10 Most Creative Street Marketing Examples of All Time

There are thousands of street marketing campaigns out there that have achieved great success by thinking outside the box.

In this list, we’ll explore 10 amazing examples of street marketing by popular brands.

• 1. Adidas “Giant Shoe Box” as Pop-up Store
• 2. Duracell “Ambient Lights on Bus”
• 3. King Kong’s “Giant 3D Steps” on the Beach
• 4. Holt Renfrew “Display Truck as Game Ground”
• 5. UNICEF “Dirty Water” Vending Machine
• 6. Nike’s “Logo on Park Bench”
• 7. Folger’s Coffee “Steaming Manhole”
• 8. Mr. Clean “Ad on Crosswalk”
• 9. Lynx Optique Cannes “Street Engagement”
• 10. Tory Lanez “Giant Inflatable iPod”

1. Adidas “Giant Shoe Box” as Pop-up Store

Adidas launched a creative street marketing campaign in 2014 to celebrate the return of its iconic Stan Smith tennis shoes. Agency Innovate7 created a pop-up shop in Spitalfields, London, designed to look like a giant Adidas shoebox.

Inside, the space featured a wall of 120 Stan Smith shoes, an interactive floor with 3D digital effects, and a “Stan Yourself” station where visitors could use a mobile app to create personalized portraits resembling the Stan Smith logo.

The pop-up also showcased 12 3D printers, allowing customers to watch live printing and even create custom lace locks. The shop offered a limited edition of 200 pairs of Stan Smith shoes in special shoeboxes lined with artificial grass. This whole setting made it a memorable experience for all visitors.

(Source: We Walter)

Key Takeaway: Turn simple concepts (specific to your product’s features) into an immersive experience.

2. Duracell “Ambient Lights on Bus”

Duracell partnered with the advertising agency Impact BBDO in 2009 for a unique street marketing campaign titled “Ambient Lights”. The campaign made Duracell’s position as a trusted brand in the electronics and technology industry.

By placing Duracell-branded lights inside a bus, the brand cleverly conveyed the message of how their batteries could keep lights running for extended periods, even in everyday situations like public transportation.

(Source: Ads of the World)

Key Takeaway: Focus on creating a simple yet powerful visual that directly connects your product’s benefits to everyday experiences.

3. King Kong’s “Giant 3D Steps” on the Beach

Universal Studios Hollywood launched an attention-grabbing stunt in June 2010 to promote their new King Kong 360 3D attraction.

The campaign featured giant footprints in the sand on Santa Monica Beach, giving the illusion that King Kong had walked through the area. They also made the scene more dramatic by placing a crushed lifeguard vehicle strategically within the massive footprints. This made the scene more real and it made the impact of the stunt.

This clever approach made beachgoers curious. It successfully conveyed the scale of the King Kong experience at Universal Studios.

(Source: Ads of the World)

Key Takeaway: You can create dramatic, larger-than-life visuals in public spaces to build excitement. Moreover, make it specific to the features of product that you’re promoting.

4. Holt Renfrew “Display Truck as Game Ground”

Holt Renfrew launched a street marketing campaign by transforming a display truck into an interactive game zone. They invited pedestrians to participate directly in the store’s offerings.

The display truck was set up as a playful, game-like environment where participants could pick up a key to unlock one of three boxes. Each box contained a unique Holt Renfrew product, which the participants could take home as a prize.

This experience made the campaign effective because it combined entertainment with product promotion. The immediate reward of receiving a product created a positive association with the brand.

(Source: Grassroots Advertising Ad Campaigns)

Key Takeaway: You can offer direct participation when doing street marketing. Along with that, use instant prizes to incentivize interaction.

5. UNICEF “Dirty Water” Vending Machine

UNICEF, in collaboration with Casanova Pendrill/McCann, launched an street marketing campaign to spotlight the global water crisis in 2009. By setting up Dirty Water vending machines in New York’s Union Square, they aimed to make the severity of unsafe drinking water more relatable to urban audiences.

Location: Union Square, New York City

These machines offered bottles of contaminated water labeled with various diseases like cholera and typhoid for a $1 donation. Each bottle contained unpleasant, brown water and included facts about the water crisis. It highlighted that the donation could provide clean water for a child for 40 days.

The campaign effectively engaged about 7,500 New Yorkers and garnered extensive media coverage. UNICEF’s approach successfully raised awareness and prompted action on a crucial issue.

(Source: Brogan)

Key Takeaway: You can use urban spaces creatively and make it an engaging showcase for people.

6. Nike’s “Logo on Park Bench”

Nike ads are known for their ability to inspire and energize. Their New York campaign was no different, creating a strong impact with a creative twist.

In this campaign, Nike placed real benches in parks. One of the benches had it’s seating panel removed and featured the iconic swoosh logo with the word “RUN” on the backrest. The idea was to tell that you can’t run if you’re sitting.

This street marketing approach was simple yet powerful to get people’s attention. By making the benches unusable for sitting, Nike clearly communicated its message: stay active and keep running.

(Source: Annie Chiu)

Key Takeaway: Use everyday things in creative ways to make your brand message stand out.

7. Folger’s Coffee “Steaming Manhole”

Folgers Coffee took an innovative approach to advertising in New York City with a unique campaign designed by Saatchi & Saatchi.

The campaign featured photos of steaming cups of coffee placed on manhole covers throughout the city. These images were printed on vinyl and set atop steaming manholes. The steam from below to rise through cutouts in the photos. This clever visual trick created the illusion of giant, hot cups of coffee right on the streets of New York.

The campaign effectively grabbed attention amidst the hustle and bustle of the city. Folgers’ message with the slogan was conveyed: “Hey, City That Never Sleeps. Wake up. Folgers.”

(Source: Creative Criminals)

Key Takeaway: You need to think outside the box to use everyday city elements in surprising ways. It will help you make the brand you’re promoting more memorable.

8. Mr. Clean “Ad on Crosswalk”

Mr. Clean, a brand owned by Procter & Gamble known for cleaning products, used its famous mascot to boost its visibility. Mr. Clean effectively communicated its product’s purpose to a large number of people in high-traffic locations.

The iconic bald figure in a white t-shirt was featured on crosswalks in busy areas. To make the mascot stand out, the crosswalk strips were whitened to highlight the presence of Mr. Clean.

This creative and cost-effective advertising method made the brand message very noticeable.

(Source: mAD Campaigns Instagram)

Key Takeaway: You can add recognizable brand elements in everyday urban features, like crosswalks.

9. Lynx Optique Cannes “Street Engagement”

Lynx Optique Store used a street marketing campaign to announce its reopening. The Mobilboard Cannes agency organized the campaign over three Saturdays, featuring an animator and a second person on advertising Segway gyropods.

They actively engaged with passers-by in the store’s area, handing out promotional coupons that offered gifts and discounts on top sunglasses brands.

This approach created significant visibility throughout Cannes and drove a high number of store visits.

(Source: Mobilboard)

Key Takeaway: You can engage directly with passers-by by handing out promotional coupons. It can greatly enhance visibility of the brand you’re promoting.

10. Tory Lanez “Giant Inflatable iPod”

Tory Lanez’s album release was significantly boosted through a creative street marketing campaign.

Grassroots Advertising Inc. set up a giant inflatable iPod at bustling intersections across Toronto. It was designed to appear as though it was playing his new album, Chixtape 5. The pink iPod drew attention of passers-by and delivered a crystal-clear message about the album that was impossible to ignore.

(Source: Grassroots Advertising Ad Campaigns)

Key Takeaway: You can use eye-catching displays (that can be bigger than their normal size) in busy areas to make your marketing campaign capture attention.

Wrap-Up

From eye-catching installations to clever stunts, street marketing can transform ordinary places into extraordinary experiences that people talk about long after the campaign is over.

These campaigns showcase how creativity and bold ideas can turn any public space into a powerful marketing tool.