Capitalizing on a timely event like the election requires a certain amount of tact from brands. It’s a fine line to walk without causing backlash from either side, especially with an election that was so divisive.

In this edition of Ad Wars, we evaluate a few brands who avoided taking a side while producing an effective election ad.

Excedrin

On the day of the third and final presidential debate, Excedrin promoted #DebateHeadache on Twitter, saying, “Debates bring headaches; Excedrin brings relief” and “The possibility of a #DebateHeadache is high. Be prepared with Excedrin.” The first of those tweets got 900 re-tweets within the first hour it was live!

Excedrin delivered an ad that capitalized on a timely moment, fitted their brand, and resonated with a broad audience without offending either party.

Pedigree

If there’s one thing everyone can agree on, it’s dogs. With everyone focusing on the vast divide between both parties, Pedigree took a moment to remind us all what we have in common. As Pedigree shows in their ad, it doesn’t matter if you’re a Republican or a Democrat, everyone can sympathize with someone trying to return a lost dog to their owner.

Image Credit: Creativity

Snickers

Snickers chose to put a timely twist on their long-running campaign: You’re Not You When You’re Hungry. Through signs and bumper stickers, Snickers encouraged voters not to vote when hungry. They even took it a step further and handed out Snickers bars in Iowa, a major swing state. Snickers effectively kept their brand front and center while capitalizing on current conversation.

JetBlue

Early on in the election cycle, JetBlue offered customers a free trip anywhere in the world, valued up to $300. The only catch- Passengers on a six-hour flight had to reach across the aisle and agree on a destination. JetBlue sent an early message during the election to encourage people to come together.

They later continued their election coverage with an election day sale for those who wanted to flee the country or celebrate the results with a vacation. The campaign was complete with a landing page covering real-time election results where customers could purchase their plane tickets.

The Winner

Hands down, Pedigree! Although we may be a little biased. Fun Fact: The Koi team is a puppy-loving crew. Despite which side of the aisle you stand on, if you love dogs we have common ground.

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Dianna Romaguera

Dianna is an accomplished marketing professional and strategic leader. Her experiences working with international brands such as Coca-Cola and Heineken have enabled her to develop effective, comprehensive communication strategies for clients across the globe.