A Few Brand Campaigns Are Forever (Well, Almost)

Just do it. Drivers wanted. Got milk? A Diamond Is Forever.

Recognize these? They're all breakaway campaigns. Each, launched more than a decade ago, has survived to this day. Brands become breakaway brands because of breakaway branding campaigns.

For a new brand, a campaign is its introduction to the public. For an existing brand, a campaign can increase interest and drive up sales and profits. For a declining brand, the right campaign can renew consumer interest and rejuvenate sales.

A breakaway campaign stands out in the crowd because it cuts through the clutter, connects with the consumer, differentiates the brand from all of its competitors—and it sells. It can be for any product in any market. The breakaway campaign is one that has legs and can live beyond the initial launch. It not only brings a breakaway brand to market but also sustains that brand by evolving over time. While the tactics may change, the underlying strategy of a breakaway campaign often remains for many, many years.

Apple's "Think Different" campaign led to the company's turnaround, creating a different perception about the computer maker that had a lasting impact on the consumer. Volkswagen's "Drivers wanted" campaign so reinvigorated the brand that VWs became the coolest cars to drive. Nike's "Just do it" campaign defined not just a brand but a lifestyle. While competitors have marketed sneakers, Nike has marketed mindset.

The breakaway campaign has the potential to catapult a brand into the culture, create an aspirational connection, and endure for many years. Two classic examples of breakaway campaigns are "got milk?" and "A Diamond Is Forever."

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Barry Silverstein (barry@thebreakawaybrand.com) is a senior vice-president at Arnold Worldwide, a leading U.S. advertising agency. He is coauthor of the new McGraw-Hill book The Breakaway Brand (www.thebreakawaybrand.com).