The best digital campaigns of 2020

Despite it being a year nobody could have predicted, as we enter 2021, there is a lot we can take from 2020! Amongst everything, it led to many companies adapting and developing their marketing strategies. For many, this was changing campaigns that were planned for the year ahead at the very last minute. As more and more consumers are at home, there is an increasing amount of online competition which is why companies need to be reactive and relevant to remain at the front of their consumers’ minds and stay ahead of the competition. 

But, due to this, it made a number of companies' digital campaigns stand out to us and we wanted to take time to reflect on some of our favourite campaigns in 2020 and what we can learn from them. So, without further ado, here are our picks for the five best digital campaigns of 2020.

Aldi’s 30th birthday party

Aldi, as usual, brought some lighthearted humour to their content on Twitter & Facebook for their 30th birthday—they chose to ‘invite’ their top competitors. This saw a high reaction from their social media pages and, as engagement increased, the word got out and other companies wanted to get involved and react fast. Getting the conversation going led to Aldi’s campaign gaining a vast amount of awareness, engagement, and landing on the top trending page. This was down to them being witty and getting the attention of the public by making jokes about other brands' identities; whilst remaining very active on Twitter, replying to comments and other brands with quick banter.  All of this led to consumers wanting to interact with them, enjoying the personal touch when replied to, and it was a refreshing change of pace from the usual content; keeping consumers amused and engaged, and, more importantly, keeping Aldi top of mind. 

Heinz puzzle giveaway

Next on our list of the best digital campaigns of 2020 is Heinz. One of the most relevant digital campaigns that Heinz produced was a social media giveaway across 17 countries, where they had created an entirely red puzzle for those stuck at home with time on their hands. This was an effective campaign due to how reactive they were with the climate of the pandemic and niche market changes off the back of it; knowing that everyone was staying at home and that the puzzle market was booming because of it. In fact, ‘Smart Toys and Games’ saw puzzle sales double over the course of 2020. Heinz decided to use their social media platform and give people the chance to win limited-edition Heinz puzzles, all they had to do was leave comments across their Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter; saying who they would like to finish the puzzle with. A competition strategy as old as social media itself but still as effective! The demand resulted in Heinz now producing the puzzles for people to purchase (in the US and Canada) with funds going to various charities—starting off as a bit of lockdown fun and ending with incredible brand awareness and a good CSR initiative that bolsters their business in the eyes’ of consumers.

Just Eat x Snoop Dogg

Winning the ‘Best Integrated Campaign’ at The Drum Social Buzz Awards 2020, this has to be one of the most successful and, potentially, recognisable campaigns of 2020. The campaign, which featured a rap by Snoop Dogg, was run across TV and seven social platforms. The concept and success of this campaign were also driven by its predecessor, the “Did somebody say just eat?” ad of 2019. Now, with the added influence of Snoop Dogg to reach their biggest age demographic of 18-34—as students order takeaways, average, 8.3 times a month; compared to the rest of Britain ordering just 1.95 times a month—the campaign has tailored specific ads for different social media platforms; ranging from Snapchat filters to Instagram Stories. 

Airbnb ‘Go Near’ Campaign

With their primary focus being in the travel industry, which has taken a huge blow in 2020, Airbnb had to quickly adapt to minimise the impact that the pandemic had on its business. To do so, Airbnb came up with the campaign ‘Go Near’ as they had seen an increase in bookings for staycations that were within a 200-mile radius from customers’ homes; going from a third to over half their sales. With their ‘Go near’ campaign, they could promote more of the experiences that were close to the consumer’s home, as well as nearby getaways on their website and app. Most of their content relied on consumer-generated content; including videos and images across their social media platforms of Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. This campaign saw them promote staycations by creating partnerships with local destination marketing organisations; also providing them with business during a difficult year. 

Apple’s #TheAtHomeSeries &  #ShotoniPhone 2020 campaign

Our last entry into our best digital campaigns of 2020 is a clever campaign that was created by Apple; their #TheAtHomeSeries. This strategic campaign was to promote their line of iPhones and the quality of their products with the partnering hashtag of #ShotoniPhone. The hashtag has currently over 18 million tagged posts, videos, and reels on Instagram; created by consumers, fans, and followers. 

These posts became user-generated content included on Apple's Instagram page, reaching over 25 million followers worldwide. With Apple posting and resharing the consumers’ pictures, it reignites the feeling of community when everyone is stuck at home and it creates free, high-quality content for their brand. All in all, grabbing consumers’ attention with their high-quality products that they may want to invest in whilst being bored at home; allowing them to get creative whilst using reliable technology

2020 was definitely a hard year for companies to adapt their strategies and campaigns but it was a learning experience that taught us how to better adapt quickly to change when it is required. And, we feel these 5 campaigns were ones that did just that.

Looking through our picks for the best digital campaigns of 2020 has made us excited to see what brands come up with in 2021! But, what’s your strategy for this year? After Digital is an award-winning digital agency and if you think your company needs our help, you can get in touch with us today!