Thinkmodo Zombie Experiment NYC Video Scared Unsuspecting Residents
17
Facebook-Guided TV Campaigns
The 'Suits Recruits' Social Media Experience is Launching
16
Zombie-Shooting Publicity Stunts
Wacky Promo From Loducca, Brazil for the Walking Dead TV Series
15
Story-Focused Television Ads
The Sky TV Rialto Channel Campaign is Cleverly Entertaining
14
Couch Potato Reward Programs
The Viggle App Rewards You for Watching TV Shows
13
Feline Friend-Finding Television Ads
This Freeview TV Ad will Warm Your Heart
12
Compliant Beer Ads
This Heineken Beer Commercial Stars Neil Patrick Harris Begging to Take a Sip
11
Viral Vampire Television Marketing
The Strain TV Series Entices Viewers with Eerie & Dark Imagery
10
Teaser TV Billboards
A Giant Billboard for 'James M. McGill' Promotes the Breaking Bad Spinoff
9
Online Sitcom Resurrections
Arrested Development is Back with a Full New Season Only on Netflix
8
TV Show Check-In Promos
The GetGlue App and Showtime Network Teams Up for Free Giveaways
7
Social Media Reality Shows
@SummerBreak Will Broadcast Only Through Online Platforms
6
Musical Flash Mobs
This TV Show Ad for a Live Music Show Treats the Public with a Flash Mob
5
Interactive Kill Count Apps
'The Walking Dead Story Sync' Adds More to the Viewing Experience
4
Crowd-Sourced Commercial Concepts
Lincoln's #SteerTheScript Campaign Creates a Romantic Story
3
Superhero Simulation Games
This Interactive TV Promotion Turned People into City Defenders
2
Tweeting TV Shows
Jessica Alba Will Produce a Blog and Twitter-Based Television Program
1
Reverse Psychology TV Ads
Actors Promote The Office with a Very Unusual Method
Related Ideas
Horror-Themed Phone Campaigns
Samsung's Join the Flip Side Takes Cues from 90s Horror Movies
Illustrative 420 Campaigns
Vizie Unveils His Latest Work for Grassroots' 420 Campaign
AI-Generative Chocolate Campaigns
KitKat Takes a Break and Taps Marketing Advice from AI
Generative AI Candy Campaigns
The Starburst 'Different Every Time' Campaign is Interactive
Sneaker-Stealing Campaigns
Rob It To Get It by Distance Challenged Customers to Outrun a Sprinter
Anti-Consumption Natural Ads
The 'Girls Just Wanna Grow Plants' Ad Aims to Reducing Consumption
Sun-Framing Billboards
Minute Maid's New Billboards Help Passersby Get a Daily Dose of Vitamin D
Ingenious De-Influencing Ads
Cuyana's De-Influencing April Fool's Campaign Highlights Greenwashing
Boomer Cannabis Campaigns
The 'I'm High Right Now' Campaign Promotes Cannabis Use Among Boomers
TV Screen T-Shirts
The T-Shirt TV Has an Integrated 10-Inch HD Screen
Connected Touchscreen TV Tables
The TCL Telly Table Has a Shifting 43-Inch Display
Distorted Burger Campaigns
Burger King's A.I.LLOWEEN Features Unsettling People Eating Burgers
Sporty Fashion Spring Campaigns
adidas Originals Introduces the 1000 Back Campaign
Engaging Shelf Displays
Netvisual is Elevating In-Store Advertising with its Shelf Edge Displays
Inspiring Leftover Ads
Hellmann's Mayo Cat Super Bowl Ad Uses Mayonnaise to Fight Food Waste
Creative Play Pop-Ups
The Sharpie Studio Offered Opportunities for Creativity at SXSW
Fast Food-Inspired Beachy Campaigns
Leo Burnett Italia Unveils a New Summery McDonald's Campaign
Candid Furniture Campaigns
Life is Not an IKEA Catalog Shows a Different Side of Home Products
Immersive Gaming TVs
This TV Offers Heightened Visuals, Enhanced Audio & Rapid Connectivity
AI-Generated QR Codes
Coca-Cola Created Enhanced QR Codes with Musical & Visual Elements
Interactive In-Store Ads
Visibubble Brings Mobile Messaging Capabilities to Store Shelves
Fake Ketchup Campaigns
This Heinz Campaign Exposes "Ketchup Fraud"
Convention-Challenging AC Campaigns
Samsung's WindFree Ad Stars a Savvy Grandma-Fluencer
Heated QSR Anniversary Campaigns
Burger King Brazil Celebrates Milestone with a New Campaign
Interactive Kiosk Content
Red Dot Digital Media Debuts Outdoor Kiosks to Enhance Guest Experience
Gen Alpha Marketing Campaigns
Claire's is Targeting TikTok Growth for its Latest Ads Spending
Craveable Soda Packaging
Sprite is Reviving Its Obey Your Thirst Campaign for a New Generation
Eco-Minded Millennial Ads
Coors Seltzer's 'Call to Inaction' Campaign Aims to Save Water
Cinematic Fashion Campaigns
Norse Projects Partners with Mikkel Karstad for Its New Campaign
Time Travel Fast Food Ads
These McDonald's Ads Take People Back in Time to Escape Inflation
AI Travel Campaigns
Away's Extraordinary Is Out There Uses AI to Show Real-World Destinations
AI-Powered Travel Campaigns
Samsonite's Bring It 2024 Campaign Exudes Timeless Style & Durability
Architecture-Inspired QSR Ads
This New McDonald’s Campaign Encourages Eating at Home
Connected Gamer Campaigns
Heineken's Just Another Night Out Shatters Anti-Social Stereotypes
Suggestive Spread Campaigns
The Marmite First Timers Campaign Targets Gen Z
Soda Logo Rebranding Campaigns
Pepsi's New Logo Goes Across the Globe with a Bright Light Show
Digital Grocery Screens
Kroger Launches the New Digital Smart Screens Across 500 Store Locations
Creativity Time Capsules
Crayola's Campaign for Creativity Reunites Adults with Childhood Art
Mixed-Reality Cola Billboards
This 3D Coca-Cola Billboard Dispenses Real, Cold Drinks
Cheeky Wireless Service Ads
Visible's New Campaign with Jason Alexander Highlights Transparency
Next-Generation TV Models
The LG Display OLED Shelf Concept is Flexible and Adjustable
Channel-Switching Commercials
This Tubi Super Bowl Ad Tricked Millions of Sports Viewers
Cartoon Underdog Soda Campaigns
Tractor Beverage Company Launches a Moving New Campaign
Celebrity-Fronted Gardening Campaigns
Miracle-gro Introduces the Gro Like Martha Campaign
AI-Powered QSR Campaigns
allplants Leverages AI To Transforms Fast-Food Ads
Sweating Billboards
Netflix's Billboard Conveys the Intense Action of Extraction 2
Short-Form Soap Operas
Unilever and TikTok Created a Content Series to Target #CleanTok
Confetti-Filled Snacking Commercials
Frito-Lay Launches the Taste of Super Bowl Campaign
Transparent Television Screens
Samsung Revealed a Transparent Microled Display at CES 2024
Supersized Delivery Sweepstakes
DoorDash's Big Game Ad Shares Stuff from All the Ads with a Winner
Popcorn Dispenser Billboards
Streaming Service ITVX Marked Its Launch by Sharing Snacks in the UK
Celebrity-Fronted Fashion Campaigns
The New Calvin Klein Campaign Features Many Celebrities
Creative-Backed Footwear Campaigns
G.H. Bass Introduces Its Stepping Out Campaign
Food Truck Billboards
McDonald's Transformed Billboards into Digital Food Truck Displays
Travel-Focused Marketing Guides
TikTok Debuts a Playbook for Travel Marketers to Foster Engagement
Malleable Furniture-Like TVs
This TCL Flexible OLED Display Offers a Smooth Visual Experience
Erectile Dysfunction Medication Ads
Phoenix Wants to Help Canadian Men ‘Rise Again’
Viral Video Databases
Viral Ideas Offers Inspiration for a Content Creator's Next Big Video
Immersive Hybrid Billboards
Meta's Halloween Thrillboards Tease Immersive Meta Quest 3 Experiences
Firebrand Chef Cracker Ads
Triscuit Leverages Gordon Ramsay in Unapologetically Wholesome Campaign
Connected Beer Jerseys
Miller Lite's Running of the Beer Ads Turns Fans into Walking Billboards
Adorable Holiday Campaigns
Burberry's Holiday Campaign Spotlights Dogs and Ducklings
Syringe-Based Billboards
Dove's Injectable Billboard Addresses Toxic Beauty Standards
Gen X Candy Campaigns
Klondike's Bar-cade Campaign Engages Gen X Consumers
Playful Gen Z Bubble Tea Campaigns
Krak Boba Launches Innovative PersonaliTEA Campaign
Integrated Influencer Marketing Platforms
SocialTalk Helps Users Discover, Track, and Connect
Shoppable TV Show Ads
Shop the Scenes Allows You to Purchase Furniture, Clothing, and More
Immersive Virtual Television Experiences
Television for Apple Vision Shapes the Future of TV
Cheeky Electric Vehicles Ads
Škoda 'Hijacks' Competitors in Innovative Marketing Campaign
London-Inspired Sporty Campaigns
Nike Presents the Pulse of London Campaign Honoring the City
Ketchup Obsession Campaigns
'It Has to Be Heinz' Spotlights Fans' Intense Love of Heinz Products
Shoppable Luxury Fashion Films
Tom Ford Allows Consumers to Seamlessly Shop Its Spring 2024 RTW
Candid Celebration Campaigns
Edible's "There's an edible for That" Celebrates Even Awkward Moments
Artistic Multi-Beverage Ads
The Coca-Cola Family is Spotlighted in this Unique Ad
Cookie-Twisting Commercials
The OREO Super Bowl 2024 Spot Revisits Pivotal Moments in History
Swipable Curated Ad Inspiration
Swipify Lets Users Swipe Through the Latest Ad Campaigns
Gen Z Sports Apps
Stadium Live is Aiming to Entice Gen Z Consumers with Immersive Experiences
Influencer Snack Bar Campaigns
Nature Valley Launches a Social-Oriented Digital Marketing Campaign
Video Game Refreshment Campaigns
The Suntory x Super Mario Campaign is Playful
Wish-Granting Beer Ads
The 2024 Bud Light Super Bowl Commercial Introduces the Bud Light Genie
Conversational Campaign Creators
Creating Google Ads Campaigns is Simpler with AI Chat Features
Shoppable Luxury Fashion Films
Louis Vuitton Delivers Resort 2024 with an Interactive Experience
Gen Z Basketball Campaigns
Rivalry Unites with Basketball Forever for a Gen Z-Focused NBA Campaign
Ad-Enhancing Feedback Tools
Google Ads Launches the 'Creative Guidance' Campaign Tool for YouTube
Recycled Ad Campaigns
Mars is Reusing Fan-Favorite Ads to Bring Attention to Climate Change
Miniature Collectible Campaigns
The World’s Smallest Lines are the Focus of Influencer Marketing
Empowering Car Ads
CarMax's New Ad Campaign Takes a Witty Approach
QSR Food-Inspired Door Designs
McDonald's France Launches a New Digital Campaign of Door Visuals
Tax-Season Online Campaigns
These Video Ad Spots Urge Canadians to Take Advantage Of Tax Benefits
Reality-Bending Car Ads
CarGurus Ad Features Melting Lego and Gourmet Chef Toddlers
Folding Movable Smart TVs
The 'FloatTV' Encourages Movement Around a Living Space
AR Pizza Menus
Hungry Howie's Uses AR to Promote a Secret Pizza Menu
Spooky Street Ad Experiences
These Fanta Halloween Projections Took Over a Busy Stockholm Street
Nostalgic Shopping Ads
The Rakuten Big Game Campaign Revives Alicia Silverstone as Cher Horowitz
Novela-Inspired Liqueur Ads
Kahlúa's Spots Bring Excitement to Everyday Occasions
Hyper-Local Gym Ads
GymBox's Made for London Life Ads Juxtapose City Living and Gym-Going
Personalized TV Recommendation Apps
Watchworthy Aims to Assist Audiences in Selecting TV Shows
Flame-Grilled Billboards
This Fiery Billboard Promotes the Flame Grilled Whopper-Flavored Doritos
Virtual Game Tourism Campaigns
Cape Town Launches a Virtual Game for a New Tourism Campaign
Dual-Screen Smart TVs
The Telly TV is a Free Piece of Hardware Supported by Advertisements
Vacation Rental Campaigns
Airbnb Debuts an Animated Ad That Celebrates Booking a Place to Yourself
Gut-Friendly Kombucha Campaigns
Health-Ade's Thrill Your Gut Highlights the Benefits of Kombucha
Hilarious Fandom Cheese Campaigns
Beecher’s Handmade Cheese Launches First-Ever Paid Ad Campaign
Wireless High-Definition TVs
LG Signature Showcased a 97-inch Wireless OLED TV Titled the 'OLED M'
Gen Z Advertising Tools
YouTube Launches a New Music Tool to Connect Advertisers with Gen Z
Advanced UHD Streaming TVs
The TCL S4 with Fire TV Range Comes in Five Size Options
Personalized Grocery Billboard Campaigns
Tesco Ireland Gets a New Live-Prompt Campaign
Gen Z-Focused Hotel Campaigns
Hyatt Recruits College Athlete Jalin Hyatt to Attract Gen Z
Offline Shopping Campaigns
'Shop Offline' Helps People Rediscover the Joy of Real-World Shopping
Show-Sponsoring Branding Partnerships
Coca-Cola, Henkel and Scott’s Sponsor Three Roku Originals
Risk-Worthy Snack Ads
The Super Bowl Pringles Ad Shares a Snack That's Worth Getting Stuck With
Promotional Influencer Videos
Activision Recruits Multiple Creators to Appeal to Gen Z Consumers
AR Voter Campaigns
Snapchat & the Dutch Ministry Engaged and Inspired Gen Z Voters
Youth Culture Telecom Campaigns
Deutsche Telekom's Summer Campaign Connects with Gen Z
Review-Based Marketing Campaigns
These Amazon Campaigns Bring Real Reviews To Life
Transformative Gaming TV Concepts
Ibrahim Can Erdincmer Designs the New Gravity TV Concept
Deserted Island Billboards
Silk & Spice Set Up a Billboard for Fans to Go and Find
Transparent Healthcare Campaigns
Kaiser Permanente Aims to Support the Modern Aging Consumer
Plant-Based QSR Campaigns
Burger King's Confusing Times Campaign is Made with DAVID Madrid
Live TV Streaming Campaigns
Quinta Brunson Stars in Hulu + Live TV's New Campaign
Private Label Product Promotions
This Target Game Day Promotion is Shawn Johnson-Approved
Billboard-Transformed Tent Shelters
Wunderman Thompson Morocco Creates the Life-Saving Outdoors
AI-Powered Video Advertisements
YouTube is Utilizing AI to Enhance its Advertising Approaches
Inspiring Heritage Campaigns
Comcast's 'Be the Next Story Told' Spot Celebrates Hispanic History
Happiness-Prioritizing QSR Campaigns
Dave & Buster's Launches the 'Adult Unlearn' Summer Campaign
Energetic Filtered Water Campaigns
Brita's Taste Over Everything Campaign is Youthful & Optimistic
Music Content Campaign Tools
Spotify Presents the Showcase Tool for Artists to Promote
Comforting Oat Bar Ads
Humanaut Launches a Campaign for Bobo's, Highlighting Home-Baked Taste
Wall-Sized Premium 4K Televisions
Samsung Presents a New 4K QLED TV Measuring 98 Inches
Subtle Marketing Pop-Ups
FOMO Nudge Encourages Users to Buy with Subtle Pop-Ups
Grocery Store Ad Spots
Morrisons, the UK Supermarket Chain, Celebrates Its Low Pricing in This Ad
Wholesome Kingpin Ads
The PopCorners Super Bowl Commercial Reimagines Breaking Bad
Multiview Streaming Platform Services
YouTube TV Adds New Multi-Viewing Features for March Madness
Branded Streaming TVs
Roku Announces New Smart HDTVs Made Using its Streaming Technology
Low-Cost eCommerce-Branded TVs
The Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED Now Comes in Smaller Models
New Year Sandwich Promotions
This Urban Eat On-Pack Promo Offers Hundreds of Prizes Up for Grabs
Celebratory Animation TV Models
Samsung The Frame-Disney100 Edition TV Comes in Three Sizes
Parent-Focused TV Campaigns
NatureFresh's TV Campaign Explores How Active Parenting Benefits Kids
Festive Chip Campaigns
KETTLE Chips' Christmas Campaign Features 24 Days of Prizes
Generative AI Beverage Ads
The Coca‑Cola® Masterpiece Campaign Leverages AI to Create Visual Magic