The top most memorable advertising campaigns of the year

Published : 03/25/2026 15:28:41 Updated : 04/27/2026 09:59:32 Rankings, numbers and statistics !

Marketing Team

Pôle Marketing

In 2026, capturing attention requires precision. For an advertisement to leave a lasting impression, it must integrate naturally into people's daily lives, whether on the street or on a screen. Today, clear messages that get straight to the point are more appreciated. Campaign memorability now relies on choosing the right medium at the right time, on repetition, and on an approach that speaks to people's real needs without being intrusive.

Here is a selection of the most striking campaigns of the year, which succeeded in standing out through their relevance.

Summary

Bigflo & Oli: artists everywhere in the cities with Adintime
The Federation of Knitwear, Lingerie & Swimwear
Burger King: Jamel Debbouze and the King Tortillas
Lacoste: A Lifestyle Brand
CELIO: The suspense of the stolen letter
FFGolf: The swing to practice starting tomorrow
The League Against Cancer: A slogan impossible to ignore
Nike: The "Bleus" in green jerseys
Brico Dépôt: No more giving up on construction
Superprof: Learning is for life
Seazon: The answer to daily laziness
Les Petits Culottés: The attack on taboos
Xiaomi 17 Ultra X Leica: Beautiful photos from everywhere
PayFit: Manage your payroll all by yourself
Burger King: €1, the gift that creates a buzz
Heetch: The hunt for hidden codes
Cash Express: "We'll gladly buy back your exes"

Bigflo & Oli: artists all over the cities

To announce their concert tour, Bigflo & Oli collaborated with Adintime in March 2026. This campaign covered France's major cities by utilizing public transport. In Marseille, 180 bus sides were used for 14 days. In Lille, 114 buses carried the message. The cities of Nantes, Strasbourg, Bordeaux, and Montpellier were also targeted with 7-day campaigns on right or left bus panels. In Lyon, the campaign occupied 117 tramway panels. Finally, in Paris, the installation included 118 displays on metro platforms and 12 digital screens (DOOH) for a total of 52,233 broadcasts.

Why do we love this ad?

The success of this campaign lies in the choice of formats. By mixing bus sides, trams, and metro displays, this media mix ensures their visibility; even those who don't listen to them won't miss it and might be convinced to go see them.

The Federation of Knitwear, Lingerie & Swimwear: a total station immersion

From January 14 to 20, 2026, nine underwear brands—including ANTIGEL LINGERIE, Aubade Paris, Chantelle, DIM, EMPREINTE, Lise Charmel, Louisa Bracq, MAISON LEJABY, and SIMONE PERELE—completely took over the Porte de Versailles station, a strategy known as total immersion. The setup is massive: 150 posters, 10-second spots on digital screens, and a complete wrapping of walls and stairs. The idea is to occupy the entire visual space for one week.

Why do we love this ad?

We love it because it is impossible to miss, thanks to the use of immersion formats that completely take over the station—not to mention the launch timing, which was strategically chosen to align with a major related event: the International Lingerie & Interfilière Trade Show at Porte de Versailles.

Burger King: Jamel Debbouze and the King Tortillas

The campaign, launched on April 6, 2026, relies on a large-scale strategy including TV spots (30, 20, and 10-second formats), a massive digital presence (VOL and social media), as well as national outdoor advertising. Although the video spot featuring Jamel Debbouze is the most viral element due to its parodic tone, visuals were also deployed outdoors to support the national launch of the new recipes (Cheese & Bacon / Extra Cheddar) and reinforce the “one-handed consumption” message.

Why do we love this ad?

We love it because it breaks taboos with humor and creativity. It is one of the best advertisements of the year because it turns a physical characteristic into a marketing argument, along with Jamel’s cult line: “Oh les fils de...”, creating an immediate connection with the audience.

Lacoste: A Lifestyle Brand

Launched worldwide on April 27, 2026 by BETC Paris, this “The Run” campaign took over cinema screens, TV, and the walls of our cities with visuals created by Angelo Pennetta. The originality of this campaign lies in the fact that Lacoste moves away from the classic tennis clichés to focus on the journey of a ball girl through the city. The goal is to break the ice with the public by showing that the brand is not reserved for VIPs only; it can also be worn in the streets, in constant motion.

Why do we love this ad?

It is one of the best ads because it redefines accessible luxury while keeping its elegance. This ad shows that elegance is simply a matter of attitude and movement, whether on a tennis court or even while running after a bus.

CELIO: The suspense of the stolen letter

The collaboration between Celio and the Havas Paris agency on the "Celio without the L" operation got the French public talking. By playing with visual emptiness to announce the arrival of its women's collection, they sparked conversation on social media and played on suspense to gain maximum visibility. Launched on March 16, 2026, with a physical change, an influence strategy and a poster campaign took over on March 18.

Why do we love this ad?

When a campaign gets people talking, it’s almost always a good one. In the age of social media, the idea of creating a mystery to generate buzz is very clever. Letting the public do the communication work for them deserves a spot among our favorite ads.

FFGolf: The swing to practice starting tomorrow

On March 23, 2026, the French Golf Federation launched its "Tous au golf" (Everyone to Golf) campaign, with the support of the Creapills agency. The operation runs from March 27 to April 12, mixing on-the-ground experiences in over 350 clubs across France with a digital campaign on social media. The goal? To attract a new generation of players and break down the psychological barriers linked to misconceptions about the sport.

Photo credit: Creapills

Why do we love this ad?

It is often difficult to capture attention when people have prejudices, as seen with the misconceptions surrounding golf. But today, the FFGolf campaign surprises us with the image it projects in order to make this sport more accessible to everyone, especially with the idea of a free on-course trial. It makes you change your mind, doesn't it!?

The League Against Cancer: A slogan impossible to ignore

On the occasion of Blue March, the League Against Cancer relaunched its "Va chier: tell it to the ones you love" campaign with the BBDO Paris agency. In fact, it is to break the taboos around colorectal cancer screening, a disease that causes 17,000 deaths per year in France. For this season 2, the campaign relies on digital, press, and JCDecaux displays throughout France, photographed by Charlotte Abramow with eight celebrities such as Franck Dubosc, Suzane, or Kyan Khojandi posing alongside a toilet.

Why do we love this ad?

Lately, ads often use swear words to grab attention. But what surprises us is when it’s done well; it almost doesn't feel vulgar anymore, it just catches the eye—and here, with a serious purpose. Health isn't a funny subject, but they still dared to break that mold with some salty humor. In any case, in the literal sense of the term, the message came across loud and clear, and we really like the campaign.

Nike: The "Bleus" in green jerseys

For the 2026 World Cup in the United States, the French Football Federation and Nike launched a campaign on March 23, 2026, for a new chapter of the "Bleus," focusing on digital and the green jersey itself. This color was chosen specifically to surprise and spark debate, even if, in reality, it is meant as a tribute to the host country.

Why do we love this ad?

In the world of football, when we say "Les Bleus," we immediately think of the French national team, don't we!? But what audacity to tackle a symbol so deeply rooted in our minds. We're telling you, the effect of changing the jersey color to green was calculated in advance. And we find it very clever to put the team at the center of conversations before the world tournament and to make them shine. On the other hand, it's going to feel strange shouting "Allez les Bleus!"

Brico Dépôt: No more giving up on construction

On March 1, 2026, Brico Dépôt launched its "Allez, aux travaux" (Let's get to work) campaign with the Australie agency. The chosen formats were TV spots, digital, and posters. The objective was to combat the inflation that stalls construction projects. The brand wanted to prove that with its low prices and immediate stock availability, there will no longer be any reason to postpone your projects.

Why do we love this ad?

This campaign won us over because it opted for a great media mix to reach its target: TV spots to motivate, posters to remind us of unfinished work, and digital to stop procrastinating. In addition to the choice of formats, the message delivered strikes right at the heart of the hurdle, and that is the key.

Superprof: Learning is for life

On January 4, 2026, Superprof launched its first campaign with the 7kids agency. The platform released a 77-second narrative film titled "Teachers for Life." Broadcasting began on TF1, France 2, and M6 after the 8 p.m. news. The content is also featured in 500 movie theaters and on platforms like Netflix or YouTube. The platform wanted to make it known that it isn't just for homework, but supports all desires to learn at any age and at any point in life.

Why do we love this ad?

A well-researched campaign never misses its target! By airing right after the television news, the brand targets adults at the moment when the audience is at its peak. In the cinema, it has full attention because the public is there to be entertained. And it is precisely this availability of the mind that allows its strategy to work without being intrusive. For a first, we appreciate it a lot!

Seazon: The answer to daily laziness

Seazon launched a campaign in the Paris metro with the Raymonde agency, a series of posters occupying the entire platforms of the Opéra station from January 12 to 25. The concept relied on a different poster for each day of the week, accompanied by a specific promo code. This campaign is supplemented by digital advertisements on social media, programmable display on cooking websites, and an influence partnership with content creators.

Photo credit: Raymonde

Why do we love this ad?

Now this is a brand that is truly going all out to reach its goal, and we love it! Let me explain: in the morning on the way to work, commuters see the posters. At noon, during their break, social media and display ads remind them of what they saw all along the platforms, and finally, influencers finish convincing them to order and that cooking has become optional. We're sold, and we no longer just order occasionally because we're tired or lazy, we order because it’s becoming the norm.

Les Petits Culottés: The attack on taboos

Starting January 1, 2026, the brand Les Petits Culottés launched a national campaign in collaboration with the Customer Service agency, featuring a massive rollout of 8,998 JCDecaux panels across all of France. And as usual, the slogan breaks the "cute" codes of the industry: "Absorbs the most monstrous stuff." To complement this urban poster campaign, a social media activation focusing on self-deprecation was used to engage its community.

Photo credit: Les Petits Culottés

Why do we love this ad?

This year, Les Petits Culottés have struck hard once again, dominating the urban landscape with their billboards and a raw, direct slogan that promises the effectiveness of their product. In the early childhood sector, ads usually rely on "cuteness," but the brand has always kept its signature by breaking this code, and it is this differentiation that we love in everything they do.

Xiaomi 17 Ultra X Leica: Beautiful photos from everywhere

On March 11, 2026, the campaign for the new Xiaomi 17 Ultra phone began on the ground with street marketing, where the brand rented a tour bus to visit Paris's most "cliché" locations (Trocadéro, Montmartre, etc.). On board, two professional photographers captured stunning images in the middle of the crowds. It is from this adventure that the photos and videos were created, subsequently broadcast everywhere on billboards (OOH), before films on Netflix or Disney+ (SVOD), Connected TV (CTV), Paid Social (Instagram, Facebook), and Google Display & Search (at the top of search engine results).

Why do we love this ad?

We really like the street marketing idea to strengthen the brand's credibility. By going out into the field, Xiaomi wins over photography enthusiasts with the performance of its Leica camera. This is the strength of the campaign, paired with repetition as they cross paths with the bus, then find the shots on their phones and on TV.

PayFit: Manage your payroll all by yourself

PayFit launched its campaign with the Socialclub agency on March 17, 2026, on digital, followed later by posters in the Paris metro on line 14. The videos show absurdities where someone performs simple gestures for the boss to suggest that outsourcing payroll to an external firm today is as silly and useless as paying someone to smile for you.

Why do we love this ad?

It’s the absurdity that grabs us. In any case, the simplicity of the message is what makes the campaign so strong. And when you think about it, it's funny, but the brand is right about reality, especially when you feel personally targeted. Besides that, by appearing on Line 14, PayFit saturates the commute of startup founders (the main targets) to prove that managing payroll is now easy and accessible to everyone.

Burger King: €1, the gift that creates a buzz

Burger King and the Buzzman agency came up with the idea to launch a mystery gift campaign on March 3, 2026, focusing on digital (VOD and social media) to explain the concept with humor. For just €1 more, the customer receives a random—and probably useless, but fun—object with their order.

Why do we love this ad?

We love this campaign because it is simple, funny, and effective. It plays on curiosity and triggers an impulsive purchase that transforms an order into a mystery game. As the brand has understood, we are in the digital age; this concept naturally pushes customers to share their surprises on social media, creating free advertising for the company.

Heetch: The hunt for hidden codes

Launched on March 13, 2026, with the Grinta agency, this Heetch campaign is a challenge issued to passengers. Heetch hidden 404 promo codes within its commercial film broadcast on digital platforms. If a passenger finds one, their ride costs them nothing.

Why do we love this ad?

Who doesn't love free rides? With Glheetch, we get caught up in the game to try and pay nothing. Indeed, the brand plays on attractiveness to engage passengers in talking to each other about hidden codes, which further drives its virality. We love the idea because we are no longer just subjected to the ad; we are playing along, even if we are unconsciously giving them free publicity in return.

Cash Express: "We'll gladly buy back your exes"

For the month of love, Cash Express and the Just Happiness agency decided to launch a campaign taking over its 120 stores with posters featuring biting slogans as well as on social media.

Photo credit: Just Happiness

Why do we love this ad?

What makes this idea great is its quirky approach. Breaking the romantic codes of the Valentine's Day period directly captures attention. It’s like a splash of color on a black and white photo that's impossible to ignore. And by rolling it out in its stores and on social media, the brand maximizes its visibility.

The year's best campaigns are those that manage to surprise us without annoying us, whether through a bold message or a well-thought-out presence in our daily lives. Today, to leave a lasting impression, it’s no longer enough to just display a brand name everywhere. The secret is to be useful, funny, or intriguing. The French public is ready to give their attention, but only if the idea is strong enough to deserve a look. Successful advertising is simply the kind we take pleasure in watching.