The year 2023 was marked by numerous social, cultural, and political events that impacted the way people communicate.
In this article, we will rediscover the 30 best advertisements of the year 2023.
These remarkable advertisements managed to stand out, inspire, and make a lasting impression in the advertising landscape of 2023. From self-deprecation to social engagement, through interactive and innovative approaches, each campaign embodies the evolution of marketing and its power to captivate, move, and engage consumers.
Summary of the top 30 best ads of 2023 in France :
1. Intermarché's advertisement and its campaign against inflation
Intermarché produced a series of television advertising campaigns in 2023 to combat inflation in France. Through these advertisements, the brand promoted its products at €1 and offered temporary deals on certain items. Intermarché's advertisements are among the top 30 best advertisements of the year 2023 in France, as they were an excellent way to improve its brand image while effectively and impactfully promoting its products.
2. Rami Malek and Catherine Deneuve embody elegance in a Cartier advertisement
Cartier launched a one-minute TV spot in January 2023 to showcase the enduring elegance of Catherine Deneuve, adorned with her Cartier watch. A great way to associate French elegance with the luxurious products of the Cartier brand.
3. TikTok's campaign "TikTok, a window to the world"
At the top of the most memorable ads this year is TikTok's national campaign aimed at promoting the platform as a space of creativity open to all. The social network took the opportunity to highlight its literary community with Booktok. The campaign was broadcast on television, in cinemas, as well as on social media.
4. Emmaus's advertisement "If you don't wear it, give it away"
Emmaus noticed a decrease in clothing donations due to the proliferation of second-hand sales websites.
That's why the brand launched a campaign on March 20 through billboards, television, radio, and digital platforms. It's an original campaign that takes up the famous slogan of the Vinted brand, "if you don't wear it, sell it." Emmaus thus infiltrated the platform under the fake Vinted account: Emmaus, "selling clothes with labels bearing the slogan 'if you don't wear it, give it away.'" An original and clever campaign.
5. Transavia hides its destinations, but not its prices
Transavia stood out this year with an original advertisement. The idea was to encourage individuals to discover new horizons by guessing which destinations would allow them to find flights for 34, 45, or even 59 €. The campaign was broadcast on billboards, on the radio, and on social networks in major cities in France (Paris, Nantes, Lyon, and Montpellier).
6. TGV INOUI in a crossword grid
TGV INOUI made its mark in this top 30 of the best ads of 2023 with an original and well-targeted press campaign. Designed by Rosa Paris, the campaign took the form of crossword puzzles in the press. An interesting and very relevant idea, aiming to entertain and engage the senior clientele in a playful way, inviting them to fill in crossword puzzles.
The objective of the campaign was to convey a message encouraging people to travel during the week to take advantage of more advantageous rates. Launched on November 6, the campaign extends over several weeks until December. The devices were varied, ranging from press and TV magazine broadcasts, as well as a radio component broadcast on Europe 1, franceinfo, and RTL since November 4. A creative and engaging approach to promote the accessibility of journeys on TGV INOUI.
7. Se Loger's campaign infiltrating our playlists
The real estate platform SeLoger innovated with a quirky advertising campaign created by the agency Interruption. After dedicating a campaign to "Neighbors" on TV and billboards, SeLoger extended its originality by directly infiltrating our playlists on Spotify, YouTube, Deezer, and Acast. An immersive and innovative approach in the real estate advertising domain.
The campaign relied on diverted audio ads, where SeLoger took on the role of a disgruntled neighbor politely asking to lower the volume. This "pranks" strategy was deployed starting from June 21, extending to music streaming platforms, reaching a younger audience with a total of six original audio spots. Thanks to a collaboration with Google, the campaign gained enhanced visibility, reaching over 11 million internet users and possibly preventing as many neighborhood conflicts.
8. Victims and Citizens
A campaign of awareness as striking as it is innovative: the association Victims & Citizens made you smell the smell of death this year. The campaign aimed to raise awareness among drivers about the dangers of cannabis: by rubbing the page covered with a special varnish, readers could smell the scent of cannabis. A press campaign that left a mark in the magazine So Foot.
9. Undiz uses AI for its advertising posters
To communicate on its summer collection, Undiz launched its very first billboard campaign with visuals generated by AI. In total, 3,000 posters were deployed in 60 cities in France from April 26 to May 2. A bold campaign that sparked discussion.
10. Little Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty, The Ogre: Aldi humorously revisits fairy tales
The goal of this TV campaign was to highlight the quality of the brand's products through three commercials of less than a minute. These films revisited popular tales with a touch of humor and modernity. The campaign was launched on May 15 on television, as well as digitally and in the press.
11. The Zorganes! The 100% social media campaign from the Biomedicine Agency
This TikTok campaign takes the form of an eight-episode mini-series, full of humor, aiming to sensitize 18-24 year-olds to organ donation in a light-hearted manner. It was broadcast in late May 2023 on the TikTok social network as well as on Instagram.
12. Hineaken? Hienyekke...? Heineken! The brewer, often misspelled, celebrates its 150 years
Heineken celebrates its 150th anniversary this year! It's a great opportunity to promote its brand through a memorable advertisement. Heineken played on self-deprecation and humor by creating a sarcastic spot featuring its brand name, often misspelled.
13. The Orès and Auchan campaign "Back to school for families"
Auchan's advertising strategy for the 2023 back-to-school season stands out with its multimedia approach. Auchan's advertising campaign includes an emotionally focused television advertisement, as well as a campaign on TikTok, where Bruno Graffer, an artist, personalizes backpacks for promotion.
Broadcast from August 21, it captures attention on the theme of back-to-school, a highly anticipated period for advertisers. The campaign extends to digital, thus reinforcing its reach. The #AuchanPimpeTaRentrée activation on TikTok was a success, generating 2 million views and nearly 50,000 likes. A successful campaign demonstrating the effectiveness of this strategy to reach the younger generation.
14. Conforama and the TV advertising series to promote their sofas
Conforama's advertisement for the year 2023 highlights a series of three videos embodying the well-being experience in the living room with its new modern and aesthetic creations: Modena, Selva, and Mango.
The invitation extended to their audience encourages them to discover these new items for optimal relaxation in their living space. A touch of tenderness is added thanks to actors like no others...
15. Biocoop Advertisement on social media
Biocoop's advertising campaign for the 2023 back-to-school season, focused on social media, highlights the true taste of organic through products, a recipe for cordon bleu, and above all, the celebration of its Wine Festival.
This campaign, carried out by the agency Hungry and Foolish, also presents seasonality with the return of grapes. Selected among the best ads of 2023, it stands out for its engagement results on social media, thanks to the emphasis on organic and seasonal themes, combined with attractive visual elements.
16. Super U advertisement "Mother and Son"
A 31-second spot that effectively and quickly presents the advantageous prices of the brand, while playing with humor. This method captures the interest of the audience, which recognizes itself in this familiar situation of daily life. January 2023.
17. Brico Dépôt advertisement "See bigger with our depot prices"
In its advertisement broadcasted a week after the start of the Rugby World Cup, Brico Dépôt uses humor wisely to highlight its saga "See bigger with our depot prices."
The spot, directed by Hafid F. Benamar, features two frozen supporters watching a match on television. Challenge accepted, they decide to change their heating with Brico Dépôt products, experiencing the highlights of the match in warmth. A comedy emphasizing the brand's commitment to quality products at affordable prices. A successful bet for the brand with a memorable French advertisement.
18. BNP Paribas promotes its financing solutions for energy renovation in an intriguing and humorous film
BNP Paribas offers a dedicated site and financing solutions for energy renovation. To promote this initiative, the bank created a film titled "Mission Rénovation." The campaign started on June 18 and diversified on several channels, including TV, digital, and social media.
19. Orange advertisement breaking stereotypes about women's football
Orange cleverly executed its campaign and amazed its audience. How? By manipulating decisive actions from women's matches by replacing the players with male players. A beautiful way to showcase the female talents of the French team. Broadcasted in June to a football-loving audience, the campaign took place digitally in L'Équipe, Bein, Foot Mercato, as well as on the platforms of the French Football Federation. It also had an influence on various social media networks (Youtube, Twitter, Snapchat).
20. La Cloche association launches a campaign against excluding urban furniture.
La Cloche ranks in the top 30 best advertisements of 2023 thanks to its campaign that uses the 2024 Olympic Games to highlight the exclusion of homeless people caused by urban furniture designed for this purpose. The campaign, carrying a beautiful message, was broadcasted in July in display format.
21. Apparently, there's something to be proud of with your Volkswagen
The brand launched a humorous campaign to promote its cars while reaffirming the creative side of the brand. The campaign was broadcasted on YouTube and on television.
22. WWF Relies on the Disappearance of the Twitter Bird to Raise Awareness of the Extinction of Real Birds
WWF played on trends and novelties in the digital market by using the Twitter bird replaced by "X". In this way, WWF was able to communicate directly about "X", formerly Twitter, addressing an alarming figure: one out of eight bird species is currently endangered. This is the message that WWF conveyed in a tweet, relying on the disappearance of the Twitter bird. On Twitter, July 2023.
23. JuL and Oasis in an Organized Gang with Marcel Agency for the Summer Campaign!
JuL, the most streamed artist in France, collaborated with Oasis and Marcel agency for the summer hit "Tropical." An original campaign that highlights Oasis Tropical, JuL's favorite drink, through a clip shot in Marseille.
The collaboration aims to promote a limited edition of Oasis cans feat. JuL and activations on social media. The goal was to strengthen Oasis' connection with Gen Z by associating the brand with the artist.
24. Santévet Raises Awareness Against Pet Abandonment in Diablo IV
Santévet, the leader in pet health insurance in France, makes a strong impact this year with a campaign against pet abandonment, titled #SaveTheDoggos. Orchestrated by the Fcinq creative studio of the Australie group, this innovative campaign takes place in the popular video game Diablo IV.
Santévet invites gamers to participate in the #SaveTheDoggos challenge, encouraging players to virtually protect the dogs in the game and support the cause against animal abandonment. The operation aims to target and raise awareness in the gaming community about this important societal issue.
25. Heetch goes beyond stereotypes
Heetch stood out among the best advertisements of 2023 by collaborating to challenge stereotypes associated with the Parisian suburbs. Aware of the biases often conveyed by the media, Heetch aims to offer a more positive view of the suburbs. In partnership with the filmmakers of Kourtrajmeuf, Heetch presents a sunny portrait of the residents and daily life in the suburbs, far from negative stereotypes. The campaign was broadcast in cinemas and digitally, with the goal of celebrating the suburbs and showcasing Heetch's commitment to more inclusive mobility.
26. Renault invites you to create your own Twingo for its 30th anniversary!
Renault celebrated the 30th anniversary of its Twingo by inviting customers to design their own model using artificial intelligence.
On a dedicated website, participants could use an image generator to describe their dream vehicle, leaving the AI to take care of the rest. The site was accessible from February 1st to March 31st, and participants could send their prototype to Renault with the hashtag #ReinventTwingo. The brand selected one of the creations to inspire the design of the new Twingo. Renault thus celebrated creativity and adapted to the changes of its time by using artificial intelligence to allow everyone to participate in the creative process. The campaign was broadcast in display and on social networks, in partnership with the Havas Edge agency, and Renault also participated in the 2023 edition of the Rétromobile show.
27. "Until the Extreme End" campaign by the Extrême brand:
Extrême, known for its delicious ice creams, launched its "Until the Extreme End" campaign to celebrate the tasting experience of its products. The campaign was broadcast on TF1, M6, TMC, and other French channels, as well as on digital platforms such as TF1.fr, YouTube, and in digital audio on Spotify. It highlighted iconic flavors such as Strawberry-Vanilla and Sundae Caramel, as well as its cookie cone. The TV campaign was broadcast internationally, including in Switzerland, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Israel.
But the brand didn't stop there and engaged in a multimedia strategy by opening a global account on TikTok. The TikTok campaign, launched in preview, aimed to strengthen the positive image of the brand and create an impact with the young audience. The multichannel strategy included collaborations with TikTok influencers and relied on popular platform trends.
28. "Raising Gen Z Awareness of History" by FRED & FARID for the Historial de la Grande Guerre
In the current geopolitical context, reminiscent of the beginnings of World War I, the Historial de la Grande Guerre in Péronne collaborated with the FRED & FARID Paris agency to launch a campaign aimed at raising awareness among the Generation Z.
The goal was to promote the Historial's student offer using the aesthetic codes and vocabulary specific to this generation.
This campaign represents the second collaboration between the Historial de la Grande Guerre and the FRED & FARID Paris agency, demonstrating their common commitment to raising awareness among young generations of history. The campaign was broadcast in display, in the press, and on social networks.
29. Burger King advert to combat bullying at school
Burger King raised awareness of school bullying by hijacking its logo and painting every tenth table in its restaurants grey. As part of the campaign, the company pledged to donate all profits from King Junior menus sold that day to the charity Les Papillons. The event took place on 9 November, the national day against bullying at school, and was promoted on TV and social networks.
30. Vetocanis plays on the unconditional love we have for our animals
The Vetocanis brand, specializing in pet products, launched a campaign in partnership with The Pill agency (of Creapills) that stands out for its offbeat and humorous approach. The campaign highlights the sometimes exasperating situations that pet owners may face, while emphasizing that despite these moments, the love for animals remains unconditional.
Bonus: The best advertising campaigns of 2023 abroad:
Vaseline raises awareness of sun exposure risks in simplicity
The ingenuity of this simple campaign has made it successful. Flipping a sunset to form an "!", that's the idea Vaseline had to remind people to protect themselves from the sun, while promoting its product. The campaign was broadcast in Thailand, on YouTube, in outdoor advertising, and on social media.
Pokémon and the Van Gogh Museum merge art and pop culture with "Starry Night."
Pokémon partnered with the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam by offering a series of special events and a range of products featuring Van Gogh's famous work "Starry Night." A creative campaign that appealed to Pokémon fans.
Sprite provides refreshing relief in annoying situations with its drink delivery campaign!
The campaign took the form of a free drinks dispenser to relieve passengers when the situation becomes burdensome: a canceled train? Free drink! The campaign started in July in London.
The Global Warming Series: The North Face's special collection of natural disasters
The North Face launched a special collection on natural disasters that (hopefully) will not happen, to raise awareness of the urgency of climate change. The campaign took place in June in Mexico and 14 other countries.
St Hubert’s The Stag and AirSeed announce their partnership with biodegradable billboards
To promote its new wine with minimized carbon footprint and announce the partnership that plans to plant 100,000 pods in 2023, the brand had the idea of creating innovative biodegradable billboards. The display system was deployed in Australia in May.
McDonald's makes a surprising collaboration that delights the Japanese.
McDonald's Japan launched an operation to promote its new burger in honor of Luffy, the famous character from the manga One Piece. The campaign was broadcast on Youtube, in outdoor advertising, and on social media in Japan.
Heinz
"Even when it isn't Heinz, it has to be Heinz."
"Ketchup Fraud" is a campaign that denounces the behavior of restaurateurs who fill Heinz bottles with low-quality ketchup. The campaign took place in New York and Chicago, in outdoor advertising, in the press, and on social media.
Food truck billboard? It's possible with McDonald’s
To celebrate street food culture, the brand decided to offer its new chicken burgers for free through futuristic food trucks in Sweden.
Toblerone and its Valentine's Day campaign
For Valentine's Day in Amsterdam, Toblerone launched a campaign allowing customers to customize the packaging of their chocolates, offering a unique and personalized shopping experience.
This striking advertisement strengthens the emotional connection with the brand and creates memorable gifts for customers. Customization adds a romantic touch and increases the perceived value of the products.