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Top 100 Commercial Trends of 2012

From Unemployment-Praising Ads to Infomercial Mockery

— January 18, 2013 — Marketing
As evidenced by these commercial trends, the information age calls for ads to be made with the Internet in mind. Media consumption habits were flipped on their head in 2012, as consumers started watching TV on the Internet, browsed the Internet on their TVs and only ate meals they could proudly post on Instagram.

Smart companies and ad agencies filled with talent took advantage of this change in 2012, creating commercials, such as the iconic editor style raps featuring Anna Dello Russo for H&M, that were made with the intention of going viral on the Web. Other amazing examples include undead auto ads and 90s sitcom flashback campaigns.

Ultimately, the angles haven't changed too much -- nostalgia, goofiness and emotional appeal still are prominent in commercials -- but the execution is much different. To get more familiar with the patterns and fads seen in the commercials of 2012, check out Trend Hunter's Commercial Trend Report.
5.3
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
92
Emotional Hero-Exposing Clips
Emotional Hero-Exposing Clips
Coca Cola 'Security Cameras' Video Wins Hearts and Awards
<
91
Songstress Shoe-Coveting Ads
Songstress Shoe-Coveting Ads
Lea Michele Stars in Candie's Fall 2012 Campaign for Kohl's
<
90
Viral Virus Awareness Videos
Viral Virus Awareness Videos
'Mix Against Aids' Commercial Documents a Thoughtful Campaign
<
89
Luminous Fashion Ads
Luminous Fashion Ads
The Isabel Marant Commercial Film Focuses on Luxurious Living
<
88
Rebellious Coffee Campaigns
Rebellious Coffee Campaigns
Nescafe 'Live Out Your Boldness' Targets Chinese Market
<
87
Zoned-Out Kid Campaigns
Zoned-Out Kid Campaigns
The Costume National SS 2012 Collection is a Candy-Colored Dream
<
86
Faceless Designer Collaborations
Faceless Designer Collaborations
The Maison Martin Margiela for H&M Rumors are Confirmed
<
85
Extreme Driving Demos
Extreme Driving Demos
The 'Cadillac ATS vs. the World' Campaign Tests the Agility of the Car
<
84
Honking National Anthems
Honking National Anthems
MINI London Olympics 2012 Promo Plays God Save the Queen With Car Horns
<
83
Adorable Dog-Driving Ads
Adorable Dog-Driving Ads
Subaru 'Dog Tested. Dog Approved.' Campaign Features Your Best Friends
<
82
Bostonian Hipster Campaigns
Bostonian Hipster Campaigns
The 'Lucky Ones' F/W 2012 GANT by Michael Bastian Ad Promotes Pride
<
81
Quirky Questioning Ads
Quirky Questioning Ads
The DirecTV 'What, Why, When, How' Spot is Side-Splitting
<
80
Cryptic Athletic Wear Campaigns
Cryptic Athletic Wear Campaigns
The Adidas Y-3 SS 2012 Commercial is Eerie and Moody
<
79
Survival Fashion Films
Survival Fashion Films
The Reform Clothing Co. Ad Promotes Apocalyptic Apparel
<
78
QR Code Nightlife Apps
QR Code Nightlife Apps
The Turquoise Cottage 'Buddy Stamp' is for Before and After the Party
<
77
Ornamentally Glitzy Campaigns
Ornamentally Glitzy Campaigns
The Michael Kors Holiday 2012 Ads Were Photographed by Mario Testino
<
76
Crowdsourced Pizza Cars
Crowdsourced Pizza Cars
Domino's Ultimate Delivery Vehicle Contest Asks for Consumer Help
<
75
Mirrored Mystique Campaigns
Mirrored Mystique Campaigns
The Beymen Fall/Winter 2012 Ads Toy with Dualistic Chic Couture
<
74
Bar-Transforming Brews
Bar-Transforming Brews
Heineken 'The Switch' Ad Shows How Its Beer Can Change Everything
<
73
Superb Superhero Branding
Superb Superhero Branding
This Indio UTV Ad is Explosive and Action-Inspired
<
72
Fainting Flash Mobs
Fainting Flash Mobs
The 'Worst Breath in the World' Had People Falling Over for Miles
<
71
Blocked Batman Trailers
Blocked Batman Trailers
The Dark Knight Rises in LEGO Clip is Intense and Hilarious
<
70
Rowdy Punk Princess Ads
Rowdy Punk Princess Ads
The Zara TRF A/W 2012 Campaign Features a Carefree Cara Delevigne
<
69
Chinese Calendar Car Ads
Chinese Calendar Car Ads
Volkswagen's Dragon Dance is Ready for the New Year
<
68
Iconic Editor Style Raps
Iconic Editor Style Raps
The Anna Dello Russo 'Fashion Shower' Film Features Lyrical Guidelines
<
67
Viral Crime-Foiling Commercials
Viral Crime-Foiling Commercials
The Glasjouren Burglar Ad is Humorously Effective
<
66
Intentionally Viral Videos
Intentionally Viral Videos
'Une Fille Comme Les Autres' by Jalouse Magazine is a Parisian Dream
<
65
Candy Disease Ads
Candy Disease Ads
The Skittles 'Bleachers' Video Covers Subjects with Sweets
<
64
Game-Centered Couture Promotions
Game-Centered Couture Promotions
The Prada F/W 2012 Ad Video Plays with Bejeweled Color
<
63
Glamorous Puppet Drink Ads
Glamorous Puppet Drink Ads
Diet Coke 'Love it Light' Campaign Targets Stylish Women
<
62
Infomercial-Mocking Hair Ads
Infomercial-Mocking Hair Ads
Schwarzkopf Stylemet Campaign Introduces a Bad Hair Day Hairpiece
<
61
Fan-Serenading Football Stars
Fan-Serenading Football Stars
The NFL 'We Play For You' Video Features Players Singing Thank You
<
60
Smelly Olympic Campaigns
Smelly Olympic Campaigns
The Old Spice 'I Will Live Forever' Ad Ties Knots with the Olympics
<
59
Serene Scenic Lookbooks
Serene Scenic Lookbooks
The Mr. Kate 'Days of Ore' Photoshoot is Golden
<
58
Alluring Coastal Gem Campaigns
Alluring Coastal Gem Campaigns
The David Yurman Fall 2012 Ad Video Starts Gisele Bündchen
<
57
Futuristic Fashion Films
Futuristic Fashion Films
The Prada Real Fantasies Fall Winter 2012 Video is Avant-Grade
<
56
Video Game Fitness Ads
Video Game Fitness Ads
Nike 'Game On, World' Campaign Turns Athletes Into Virtual Game Players
<
55
Luxe Escapade Promotion Videos
Luxe Escapade Promotion Videos
The Louis Vuitton Advertising Campaign Film Shows a Famed Landmark
<
54
Voyeuristic Fashion Films
Voyeuristic Fashion Films
Terry Richardson Directs Kate Moss 'Spy Game' Video for Mango
<
53
Comical Olympic Travel Ads
Comical Olympic Travel Ads
The Escape the Madness Campaign Encourages Visiting Ireland
<
52
Bitter Celeb Christmas Advertisements
Bitter Celeb Christmas Advertisements
The Adidas Holiday 2012 Campaign Boasts Beckham & Snoop Dogg
<
51
Absurd Animal Campaigns
Absurd Animal Campaigns
The Skittles 'Walrus' Ad is Absolutely Bizzare
<
50
Personal Victory Bands
Personal Victory Bands
The Red Stripe Reggae Orchestra Makes the Day Better
<
49
Athletic Parenting Acknowledgements
Athletic Parenting Acknowledgements
The London 2012 Olympic Procter and Gamble Commercial is Sweet
<
48
Profane Beer Commercials
Profane Beer Commercials
YouTube User RoboJules Creats a Vulgar Pabst Blue Ribbon Ad
<
47
Ambitious Denim Campaigns
Ambitious Denim Campaigns
'This is a Pair of Levi's' Encourages Youth to Get Dressed With Purpose
<
46
Phone Security Cases
Phone Security Cases
The Yellow Jacket iPhone Stun Gun is a Safe Purchase
<
45
Auto Brand Repositioning Tactics
Auto Brand Repositioning Tactics
BMW 'Ultimate Driving Machine' Campaign Promotes 14 New Models
<
44
Crystallized Lipstick Ads
Crystallized Lipstick Ads
The Chanel ‘Mirror, Mirror’ Video is Ornately Beautiful
<
43
Dancing Denim Adverts
Dancing Denim Adverts
The Korean Levi's Ballet Video Shows Anything is Possible in Jeans
<
42
Opinionated Clothing Holders
Opinionated Clothing Holders
The C&A Facebook Hangers Provide Mass Feedback to Shoppers
<
41
Social Media Comparison Charts
Social Media Comparison Charts
The 'Facebook IPO: Can it Beat Google?' Infographic is Informative
<
40
Breakfast-Promoting Olympic Ads
Breakfast-Promoting Olympic Ads
Kellogg 'Swimmer' Commercial Focuses on the Start of Each Day
<
39
Molecular Mirror Apps
Molecular Mirror Apps
The New 'Konfetti' App Lets Users Pixelate and Manipulate Images
<
38
Eco-Friendly Cola Pouches
Eco-Friendly Cola Pouches
The Coca-Cola Bag is a Brilliant Solution
<
37
Hysterical Cosmetic Campaigns
Hysterical Cosmetic Campaigns
Sofia Vergara & Ellen Degeneres Flex Their Funny Bones
<
36
Extreme Zombie Grannies
Extreme Zombie Grannies
Hilarious Zonajobs Commercial Shows Tough Grandma Being Repeatedly Killed
<
35
Funky Furry Promotions
Funky Furry Promotions
The 'Dasani Animals' Advertisements are Offbeat and Eye-Catching
<
34
Secret Winter Wonderland Ads
Secret Winter Wonderland Ads
The Coca-Cola Magic Machine Brings the Joy of Xmas to Visitors
<
33
Majestic Feline Heating Ads
Majestic Feline Heating Ads
The Mammoth Modern Insulation Prince Nikolai Advert Uses the Cat Meme
<
32
Kid-Size Comic Book Characters
Kid-Size Comic Book Characters
The 'Young Avengers' Ad for Target Plays to its Market
<
31
Synchronizing Contraception Campaigns
Synchronizing Contraception Campaigns
Durex Performax Intense Harmonizes You & Your Partner
<
30
Cheeky Bear Hair Commercials
Cheeky Bear Hair Commercials
AXE Hair Partners With Makers of 'Ted' in a Bold New Ad
<
29
Odor-Covering Chip Commercials
Odor-Covering Chip Commercials
The Farting Doritos Advertisement Saves One Man From Humiliation
<
28
Humorous Cheap Pizza Comparisons
Humorous Cheap Pizza Comparisons
Little Caesars 'Fishing' Ad Likens $5 Pizza to Catching a Fish
<
27
Devotion Doll Dramas
Devotion Doll Dramas
A Toy Love Story That Will Make You Cry isn't Kidding Around
<
26
Disney-fied Action Trailers
Disney-fied Action Trailers
The Disney Hunger Games Spoof is Shockingly Spot-on
<
25
Audacious Gender Portrayals
Audacious Gender Portrayals
Axe 'Office Love' Commercial Represents Women as Headless Breasts
<
24
Trippy Author Advertisements
Trippy Author Advertisements
Hunter S. Thomson-Inspired Advertisement for Good Books is a Trip
<
23
Fairy Tale Murder Commercials
Fairy Tale Murder Commercials
The Three Little Pigs Advert by The Guardian Tells a Dark Story
<
22
Defaced Billboard Marketing
Defaced Billboard Marketing
African Angel Scratch Advertising Immediately Gains Donations
<
21
Industrial Box Workouts
Industrial Box Workouts
Reebok 'The Sport of Fitness Has Arrived' Campaign Promotes CrossFit
<
20
Apocalyptic Auto Ads
Apocalyptic Auto Ads
The Volkswagen GTI 'Tunnel Vision' Promo is Exhilarating
<
19
Face-Replaced Pop Ads
Face-Replaced Pop Ads
The Diet Coke by Jean Paul Gaultier Campaign is Mischievous and Playful
<
18
Parachuting Cat Commercials
Parachuting Cat Commercials
This Hilarious Insurance Ad Shows Flying Cats Skydiving Together
<
17
Human-Herding Canine Ads
Human-Herding Canine Ads
Guinness St. Patrick's Day Sheepdog Gathers Men to the Pub
<
16
Men-as-Meat Commercials
Men-as-Meat Commercials
Applegate Farms' 'What's In Your Hot Dog?' Ads Promote All-Natural Meat
<
15
Secret Agent Soft Drinks
Secret Agent Soft Drinks
The Coke Zero Skyfall Promo Includes Limited Edition Packaging
<
14
Ironic Advertising Blogs
Ironic Advertising Blogs
The Depressed Copyright Tumblr Offers Clever and Sardonic Posts
<
13
Urinating Fashionista Ads
Urinating Fashionista Ads
The Harvey Nichols Sale Campaign Features a Lot of Accidents
<
12
Fun Beachy Fragrance Films
Fun Beachy Fragrance Films
The 'And Dior Created Woman' Video is Vibrant & Playful
<
11
Jobless-Celebrating Ads
Jobless-Celebrating Ads
The Benetton 'Unemployee of the Year' Campaign Recognizes Artistic Souls
<
10
Meme-Inspired Commercials
Meme-Inspired Commercials
The ‘Grab it by the Horns' Ad by Vitamin Water is Hilarious
<
9
Interactive Bicycle-Building Stores
Interactive Bicycle-Building Stores
The Inverted Bike Shop Lets Customers Go Behind-the-Scenes
<
8
Word-of-Mouth Marketing Charts
Word-of-Mouth Marketing Charts
The Viral Marketing Cheat Sheet is Your Guide to Hitting it Big
<
7
Fast Food Sharing Initiatives
Fast Food Sharing Initiatives
McDonald's Cups Campaign Encourages You to Linger & Enjoy Its Coffee
<
6
Topple-Proof Suds
Topple-Proof Suds
Spill-Proof Beer by Hahn Puts an End to Wasted Alcohol
<
5
Hipster-Punk Pictorials
Hipster-Punk Pictorials
The H&M Divided Grey Collection Campaign Stars Alice Dellal
<
4
Bikini Model Milk Advertisements
Bikini Model Milk Advertisements
The 'Babes n Donuts' Commercial by Scion Sold Billions of Cars
<
3
Futuristic Psychedelic Catwalks
Futuristic Psychedelic Catwalks
The Future Catwalk by Barnaby Roper is an Artistic Rendition
<
2
Chic Reusable Packaging
Chic Reusable Packaging
Cristian Poddighe Designs Concept Containers You'll Want to Hold on To
<
1
Sneaky Alcoholic Decoys
Sneaky Alcoholic Decoys
The Andes 'Beer Camouflage' Campaign is Hilarious
<