Hunt Mads

Advertisements to Analyze: My Honest, Hands-On Take (With Real Examples)

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I’m Kayla. I study ads for work and for fun. I keep a messy folder called Ad Gold. I watch these spots with coffee. Sometimes I laugh. Sometimes I cry. Sometimes I roll my eyes and still save it. You know what? Good ads do that.
If you’d like the longer, continuously updated archive, you can find it in my Advertisements to Analyze: My Honest, Hands-On Take post.
And for a retro palate-cleanser, I also pulled together my notes on iconic 1960s ads that still teach modern marketers a trick or two.

Here are the real ads I go back to, the ones I use with my team, my students, and my clients. I’ve watched, paused, and rewatched each one. I’ve tested pieces of them in my own campaigns. Here’s what hit, what missed, and what stuck with me.
If you want a living library of fresh examples, check out HuntMads where winning spots get tagged and broken down each week.

How I actually pick them apart

I keep it simple:

  • Hook: first 3–5 seconds. Did it grab me?
  • Story: can I retell it in one line?
  • Proof: do I trust the claim?
  • CTA: do I know what to do next?
  • Craft: sound, pacing, words, color—does it feel right?
  • Risk: is there a brave choice that pays off?

Need a crash course on how those six lenses echo classic narrative structure? Skim these study notes for a quick refresher.

Alright—on to the ads.

Nike “Dream Crazy” with Colin Kaepernick (2018)

The first time I saw this, I got goosebumps on my couch. That stark line—“Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.”—made the room feel quiet.

Want a deeper, data-backed read on why this campaign struck such a chord? This in-depth market research recap breaks down the cultural and commercial ripple effects.

  • Why it works: Big stand. Clear voice. Strong visuals across many athletes. The brand feels brave.
  • What bugged me: It split folks. Some loved it. Some didn’t. That can hit sales short term.
  • When I steal from it: Brand belief work. Big launch moments. When you want heat, not just clicks.

Old Spice “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” (2010)

I showed this at a family cookout once. My uncle laughed so hard he coughed into the potato salad. The single shot. The speed. The lines—“Look at your man, now back to me”—still land.

  • Why it works: Fast jokes. Zero dead air. Talks to women to sell to men. Smart twist.
  • What bugged me: Some copycats felt loud without charm. The magic can wear thin.
  • When I steal from it: Rebrands that need a hard reset. Humor that sells fast.

Apple “Shot on iPhone” (Billboards and Films)

These billboards sat on my bus route. Lush photos. Simple text: “Shot on iPhone.” I’d stare at the pores on a peach and think, okay, I get it.

  • Why it works: Pure proof. No fluff. Real user work as hero.
  • What bugged me: Not great for price or specs. If you need hard facts, you won’t find them here.
  • When I steal from it: Any time the product can show, not tell. Beauty shots with one clean line.

Dollar Shave Club Launch Video (2012)

I watched this on a lunch break and sent it to three group chats. The cold open line—“Our blades are f***ing great”—still makes me snort.

  • Why it works: Founder-led. Cheap, clear offer. One take stroll through the warehouse. It feels real.
  • What bugged me: The swear turns off some buyers. Timing and taste matter.
  • When I steal from it: Scrappy launches. Direct-to-consumer. Simple price story.

Dove “Real Beauty Sketches” (2013)

I watched this with my sister. We both got misty. An FBI sketch artist draws women from two views: how they see themselves, and how others see them.

  • Why it works: Strong insight. Gentle pace. Real faces. It lingers.
  • What bugged me: Some folks said it felt like a stunt. Brand link is soft until the end.
  • When I steal from it: Values work. Long-form films. When you want hearts, not just carts.

Snickers “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry” (2009–now)

I quote this when a friend gets cranky. The fix is silly and clear: eat the bar, get your self back.

  • Why it works: One problem. One fix. A joke that travels across many scenes and stars.
  • What bugged me: Too many spins can go flat. You need fresh takes, not just the same gag.
  • When I steal from it: Simple claim with many use cases. Quick social cuts.

Google “Parisian Love” (Super Bowl 2010)

Just search bars. Just typing sounds. A love story told only by queries. I still get chills on the page “how to impress a french girl.”

  • Why it works: Product is the hero. Sound design does the heavy lift. No cheesy voiceover.
  • What bugged me: If you glance away, you miss it. It needs full focus.
  • When I steal from it: Utility brands. When the product sits inside real life moments.

P&G “Thank You, Mom” (Olympics)

I kept this in my holiday reel, weirdly. Moms, buses, early ice rinks, little wins, big tears. It builds like a soft drum.

  • Why it works: Global feeling. Clean theme. Ties to a tentpole event.
  • What bugged me: Some think it’s sweet but vague. The products hide in the shadows.
  • When I steal from it: Seasonal spots. Sponsorships. When scale and heart matter more than features.

“Fearless Girl” Statue by State Street (2017)

Not a TV ad, but a stunt that acts like one. A bronze girl stands strong across from the bull on Wall Street. I walked by it that spring. People stopped. They took photos. That’s the ad.

  • Why it works: Clear symbol. Huge PR. A simple image speaks loud.
  • What bugged me: The brand tie is corporate and can feel muddy after the news cycle.
  • When I steal from it: Out-of-home with one bold idea. If you can own a moment, do it.

A tiny method you can try tonight

  • Watch an ad on mute. Can you still tell the story?
  • Now only listen. Do you get it without visuals?
  • Count cuts in the first 5 seconds. Fast or slow on purpose?
  • Write the promise in seven words. If you can’t, it’s likely fuzzy.

I use that with students, and frankly, with my own edits. It keeps me honest.

  • Hook fast, then breathe: Even long films stack a quick first beat, then slow down.
  • Founder on camera: Works when the person is real and warm. Falls apart if they read lines.
  • Proof over puff: Screenshots, demos, and UGC beat flowery claims, again, and again. (I saw this firsthand while advertising supplements on Google, where clean evidence crushed hype every time.)
  • Seasonal done right: Back-to-school and holiday ads keep winning when they tell small, human stories.

Want to see how those same principles shake out in very different channels? I spent a year dissecting what actually moved cars with our dealership campaigns, ran a batch of experiments on Peacock, and even ventured into the adult ad arena—covering my tests on Pornhub, Brazzers, the best tools for wrangling adult GIF creatives, and a memorable campaign pushing tongue-in-cheek blow-up products. Another surprisingly active pocket I mapped was the surge of personals-style hookup platforms that sprang up after Craigslist shuttered its erotic section; my raw notes turned into this field guide on the [

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