70 Best Print Adverts Of All Time

If you are looking for the most creative print ads commercials out there, you will love this comprehensive listicle we’ve compiled! Print ads don’t always get the recognition due when it comes to creativity and the ability to deliver a message effectively and in an impactful manner.
We found the most impressive, impactful print ads which we just couldn’t ignore; they have a great mix of copy combined with creative imagery that just pulls the message together successfully. Read on to see what we rate are 70 best print ads of all time!

Our Favourite Food Print Ads

“Hunger makes a thief of any man.” Pearl S. Food makes an integral part of human living survival. Brands know this and use this basic need in their advertising strategies. Here are a few advertisements that remind us of the need for food.

1. McDonald’s WiFi

The hygiene and beauty industry is commonly advertised on billboards and because of various sizes of these canvases one is able to take advantage of the space to make an impactful statement with this medium. Let’s have a look at some of the creative options out there.

2. KFC Apology

In spring 2018, the unthinkable happened. KFC ran out of chicken due to issues with a new supplier and they had to close down a number of their restaurants. The franchise handled it like a true pro and accepted responsibility and put out this creative print ad apology that took everyone by storm and went viral.

3. Pepsi Halloween

The thought of the two biggest rivals in the soft drink market in one shot- shocking! Pepsi plays on this very publicised rivalry by showing their Pepsi can in a Coca Cola cape wishing fans a scary Halloween.

4. Marmite Don’t Forget It

Marmite is certainly not everyone’s favourite sandwich spread, and the brand knows it. In this clever print ad, Marmite takes on another angle and showcases a scenario showing that people do buy the product, then simply forget about it. The tagline “Love it, Hate it, Just don’t forget it”, makes the viewer sympathise with the neglected jar in the back of the cupboard in an attempt to raise awareness for all neglected jars in cupboards around the globe.

5. KFC Finger Lickin’ Good

Playing on their famous tagline, “It’s finger-lickin’ good”, this clever, yet creepy, print ad portrays just how irresistible the taste of KFC is. Even your phone’s home button wants a taste.

6. Seitenbacher- No wonder you wake up hungry

Ever wonder why you wake up hungry? A cereal company created this descriptive ad of the typical dream state scenarios: Fear (depicted below) includes scary clowns and dentistry. Commitment features tedious tasks and strict bosses, and responsibility includes screaming children and a messy house.

7. Hellmann’s Christmas

The most wonderful time of the year, when people see family members that they haven’t seen in ages, and share a Christmas meal together. Hellman’s reminds viewers that they are the only mayonnaise for Christmas by creatively portraying Santa’s white beard on a spoon dipped in their mayonnaise.

8. Burger King: Flame Grilled

The Burger chain decided to own their popularity of being known as a restaurant with the most fires since they opened back in 1954. They pride themselves on their flame-grilled burgers and never frying their patties, but they seemingly always find themselves in flaming situations. In this print ad they made use of actual photographs from some of their blazing Burger King outlets.

9. Coke: A bottle for everyone

When you say the phrase “shaped like a coke bottle”, most will know what you mean. The most identifiable bottle out there, and this ad proves it! With only a red cap and two hands forming the bottle shape, Coca-cola sends a message that their product sees no colour, shape, or size and their product is for everyone.

10. Barilla: Happy New Year

Fireworks in the form of Spaghetti from a bird’s eye view is how Barilla wished people a happy New Year!

11. McDonalds: Happy Halloween

The McDonald’s fries cleverly take on the image of Dracula, with two fries depicting the fangs with their creepy ketchup blood. All in the spirit of scary halloween.

12. McDonalds: XL coffee

This creative print ad, features the idea that a McDonald’s XL coffee is so big, the potential coffee stains of the cup can only be noticed on the corner edges of the opened A4 sized magazine pages. Go big or go home.

13. KRAFT cheese

KRAFT cheese products are packed with extra calcium. In this print ad we see a failed, and somewhat distorted mousetrap. Clearly Mr Mouse not only escaped, he broke the death trap. Clearly he had already eaten some KRAFT cheese with its extra calcium. A clever, cute print ad, that’s effective and witty.

14. Heinz Hot Ketchup

Heinz hot ketchup…. So hot it smoulders the fries that dip into it.

Our Top 5 Homeware Print Adverts

Making a house feel like a home, takes a little more than just having people living there. A house needs furniture, cutlery and appliances and so much more. Here are some of our favourite homeware print ads.

1. WMF: Sharper than you think

Blunt knives causing havoc in the kitchen? Not with the WMF Grand Gourmet knife with the Damasteel blade. As the print ad shows, it is so efficient that you might find yourself cutting through the chopping board.

2. IKEA: Designed for apples

With its cunningly similar looks to Apple’s Mac Pro; the concept cleverly creates a pun for how this grater would work well on apples- referencing Apple Macbooks. This advert has managed to creatively market against the backdrop of a well-known brand..

3. Ekopen: Good Night

Keep the annoying buzz of mosquitos at bay and have a good night’s rest with Ekopen’s range of mosquito nets. The print ad intelligently uses simple typography with a single line dividing your “zzz’s” from the mosquito’s buzz. The result is a clear representation of the outcome gained by using the product. 

4. WMF Knives

Leo Burnett Bangkok demonstrates the sharpness of WMF Knifes by slicing animals straight in half on a double page spread. Simple, yes. Effective? Double yes.

5. IKEA: Pee with purpose

A print advert which doubles up as a pregnancy test? Awkward or genius? If the result was positive, the retailer would offer the mum-to-be a half-price crib, shaving pounds off the several thousand they’ll be shelling out for their upcoming bundle of joy. Either way, highly innovative.

Innovative Tech Print Advertisements

Life would be so boring without some of the nifty gadgets and toys that make it a little bit more comfortable and colorful. We are able to work easier, enjoy entertainment more conveniently and be able to connect with one another at the touch of a button. Here are some ads that help remind us of just that.

1. BOSE: Noise Canceling Earphones

With its noise cancellation technology, BOSE are out to show that just like mimes, where you see all the action without the chatter; their headphones will help you block out the audible distractions of the outside world as you enjoy the cadence of your music.

2. MacBook Pro: Ultra Thin

This ad cleverly depicts the MacBook Pro with it’s new stylish ultra thin design, as a newspaper or magazine, alluding to the fact that it is lightweight and easy to carry around.

3. JBL: Noise-canceling earphones

This comedic advert depicts Trump and North Korea’s Kim Jong-un, bickering and contesting who is the most powerful with their nuclear warheads. Each is making such a big noise, but you hear none of that, instead, you are in your sublime state of happiness as you listen to your music via the noise cancellation JBL headphones.

4. Orion

With Orion telescopes, you are not only buying the brand name but you are getting yourself advanced technology. Advanced technology that not only allows you to see the moon from the comfort of your home, but you can literally see the flag that Neil Armstrong planted on the moon; July 20, 1969. Not only can you see the flag but you can also see where the flag was made: made in China. That is how good Orion is claiming to be with their telescope technology.

5. iPod Shuffle

The print ad below alludes to the fact that having an iPod Shuffle will give you that extra motivation whilst you run, but mapping out Central Park with the earphone wire.

6. PNET

With the tagline “a better job is waiting “ on one of the biggest job portals on the market, this print ad creatively depicts wasting away at a job you don’t love with the person covered in moss, uninspired, unkempt and playing solitaire on his PC.

12 Best Cosmetic/Hygiene Print Ads

Magazines are widely known for their content around beauty and fashion. Let’s have a look at some creative ways that brands in the industry grabbed the attention of their readers.

1. Bandaid

Band-Aid highlights the flexible fabric of their bandages by showing the Incredible Hulk’s massive hand with a bandage on it. Cleverly using the gigantic angry Bruce Banner character, we are left to assume that Bruce had a Band-Aid on before his angry friend came out, and the Band-Aid didn’t snap, instead, it stretched to Hulk’s size.

2. Nivea Night Cream

Do you see a Nivea night cream or a crescent moon? Exactly! By cleverly photographing their night cream container not fully open with a dark background, we get the illusion of a moon in the night sky.

3. Veet

With the tagline “No hair is better”, this ad’s concept hits the nail on the head. A soap with no hair bits on it; refreshing! Because let’s be honest, hairy soap is gross. Veet cleverly promotes the use of their products by sending a message that their product leaves no hair behind, therefore, your soap bar will stay clean.

4. Listermint

Having bad breath will literally usher people away from you. Clearly depicted by the Pastor graphic below. Save yourself the embarrassment with Listermint.

5. Colgate Dental Floss

Avoid embarrassing bits stuck in your teeth. While strawberries can be a romantic fruit, having strawberry bits stuck in your teeth is the opposite! Colgate floss picks out every little bit so that you can keep your Colgate smile bright throughout.

6. Orbit Chewing Gum

Don’t let lunch meet breakfast. This print advert depicts a cartoonish character showing the horror of letting lunch meet breakfast. Keep things fresh by chewing an Orbit to get rid of the evidence.

7. Nivea Men

Nivea Men touches on the stresses that life has on the modern man in this series of print ads portraying wrinkle-causing events such as the worries of raising a daughter.

8. Mandevu

Mandevu is a Swahili word for beards. Just as hair is considered the glorious crown on a woman’s head, the beard is considered the crown on a man’s face. This Mandevu product claims to take care of the glorious crown on the man’s face.

9. Sanzer Hand Gel

Sanzer uses an image of old-time public phones with filthy fingers peeping through the holes where the numbers would ideally be. Going to show you just how dirty public spaces and surfaces can get. Use Sanzer sanitizer hand gel to get rid of the murk and uncleanliness.

10. Ajax Wipes

This clever print graphic insinuates Ajax wipes are so absorbent, a glass full of juice doesn’t stand a chance.

11. Softlan

In this humorous series of ads, Sta- Soft depicts famous actors known for playing tough guys; Sylvester Stallone, Hulk Hogan and Chuck Norris as cloth caricatures, accompanied by the tagline “Softens even the toughest”.

12. Sta-Soft: Softens even the toughest

Even in tough situations, like in the wrestling choke hold above, the participant is cozy, implying softlan fabric softener made the fabric so soft, no matter the material, or where you might find it.

The Top 8 Automobile Print Adverts

Vehicles and their sheer power and convenience in travel; together with their stylish looks make bold statements of class and achievement. They give you the ability to move, be seen and get places. Here are a few motor vehicle industry print ads we loved.

1. Jeep

When you look at the image, it’s a face of a giraffe, but when you turn it upside down , the image turns into a penguin. The Jeep logo says that you decide to see what you want, and just as the logo suggests, the Jeep vehicle can take you wherever and you get to see whatever you want.

2. VW: Park with Precision

VW’s park assist will ensure that you park inside the lines with precision. The concept below is of an image of a porcupine pristinely parked between two plastic bags carrying goldfish and with just one wrong move there could be disaster. Demonstrating cleverly the precision of their park assist feature. That’s just how sure VW are of their parking technology.

3. Opel: Texting and Driving

This is an awareness advert by Opel, depicting the dangers of texting while you drive. Your typing as you drive produces lousy results as the text is barely legible. And just as lousy as the text message is; Opel is trying to show that the driving will just be as bad if you text, ultimately putting others at risk.

4. VW: Touareg

Mountain goats are well known for their mountain climbing antics. The back of the mountain goat displayed in this print ad has been shaved like a fancy poodle, creating the concept of luxe meets performance. This ad serves to send send the message that the Touareg is both an off-road and a luxury vehicle.

5. BMW M3

The BMW M3 is famous for its speed. The depicted hand handling the steering wheel is that of the hero figure Flash ; who is known for his super power of speed.

6. Honda: Ride Your Way

In a series of maze-like print ads, Honda Motorcycles captures the idea of bumper to bumper traffic which can be very frustrating for most motorists, except those on motorbikes, who can weave through the traffic with ease to get to their destination.

7. Fiat: New Panda Cross

We should all get out of the city from time to time. In this print ad, Fiat promotes its new Panda Cross by encouraging people to get out and explore life outside the city so that they don’t find themselves fearing harmless creatures. In this case, a squirrel.

8. Ford: Rear View Camera

At first glance, it looks like a dog taking a selfie. This ad evokes emotion by featuring a dog staring straight into the camera – in effect, straight out to the audience – to drive home an important message.

8 Successful Health & Fitness Print Ads

An apple a day keeps the doctor away , but those aren’t the only essentials that are needed to keep the human body in tip top shape. Nowadays, we are bombarded with various fitness regimens, workout tips and diet strategies, all of which guarantee the outcome of a healthier and better body. Here are some ads that stood out from the rest in the health and fitness sector.

1. Gripex: Take a breath

In this ad for Griplex allergy medicine, the clever use of colour highlights the common things that cause allergies in people; in this case, the silhouette of a cat is portrayed in a darker colour blocking the nose of the silhouette of the lady.

2. Weight Watchers

This not so subtle print ad shows how one starts off on their weight loss journey and the results they see when after using their products. But instead of showing actual body sizes, they make use of different sized doors as a representation of the before and after shot.

3. McCann Health

This not so subtle print ad shows how one starts off on their weight loss journey and the results they see when after using their products. But instead of showing actual body sizes, they make use of different sized doors as a representation of the before and after shot.

4. French Ministry Of Health: Child obesity

Childhood obesity is a real and actual epidemic that’s growingly affecting many developed and developing nations. The French Department of Health uses the print ad to warn parents that they should be aware of the epidemic, and be mindful of what their kids eat by using this conceptual image below.

5. Gold’s Gym

Gold’s gym ad is showing you how you transition from FAT to FIT when you sign up with them. The image they use to replace the A and I is that of an obese man who gradually then transforms into a fit six pack carrying man.

6. Asics: Go for a run

Asics are known for their beautiful designs and ultra comfortable sneaker shoes. They are so comfortable they will afford you to have the whole city under your feet as you manage to run from place to place and not even feel it.

7. Keloptic.com

Improve your vision with Keloptic eyewear. Making use of a Van Gough’s self portrait which is well known for its blurry colour scheme which makes no clear distinctions between different hues and tones, they suggest that with their eyewear Van Gough’s face will be revealed clearer than it’s ever been.

Top Environmental Print Ads

Here are some of the best environmental print ads that will make you stop and think:

1. WWF

World wide fund for nature has this print ad to show in one image the horrific thought of having a shark tail in your rear view, and juxtaposed to it an even more horrifying scene of there being no life in the sea. Let us save the planet.

2. Plant for the planet

Green leaves trap the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and convert that to oxygen, thus cleaning and purifying the air. This ad is a campaign to save the planet by planting more trees.

6 Art & Educational Print Ads

There’s a lot more to life than just work. We need to remember to sometimes switch off the phones and laptops and unplug from the world to read a book, make new neural connections that stimulate the creative, the artsy, and relieve us from the stresses of a 9-5 job. Here are ads that direct us to places where we can achieve this.

1. Van Gogh Museum Cafe

An ad for art lovers who know their art. The Van Gogh Museum Cafe uses a broken coffee cup to reference the infamous Van Gogh ear incident.

2. Penguin Books

Promoting its audio books, Penguin Books makes use of illustrations of three famous authors namely, William Shakespeare, Mark Twain and Oscar Wilde, all shaped into headphones so they could whisper directly into the ears of their listeners.

3. Tzomet Sfarim: Read a Book

Take some time out from social media and pick up a book. This clever ad plays on the biggest social networks logo by adding the letter “a” so that it reads “face a book” encouraging people to pick up a book and take a break from social media.

4. Faber Castell: Artists colour pencils

This print ad makes use of Faber-Castell’s range of “Artist Color Pencils” to promote their expansive range by recreating the famous Edvard Munch’s “The Scream” by meticulously gluing a sea of their colour pencils to form the image.

5. Pilot Pens: Water Resistant

Pilot pens are long-lasting and the ink does not blot away. Such that mum writes a message at the bottom of the plate before dishing up, and the only way to access the message is by finishing the food. When the food is done the message still remains , unsmudged and legible, with the indelible ink.

6. Capacitate

As an entrepreneur in order to get your business seen, you have to place it on the map. This creative ad for Capacitate transforms the recognizable ‘pin’ icon and makes it look like a florist’s shop, sending the message that they can place your business where it can be seen.

Toys & Recreation Print Advertisements

Life can easily pass you by as you try to make sense of it . Don’t forget to play a little bit. Toys are not only for the kids, but also the young at heart. Live a little, here are some ads that successfully communicate this message.

1. Lego: Imagine

Lego promotes the power of imagination with this simple yet effective print ad that shows high rise buildings made of legos and a simple tagline “imagine” for the reader to make use of their imagination and the possibilities of what one can create with Lego.

2. Lazer Bike Helmets

This painful yet hilarious ad by Lazer Bike Helmets, demonstrates just how good their helmets are, that even in the worst accident, your head will be well protected.

Our Favourite Pet Care Print Ads

Pets are part of our family. And by being a part of the family, they are treated as such; by having medical aids, decent food, pet clothing and even spa days. Let’s take a look at some print ads that feature products for our furry friends!

1. Whiskas: Feeding your cat’s instincts

Whiskas will have your cat feeling as though they’re invincible and can take on a chase with the antelope,which is something the cheetah would normally do. Whiskas brings out your cats inner big cat instincts.

2. Pedigree: A dog makes your life happier. Adopt

The below image shows a comparison to what your life would look like without a dog. Lonely and isolated on the left, but on the right, companionship, happiness and freedom. This Pedigree campaign for adopting animals perfectly shows the difference a pet can make in your life.

Incredible Social Awareness Print Ads

Some ads are there to help us create the awareness of living in the community with others, loving them as much as we love ourselves and being responsible in social settings.

1. ECOVIA: Stop the Violence

In this campaign, a series of hard-hitting imagery is used to create awareness around car accidents and their causes, such as drinking and driving, texting and driving etc.

2. StrongerMarriage.com

Want a lasting marriage? The answer’s easy: work on it together. A lasting marriage is built when the perspective changes from ‘ME’ to ‘WE’. In this print ad, the M is switched to a W and by switching perspectives, and it indeed becomes WE instead of ME.

Creative Transport & Logistics Print Adverts

Online shopping has become a normal part of life today. The goods that we buy online have a process of getting from their various warehouses to you, the consumer. Let’s have a look at some of the creative ads found in the transport and logistics industry.

1. DHL

DHL emphasises their fast delivery services by comparing it to the time it takes to flip a page. As a print ad, the play on layout has made this concept one for the books!

2. FedEx

Imagine if sending your parcel to a friend in another continent could be as quick and easy as passing it to a neighbour. FedEx achieves that message in this creative world map apartment ad.

3. Gett Delivery

This print ad uses the familiarity of the LittleRed Riding Hood story to show there’s no waiting to get to the end with Gett Delivery. Clever, familiar and effective.

Credit given to the following websites:

• www.adsoftheworld.com
• www.ateriet.com
• www.creativebloq.com