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Chocolate Gout, Mullet Power & the Tallest Donation Box
From a sugar-shaming chocolate ad to a marketing conference styled like a stained-glass chapel—these bold campaigns went big, weird, and unforgettable.
Welcome back to your daily marketing swipe file. The best ads, served fresh daily, and as tasty as your favorite slice of pepperoni pizza. 🍕 Let’s dig in.

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All of the chocolate. None of the sugar.
What’s happening: This clever ad for Tru Chocolate features a large, golden candy bar wrapper with the word "Gout" prominently displayed in a red, puffed-up font, mimicking a swollen joint. A smaller, regular Tru Chocolate bar is shown poking out from under the "Gout" wrapper, with a hand (likely representing a finger affected by gout) wrapped around it. The tagline at the bottom reads: "It's funny how fast a sugar rush can slow you down. Get the taste of chocolate without worrying about the sugar. ALL OF THE CHOCOLATE. NONE OF THE SUGAR." A small box of Tru Chocolate is in the bottom right corner, highlighting 0% SUGAR.

Why it’s awesome: This ad is brilliant for its audacious and slightly dark humor. By directly associating the discomfort of a "sugar rush" with "gout," a condition known for painful inflammation, it creates a vivid and memorable warning against excessive sugar consumption in regular chocolate. Tru Chocolate then positions itself as the perfect solution, offering "all the chocolate" pleasure without the "sugar" consequences. It's a bold and unexpected approach that effectively highlights the health benefits of their sugar-free product in a way that truly stands out.
The World's Tallest Donation Box
What’s happening: This comprehensive ad showcases the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, transformed into "THE WORLD'S TALLEST DONATION BOX" for a charitable initiative by The Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives. The ad features a stunning image of the illuminated skyscraper against a city skyline at dusk. Various statistics and testimonials are presented, such as "Burj Khalifa's 1.2 million lights sold for charity in just 7 days" and quotes like "'Wow, What a cool initiative'" and "'Dubai's Burj Khalifa is the world's tallest donation box.'" It also includes impressive metrics like "4.3 BILLION," "55.3 MILLION," and reach across "115 NATIONS."

Why it’s awesome: This ad is incredibly ambitious and inspiring, leveraging one of the world's most iconic structures for a powerful charitable cause. By literally turning the Burj Khalifa into a donation box, it creates an unforgettable visual metaphor for grand-scale philanthropy. The inclusion of impressive statistics and positive testimonials reinforces the massive impact of the initiative. It's a masterful blend of innovation, grandiosity, and social responsibility, positioning Dubai and the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives as leaders in global charity.

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In Brands We Trust
What’s happening: This elaborate and visually rich ad for the "XIII Remarketing Conference" is designed to resemble a vibrant stained-glass window. At its center is a colorful sneaker, depicted with intricate, mosaic-like patterns, surrounded by radiating light. Above the sneaker is a "Re" (likely for Remarketing) icon. A banner across the bottom proclaims: "In Brands We Trust." The ad also provides event details such as "FABRIKA.SPACE, "31-10-2019," a website (WWW.REMARKETING.IN.UA), and a contact number. Various smaller, abstract symbols are integrated into the stained-glass frame.

Why it’s awesome: This ad is exceptionally creative and visually stunning, elevating the concept of remarketing to an almost spiritual level by presenting it in the style of a church stained-glass window. The sneaker as a central "icon" makes the abstract idea of a "brand" tangible and aspirational. The phrase "In Brands We Trust" takes on a deeper, more profound meaning within this context, suggesting that strong brands inspire faith and loyalty akin to religious devotion. It's a highly original and memorable way to promote a marketing conference, implying a significant and almost sacred importance to the world of branding and consumer trust.
Crossed Out Classics
What’s happening: This intriguing ad for Project Gutenberg, an online library of free eBooks, features a large grid of what appear to be pages from classic books. However, vast portions of the text on each page are blacked out, resembling redacted documents or heavily censored material. A vertical strip of text on the right side reads: "IF YOU CAN'T READ ANY MORE. IF YOU'D LIKE THE BOOK 75% MORE. Gutenberg.org." The Project Gutenberg logo is at the bottom right.

Why it’s awesome: This ad is brilliant for its minimalist yet powerful visual metaphor. By obscuring the text of classic books, it immediately creates a sense of frustration and curiosity, effectively conveying the idea of inaccessible literature. The stark contrast between the blacked-out portions and the small snippets of visible text highlights the "missing" content. It directly appeals to readers' desire for full, unhindered access to books, making Project Gutenberg's mission of providing free, complete works incredibly appealing and impactful. It's a clever way to illustrate the problem and offer the solution in one striking image.

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If We Survived This, We Can Survive Anything
What’s happening: This humorous and nostalgic ad from Nord DDB Riga features a minimalist illustration of a head in profile, sporting a prominent mullet haircut (with a mustache), famously associated with the 80s and 90s. The text at the top reads: "IF WE SURVIVED THIS." Below the illustration, it explicitly states "THE MULLET (80s/90s)." And at the bottom, the punchline: "WE CAN SURVIVE ANYTHING." The Nord DDB Riga logo is in the bottom right corner.

Why it’s awesome: This ad is brilliant for its use of relatable cultural humor and a widely acknowledged fashion "disaster" to convey a message of resilience and optimism. By tapping into the collective memory of the mullet, it creates an immediate sense of shared experience and lightheartedness. It effectively uses a past (and arguably questionable) trend as a metaphor for overcoming challenges, delivering an uplifting and memorable message about human adaptability and strength, especially relevant during difficult times.

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That’s a wrap! We hope these bold, fun, and inspiring ads gave you your daily dose of creative energy. See you soon for some more best-in-class marketing goodies!
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