When we think about successful marketing campaigns, we often picture viral sensations or instantly recognisable brands. However, the most successful marketing campaigns in the world didn’t catch fire overnight. Rather, it took years, even decades, to reap the benefits of such campaigns. Listening to the best marketing geniuses in the world, marketing is not about advertising your product but advertising the use of your product to your target consumer base. Throughout the year, many global conglomerates have invested years and even decades in their marketing campaign in hopes of turning it into revenue. However, only a few have succeeded.
Nescafe’s Coffee Toffee In Japan
One of the best examples of a marketing campaign that took decades to fruition is the coffee toffee campaign in Japan by Nestle, one of the world’s biggest beverage and coffee companies. In the 1960s, coffee was not a popular drink in Japan. The Japanese consumer preferred tea, and coffee was seen as a foreign, bitter, and unpalatable beverage. Nestlé, the parent company of Nescafé, had a vision to change this but understood it wouldn’t happen overnight. So, they introduced a product that would familiarise the Japanese palate with the taste of coffee, i.e., coffee-flavored toffees.
Launched in the 1960s, the campaign was indirect yet highly strategic. Nestle knew they couldn’t force Coffee into the Japanese market. So, with the help of their coffee toffee, Nestle’s first target market was the country’s children. As a result, by 1980, when these children grew up, coffee became a household product in Japan. As of 2024, Japan is one of the world’s biggest consumers of Nescafe Coffee, and this campaign has opened up opportunities for other companies, so much so that Japan’s annual coffee market is now valued at $30 billion.
Nike’s “Just Do It” Campaign
Introduced in 1988, Nike’s ‘Just Do It’ campaign is another prime example of a marketing campaign which took years to show results. In the early 1970s and 1980s, Nike was primarily known for making running shoes. However, it faced stiff competition from other players in the industry, like Reebok, which had a monopoly in the aerobic shoe market. Nike needed something to pull that out of this ditch, so they created the ‘Just Do It’ campaign.
The “Just Do It” campaign, initially managed by ad agency Wieden+Kennedy, wasn’t just about selling shoes. It was about inspiring people to take control of their lives, regardless of their athletic abilities. The campaign resonated deeply with consumers over time, making Nike a symbol of self-empowerment and determination.
Fast-forward to today, and Nike’s “Just Do It” is one of the most iconic slogans in history. It contributed to the company’s rise as a $44.5 billion revenue-generating global giant in 2023. This brand positioning did not happen overnight; it took decades of consistent messaging across platforms, products, and partnerships with athletes and celebrities like Michael Jordan and Serena Williams.
Coca-Cola’s “Share A Coke” Campaign
Coca-Cola, one of the world’s biggest and most recognisable beverage companies, has always had a good marketing campaign. However, nothing comes close to its “Share a Coke” campaign. In 2011, Coca-Cola started a new campaign with a simple idea: personalise the Coke bottles with people’s names. This encouraged consumers to look for their name and buy the product. This concept of personalisation was a breath of fresh air in a world with mass-produced goods.
However, the road to this campaign’s global success wasn’t immediate. Coca-Cola first introduced this concept in a few select markets, testing consumer reactions over several years before expanding it globally. By 2014, it had rolled out in over 70 countries. The campaign was particularly successful among younger demographics, helping Coca-Cola regain the ground it had lost to health-conscious trends that favoured water and other alternatives.
In the U.S., Coke’s volume growth increased by 2% during the campaign’s peak, a significant turnaround for a brand whose sales stagnated. The campaign’s success also spurred a trend in product personalisation that other brands have emulated.
Apple’s “Think Different” Campaign: Brand Rebirth
In the early 1990s, Apple was in dire straits. Its market share was constantly plummeting because consumers were not interested. The company needed to rebrand its image to gain a hefty share in the market and appeal to the new generation. This is when Apple launched its “Think Different” campaign in 1997.
This campaign deviated from traditional tech marketing, focusing on challenging the status quo and promoting individuals who pushed the boundaries of society, such as Martin Luther King Jr., Albert Einstein, and Mahatma Gandhi.
Over time, this campaign reshaped Apple’s image from a struggling tech company into a brand associated with creativity, innovation, and premium products. Today, Apple is a $3.4 trillion company, and its products, from the iPhone to the Mac, are seen as the pinnacle of technological innovation. The “Think Different” campaign laid the foundation for Apple’s modern identity, but it took years for the message to fully permeate global culture.
Turning Time into Triumph
These examples illustrate that successful marketing strategies are often not about immediate results but about long-term vision, persistence, and adaptation. Brands that play the long game by focusing on consumer behaviour, cultural shifts, and patient brand building often emerge as market leaders. In an era dominated by instant gratification, these campaigns remind us that sometimes, the best results are worth waiting for.
