As we entered 2023, we were welcomed by a series of creative and memorable print advertisements to set the tone. Some ads targeted pet lovers, while others pulled at our heartstrings by incorporating a few familiar faces and hitting us with the delight of nostalgia. No matter who the target audience appeared to be, these print ads in 2023 made us smile, cry, and most importantly, they helped us continue to cultivate prosperous relationships with the brands behind them.
10. Sheba: You’ll Do Anything for a Kitten Campaign
Sheba’s You’ll Do Anything for a Kitten Campaign leads with the statistic, that 1 in 4 cat owners are allergic to cats and still can’t resist. This advertisement features an adorable gray kitten and an individual who appears to be its owner, suffering from an allergic reaction to their fur baby.
9. FUSE Create: The Gingerbread House-ing Crisis
According to Statistics Canada, the average square feet of a home in Toronto (outside of the suburbs) is 1,520 square feet and the average condo is around 840. So when Fuse created this 2023 print advertisement to bring awareness to the homelessness crisis this has created in the city, it resonated with many individuals who were struggling to keep a roof above their heads. The ad features an outdoor snapshot of a gingerbread home and several photos of its interior, and features the shocking statistic in bold red letters below:
One square foot of real estate in Toronto costs roughly $1,000.
8. KFC: Enjoy, It’s Beautiful.
KFC’s Enjoy, It’s Beautiful campaign features seven characters captured in slow motion as they genuinely react to the beauty of the brand’s fried chicken. This 2023 print ad by PS21 creativity agency freezes in time to showcase the reaction on a young girl’s face before she devours the deliciousness packed in a KFC chicken sandwich.
7. IKEA: Bring on the Mess
Some ads leverage the power of visuals so well that words aren’t required to get the message across. Since print ads are often provided with limited space, so stunning visuals may just be enough to boost sales. Bring On The Mess is a 2023 print ad from IKEA in collaboration with FP7 McCann, and it’s a depiction of a hoarder’s dream. Two sisters are centered around a compilation of stuffed animals cradling the scene.
6. Burger King: Late Breakfast
This Burger King campaign launched one of the best print ads of 2023 with this late breakfast advertisement. At first glance, it reads like a bad joke; two women are sitting at a bus stop waiting for a bus. According to Forbes, print ads are a vehicle designed to help brands reach niche audiences, or a small, segmented group from a brand’s target audience with a set of distinguished needs and interests.
5. McDonalds: Enjoy Our Summer
Several McDonald’s advertisements for the brand’s Enjoy Our Summer campaign were released and they exude summer leisure. The message is clear, concise, and it requires little to get the point across, which is what makes it one of the best 2023 print ads. By slapping a McD’s logo at the bottom, audiences will associate a relaxing, easy-going summer with the items on a McDonald’s menu. This tactic is called brand association, which enables customers to make a mental connection between a brand and an action, concept, individual, specific imagery, or experience. These associates can be both, negative or positive, and they are designed to influence consumer purchasing decisions.
4. PopCorners
When I came across this Super Bowl advertisement sometime in February, it put PopCorners chips on my radar. Even though I haven’t tried the chips yet, I’ve watched the commercial and seen this popular 2023 print ad on countless occasions. I also covered the commercial for this product, which aired during the 2023 Super Bowl.
3. IKEA: Inflation-Proof Products
It’s a known fact that when inflation occurs, prices are expected to rise. That’s what makes this minimalistic 2023 print ad from IKEA so fascinating. The beauty of this campaign is it highlights 80 products that are made of raw materials that with large demand, will generally increase in price. but it hasn’t. This simple children’s armchair was priced at $595, and several other IKEA items were displayed in print ads around Qatar and the United Arab Emirates which informed consumers that inflation has made these items more affordable.
2. Nike x Comme de Garcons: Nike Terminator High Sneaker
Is it me, or does it look like this elephant is up to something? The release of this Nike x Comme de Garcons high-top sneaker might just be the secret it’s been hiding. This 2023 ad is sleek, and modern, and emphasizes the beauty of its texture. Nike x Comme de Garcons sneakers are sleek like water, but tough like an elephant tusk. That’s what makes this modern, 2023 print ad a memorable one.
1. Bumble: Kindness is Sexy
When this dating app centered kindness as an attractive quality, it caught the eye of many single souls. The Kindness is Sexy campaign is one of the best 2023 print ads because its message resonates effectively with its target audience — women. Bumble is a women-first dating app crafted its message based on the concept that women may be more willing to see kindness as an appealing trait that may be prioritized over appearances, on occasions.
The Influence of 2023 Print Ads
While some consumers claim that print ads are dead, that’s far from the case. Studies show that a combination of digital ads and print ads can make online campaigns 400% more effective. Life isn’t always about replacing traditional and effective methods with the next big thing. Sometimes, it’s about seeing how two valuable methods can join forces to make the impact much stronger. Don’t believe me? These 2023 print ads are proof that a picture is still worth a thousand words.