Top 12 Digital Marketing Examples to Understand the Field

Quick Read

 

Digital marketing campaigns are integral to a company’s success. Our top digital marketing examples are, Spotify’s “Wrapped” campaign which utilised personalisation to enhance user engagement and Nike’s collaboration with the YouTube channel “What’s Inside That” for their Air VaporMax demonstrated the power of influencer marketing. These examples can inspire one’s digital marketing efforts.

In this blog, we’re going to explain what digital marketing is with examples, the types of digital marketing, and some interesting examples of digital marketing strategies that will get you ready for digital marketing campaigns in 2024.

 

What is Digital Marketing?

Digital Marketing is the marketing/promotion of your desired goods/services using digital channels. When a company sends you promotional emails, or when you have watched an ad on YouTube or the search results that pop up on Google when you look for something is all a part of digital marketing efforts.

Digital marketing has changed the way businesses operate, and the benefits of digital marketing are innumerable.

The number of opportunities that fall under digital marketing is called its types. Let’s take a look at them.

 

Types of Digital Marketing

Digital marketing is a vast umbrella term and has many different types which allow you to meet your target audience through different channels and different communication messages. Here are the broad digital marketing types:

• Social Media Marketing – Organic
• Social Media Marketing – Ads
• Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
• Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
• Email Marketing
• E-commerce
• Influencer Marketing
• Content Marketing
• Moment Marketing
• Affiliate Marketing
• Referral Marketing
• Guerilla Marketing

We will be looking at examples of digital marketing for each of these.

 

Top 18 Examples of Digital Marketing You Must Read

There are many digital marketing examples in the digital world today. Here’s a compilation of the top digital marketing campaign examples that we feel will inspire you to ace your marketing game out there –

 

1. Spotify Wrapped – Organic Social Media Marketing

Social media marketing refers to the use of social media platforms to engage a large digital audience. The end goals are to grow your brand by increasing brand awareness and loyalty, increasing sales and revenue, and driving website traffic.

Top Digital Marketing Example

Campaign Name: Spotify Wrapped

Campaign objective: To create a community-like experience for Spotify listeners and encourage new listeners to become a part of the community.

Execution:

In 2019, Spotify introduced a campaign known as Spotify Wrapped, offering users a personalized year-end roundup of their listening behaviours within the platform. Through customized in-app data, Spotify Wrapped provides users with an exclusive, interactive narrative (or previously, a webpage) unveiling details such as:

• Most frequently listened to artists, genres, and songs.
• Top podcasts.
• Total listening duration for the year.
• Newly discovered artists.
• Plus, additional insights.

This data is presented in an aesthetically pleasing format tailored for easy sharing on Instagram Stories and other platforms. Spotify actively encourages users to share their Wrapped summaries extensively. Now if that isn’t a cool digital marketing example, we don’t know what is.

Impact & Key Takeaways:

• In 2022, 156 million users engaged with Wrapped. The number of users engaging with Wrapped reportedly increased from 120 million in 2021. Within the first three days of its launch in 2022, there were 425 million Tweets about Spotify Wrapped.
• Spotify leverages two significant psychological triggers in this campaign: personalization and fear of missing out (FOMO).
• The app offers a personalised story for each user, showcasing the evolution of their music taste over the years and highlighting significant songs in their life.
• Engaging visualsations and gamification elements capture users’ attention effectively.
• By facilitating and encouraging sharing on social media, Spotify extends the campaign’s reach, fostering a sense of community among users who eagerly share their results and compare them with friends.
• The desire to showcase personal highlights to friends drives more people to participate in the experience, contributing to its popularity.
• This is a great digital marketing example of how social media helped create hype around the personalized experience that Spotify provides and also user-generated content adds to the credibility of the brand. This differentiates them from other brands as consumers trust UGC more than traditional methods of marketing.

Found this interesting? Know more about Spotify’s marketing strategy.

 

2. ABTA Travel with Confidence- Paid Social Media Marketing Example

Social media advertising is targeted advertising using social media as a channel. They include paid social media, dynamic ads, Meta ads, X ads, Instagram ads, Reddit ads, LinkedIn ads, Quora ads, and more.

 

Top Digital Marketing Example:

Campaign Name: ABTA Travel with Confidence Campaign

Campaign objective: ABTA is the U.K.’s largest travel association, previously known as the Association of British Travel Agents consisting of tour operators and travel agents.

The campaign objective was to increase awareness and sales of their offering for young travellers between the age groups of 18-35. They also wanted to increase bookings with their existing client base.

Execution:

The first step was to create video content for Meta, Instagram, X, and Youtube to appeal to the target audience.

The campaign messages were divided into 3 broad categories – pre-holiday, holiday, and post-holiday.

The main deliverables were as follows –

• Increase awareness and impressions through paid ads on Instagram, X, and Youtube
• Increase engagement
• Increase views to 100% on Youtube
• Increase visibility and impression on Facebook through ads

Increase in paid ads on all channels. ABTA worked with a fluid budget – they could reallocate their set budgets on the basis of the best-performing channel. Reviewing and reallocating were key for better performance. Now, that’s what we call an awesome digital marketing campaign example.

Impact & Key Takeaways:

• By targeting the right audiences and age groups, ABTA has 738,218 unique users on Facebook alone.
• The Youtube view rates doubled from 20% to 40%.
• Meta impressions increased from 128,519 to 4,260,668 (3215% Increase)

Bonus Read – How to Build an Effective Targeting Audience on Facebook. And if you want to learn more, check out the 4Ps marketing mix of Starbucks.

 

3. Monster India- Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) Example

SEO or search engine optimization is the method of improving the quality and quantity of traffic to your website. The main goal is to improve your brand’s visibility when you search for a product or service.

Top Digital Marketing Example:

Campaign Name: Monster India Google Search Campaign

Campaign objective: To improve the quality and expand their existing applicant and resume database

Execution: Monster Inc. India started using structured data with the goal of improving its database. The team added structured data to job postings. This makes the job posting eligible to appear in a special user experience in search results.

Impact & Key Takeaways:

• Jobs on Google search provided a whopping 94% increase in organic traffic on the job details page and a 10% increase in job applications. It helps users find relevant jobs with its easy-to-use application format. This same model was duplicated for Monster Philippines, Monster Singapore, Monster Gulf, and Monster Malaysia.

• The organic website traffic has almost doubled in these areas as well.
• Thus structured data in SEO can create a huge impact on search results. Here’s a useful blog on how to do keyword research.

A swot analysis is also necessary for any brand. Check out Kitkat’s SWOT analysis.

 

4. Zappos- Search Engine Marketing (SEM) Example

Search engine marketing (SEM) marketing is a campaign strategy that uses paid ads within search engines. These target potential customers as they show up on SERPs or search engine result pages.

Top Digital Marketing Example:

Campaign Name: Zappos Summer shoe campaign

Campaign objective: To increase sales for Zappos summer shoe variant

Execution:

Zappos is one of the world’s largest online shoe-selling brands. Most of the company’s sales are through search engine marketing and word-of-mouth. They had paid ads running for summer shoes along with SEO techniques such as backlinking. Now, that’s what we call a ‘solid digital marketing product example’

Impact & Key Takeaways:

• 20% of the company’s sales are through search engine marketing. Thus, we can see how search engine marketing plays an integral role in conversions.

 

5. Wok to Walk- Email Marketing Example

Email marketing is leveraging emails to send a commercial message to a group of people. It can be with the end goal of creating awareness, increasing sales and collecting donations.

Top Digital Marketing Example:

Campaign Name: Wok to Walk a health food company,

Campaign objective: To increase the open rate and thereby increase sales and revenue

Execution: The first step that Wok to Walk took was to group their client on the basis of behaviour. They segregated their database into people who opened their emails and those who didn’t. The company sent an email to both groups asking them to call the number mentioned in the email, enquire and order a meal. The email only generated an open rate of 1%.

The segment that did not open the email was sent a second email. This has become a high-converting segment now. What they did differently was they included the number in the subject line so the user didn’t have to open the email. So, the next time you wonder how to elevate your business, remember this brilliant online marketing example.

Impact & Key Takeaways:

• The second email resulted in 7.7% of users responding and opening their email.
• Segmentation is very important when it comes to email marketing. This helps you send relevant messages to a group that might actually be interested in your product or service.

The F&B industry sure knows how to effectively use digital marketing tools. Find out how McDonald’s marketing strategy has helped earn its position as one of the leading food chains in the world today.

 

6. Sephora- E-commerce Marketing Example

E-commerce marketing is when you use promotional tools to drive traffic to your e-commerce shop or online store to generate sales. It can also be referred to as digital shopper marketing.

Top Digital Marketing Example:

Campaign Name: Sephora

Campaign objective: To give customers an in-store shopping experience with personalisation techniques and hence improve sales.

Execution:

Sephora achieves success by prioritising omnichannel experiences in its digital marketing campaigns. A notable example is the Sephora app, which seamlessly mirrors the in-store shopping experience. Utilising artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) features, the app allows shoppers to virtually try on cosmetics from the comfort of their homes.

Seamless integration with Sephora’s e-commerce platform simplifies the checkout process, enabling shoppers to complete purchases with just a few taps. Moreover, Sephora leverages application engagement data and geolocation data to tailor personalised suggestions within the app, effectively enhancing conversion rates. Can you think of a more fabulous example of digital marketing.

Impact & Key Takeaways:

• Driving customer engagement is essential for boosting sales and enhancing profitability. Sephora achieves this through innovative use of technology like AI and AR. With tools like Color Match and Virtual Assistant, and by enhancing both mobile and in-store experiences, Sephora effectively enhances customer interaction, leading to increased sales.
• This is a great example of E-commerce marketing as it generates high customer engagement and brand authority.

If you found this example interesting, check out how Amazon does it.

 

7. Nike Air VaporMax- Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing involves businesses collaborating with influencers and opinion leaders to promote brands. Their audience already has a rapport with them, so the idea is to tap into that segment to drive sales and boost awareness. Influencer marketing is a great example of digital marketing and is widely popular among newer generations, making it a key strategy for brands to build awareness and trust.

Top Digital Marketing Example:

Campaign Name: Nike Air VaporMax + What’s Inside That

Campaign objective: To create hype + awareness around the launch of Nike Air VaporMax

Execution:

Nike is known to collaborate with celebrities and influencers all over the world. In 2017, they decided to team up with the popular YouTube channel ‘What’s Inside That’ which features Dan and his son Lincoln, who slice up everyday objects to check what’s inside them. The duo used a pair of Nike Air VaporMax shoes and cut them to see what’s inside.

Want to leverage influencer marketing like a pro? Consider enrolling in our digital marketing courses with placement or check out our free instagram marketing course.

Impact & Key Takeaways:

• The video had a reach of 3.6 million and was successful in creating awareness about their new product line and also generated sales and engagement.

Influencer marketing is very important for brands as it helps create an online buzz. You should also read about Asos’ marketing strategy for some inspiration.

 

8. Content Marketing Example

Content marketing is the use of videos, blogs and social media posts to promote a brand. Content marketing stands out as a prime example of digital marketing today, fueled by the surge in video consumption and heightened social media usage.

Top Digital Marketing Example:

Campaign Name: Superdrug’s Perception of Perfection

Campaign objective: To raise awareness on the issue of body image – a social awareness campaign

Execution: As part of their campaign, a woman’s image was sent out to 18 graphic designers in different countries. They were asked to photoshop the woman to look ‘beautiful’. The result was different for different countries – some of them edited the image to make the woman slimmer, lighter, darker, etc. as per the accepted beauty standards in their country.

Impact & Key Takeaways:

• The campaign went viral and was talked about by the New York Times, CNN, Huffington Post, Buzzfeed, and many other international platforms.
• The response was amazing – there were 1,000,000 reposts, 7,00,000 organic page views on their website and a 238% increase in organic traffic search in 16 months. Celebrities such as Sofia Vergara and Lil Wayne also mentioned the campaign.

Looking for similar beauty brand strategies? Check out Lush’s marketing strategy.

 

9. Dabur- Moment Marketing Example

Moment marketing is leveraging ongoing trending events to communicate a brand message. It can be quirky, fun, or even have a social message. The idea is for people to relate to it.

Top Digital Marketing Example:

Campaign Name: Dabur’s #SubkoChabaJaenge

Campaign objective: To create buzz around the Dabur red toothpaste

Execution:

The Cricket World Cup 2019 was used by the brand to promote its Dabur Red toothpaste variant. The first creative was for the India-Pakistan match and appealed to the emotional aspect of a viewer. They wanted to merge the idea of chewing the opposition and subtly plugging their product in. Can you think of a more innovative digital marketing campaign example?

Impact & Key Takeaways:

• The video series went viral with a whopping 28 million views across digital platforms. They largely appealed to the young generation and masses.

Amul has set the bench high for the entire industry when it comes to moment marketing. Check out some of Amul’s moment marketing ideas here.

 

10. Protein- Affiliate Marketing Example

Affiliate marketing is a great way to spread awareness and generate sales. The company compensates affiliates or third parties to promote their brands. Whenever a sale is made, or traffic is generated, the affiliate is rewarded with a commission. This incentive is a driving factor for the third-party publisher to promote the company’s product or service.

Top Digital Marketing Example:

Campaign Name: My Protein’s Global Brand Ambassador

Campaign objective: To drive sales and build awareness related to the brand.

Execution:

The company reached out to fitness and lifestyle influencers to promote their brand on their pages. Hashtags, social media content and coupon codes were generated for the affiliates to use on their pages. The influencers amplified word-of-mouth marketing and helped drive sales and awareness. Considering the brilliance of this idea, are you really surprised that this campaign makes the list of top digital marketing examples?

Impact & Key Takeaways:

• They had a 35% increase in average traffic and sales and 100 new potential customers from each affiliate.

Check out how Saffola, a Marico house name, built its presence in 25 countries in Asia and Africa.

 

11. Uber- Referral Marketing Example

Referral marketing is word-of-mouth marketing wherein a company essentially incentivizes its existing customer base to introduce their friends, family and peers to the product or service that they have to offer.

Top Digital Marketing Example:

Campaign Name: Uber Referral Program

Campaign objective: To grow the presence of Uber in India

Execution:

Uber came up with referral programmes for both drivers and riders. The drivers themselves acted as salespeople of the company and got more drivers on board – this was important as the company depends upon its drivers. The referral incentive for drivers varied from INR 2000-5000 depending on the city, which was a huge driving factor for its success.

Then came incentives for the rider. A rider could earn up to Rs. 600 or a free ride for every new referral. The user interface was also designed to be user-friendly.

Impact & Key Takeaways:

• The company grew by 400% through just their referral programme in India with a presence in 50 cities in India and 11 million rides per week.
• Referral programmes are a great way to incentivize your user base to act as a salesperson for your brand.

Learn more with this detailed case study on Ola’s marketing strategy.

 

12. Red Bull- Guerilla Marketing Example

Guerilla marketing is a type of marketing in which a company uses unconventional methods of marketing to add a surprise element to its strategy. It is basically a type of publicity. The Red Bull campaign is a good example of digital marketing using the guerrilla method.

Top Digital Marketing Example:

Campaign Name: Red Bull Supersonic Skyfall

Campaign objective: For Red Bull to surprise people and grab attention

Execution:

A guerilla marketing campaign needs to be out of the box, edgy, surprising, viral and has vast publicity potential. Red Bull sponsored the world’s highest skydive or supersonic Skyfall and partnered with Felix Baumgartner to jump from space. They promoted the event across social media platforms to create hype. Needless to say, this is one of our favourite online marketing examples.

Impact & Key Takeaways:

• This turned out to be a great guerilla marketing example, as the hype, publicity and surprise elements were phenomenal.
• Millions from all over the world logged on to see the video live. The Youtube video had 46.4 million views.

Kansai Nerolac’s marketing strategy is another must-read case study to gain insights from.

 

13. Airbnb – User-Generated Content (UGC) Campaign Example

User-generated content (UGC) is a powerful tool in digital marketing, and Airbnb has capitalised on this by turning their customers into their best advertisers. This is a stellar example of digital marketing where the brand uses real customer experiences to market its offerings.

Top Digital Marketing Example:

• Campaign Name: #WeAccept
• Campaign Objective: To promote inclusivity and highlight Airbnb as a brand that welcomes everyone.

Execution:

Airbnb’s #WeAccept campaign was launched in response to global issues around discrimination and the refugee crisis. The campaign featured a montage of diverse faces, emphasising the message that no matter who you are or where you come from, Airbnb welcomes you. The company encouraged users to share their own stories and experiences on social media using the hashtag #WeAccept, creating a vast amount of user-generated content.

Impact & Key Takeaways:

The campaign generated millions of impressions globally and was praised for its social impact and strong brand message. It effectively positioned Airbnb as a brand that values diversity and inclusion, aligning with its core mission of creating a world where anyone can belong anywhere.

Airbnb’s #WeAccept campaign is a perfect digital marketing example of how UGC and social causes can be combined to build brand loyalty and awareness.

 

14. Dove – Real Beauty Campaign

Dove’s Real Beauty campaign is one of the most iconic digital marketing campaign examples that redefined beauty standards worldwide. It is a compelling example of digital marketing that challenges societal norms and promotes body positivity.

Top Digital Marketing Example:

• Campaign Name: Dove Real Beauty Sketches
• Campaign Objective: To empower women and encourage them to see the beauty in themselves.

Execution:

Dove’s Real Beauty Sketches campaign featured an artist who created sketches of women based on their own descriptions and then compared them to sketches based on descriptions from strangers. The stark difference between the two sketches highlighted the gap between how women perceive themselves and how others see them. This powerful message resonated with audiences globally and was shared widely across social media platforms, making it a viral success.

Impact & Key Takeaways:

The campaign received over 114 million views within a month of its release and became one of the most shared advertisements of all time. It sparked a global conversation about self-esteem and body image, aligning Dove with the values of authenticity and self-acceptance. This campaign is a notable online marketing example that demonstrates the power of emotional storytelling in digital marketing.

 

15. Apple – Shot on iPhone Campaign Marketing Example

Apple’s “Shot on iPhone” campaign is an innovative digital marketing example that leverages user-generated content to showcase the capabilities of its products. It’s a prime example of digital marketing that highlights how product functionality can be turned into a creative advertising campaign.

Top Digital Marketing Example:

• Campaign Name: Shot on iPhone
• Campaign Objective: To demonstrate the high-quality camera features of the iPhone through user-generated content.

Execution:

Apple encouraged iPhone users worldwide to submit their best photos taken with an iPhone, using the hashtag #ShotoniPhone. The best photos were then selected and featured in Apple’s global marketing campaigns, including billboards, social media, and television ads. This approach not only highlighted the iPhone’s camera capabilities but also engaged users by making them part of the brand’s storytelling.

Impact & Key Takeaways:

The campaign was highly successful, creating a massive online buzz and reinforcing the iPhone’s reputation for having one of the best smartphone cameras on the market. It also strengthened the sense of community among Apple users, making them feel like contributors to the brand’s success. The “Shot on iPhone” campaign is a brilliant digital marketing advertising example that effectively used user-generated content to build brand credibility and showcase product features.

 

16. Slack – Customer-Centric Marketing

Slack’s approach to marketing is a brilliant digital marketing example of how focusing on customer needs can drive product adoption and loyalty. By understanding the pain points of its target audience, Slack has effectively positioned itself as an essential tool for workplace communication.

Top Digital Marketing Example:

• Campaign Name: So Yeah, We Tried Slack…
• Campaign Objective: To demonstrate the value of Slack in improving workplace communication and collaboration.

Execution:

Slack’s “So Yeah, We Tried Slack…” campaign was a series of customer testimonials presented in an engaging and relatable format. The campaign featured real-life stories from Slack users, highlighting how the platform transformed their work processes. These stories were shared across various digital platforms, including social media, blogs, and video content. Slack also utilised targeted email marketing to reach potential customers, offering personalised insights into how Slack could solve their specific communication challenges.

Impact & Key Takeaways:

The campaign was highly effective, driving significant user growth and increasing brand awareness. By focusing on real customer experiences, Slack was able to build trust and demonstrate the tangible benefits of its product. This online marketing example showcases the importance of customer-centric storytelling in digital marketing, making it a powerful tool for brand building and user engagement.

 

17. Uniqlo – Interactive Digital Billboard Campaign

Uniqlo is known for its innovative digital marketing campaign examples that blend technology with fashion. The brand’s interactive billboard campaign is a standout example of digital marketing that successfully engaged consumers in a fun and memorable way.

Top Digital Marketing Example:

• Campaign Name: UNIQLO’s Interactive Digital Billboards
• Campaign Objective: To increase brand awareness and drive traffic to Uniqlo stores by engaging customers with an interactive experience.

Execution:

Uniqlo launched an interactive digital billboard campaign in major cities worldwide. These billboards displayed a constantly changing code, which customers could capture using their smartphones. Once captured, they could enter the code on Uniqlo’s website to receive special offers or discounts. The campaign encouraged real-time interaction and created a sense of urgency, driving people to participate and visit Uniqlo stores to redeem their offers.

Impact & Key Takeaways:

The campaign was a huge success, generating significant foot traffic to Uniqlo stores and increasing brand engagement. It also showcased how traditional advertising methods, like billboards, can be revitalised through digital innovation. This digital marketing advertising example highlights the potential of interactive technology in creating immersive consumer experiences and driving sales.

 

18. Heineken – Social Experiment Campaign

Heineken has consistently pushed the boundaries with its creative digital marketing examples, and the “Worlds Apart” campaign is one of its most impactful. It’s a brilliant example of digital marketing that blends social commentary with brand messaging to create a powerful narrative.

Top Digital Marketing Example:

• Campaign Name: Worlds Apart
• Campaign Objective: To promote inclusivity and open-mindedness while reinforcing Heineken’s brand values.

Execution:

Heineken’s “Worlds Apart” campaign was a social experiment that brought together pairs of strangers with opposing views on significant social issues. Unaware of each other’s views, the participants were tasked with building a bar together. After completing the task, they watched videos revealing each other’s conflicting opinions and were then given the choice to discuss their differences over a beer or leave. The campaign was shared widely across digital platforms, including YouTube, social media, and Heineken’s website, sparking conversations around the world.

Impact & Key Takeaways:

The campaign was praised for its boldness and social relevance, generating over 13 million views on YouTube within the first few weeks. It positioned Heineken as a brand that champions open dialogue and inclusivity, aligning with its broader marketing strategy. This digital marketing services example demonstrates the power of social experiments in creating compelling, shareable content that resonates with a global audience.

To Conclude

These digital marketing examples sure will inspire you to apply some of these techniques to your marketing mix. If you liked these examples, be sure to check out some more case studies live on our website.

If you think you need to brush up on your digital marketing skills, browse through our online digital marketing course that’ll give you a good understanding of which strategies and tools you should be using for your business.

You can also go for MBA in Digital Marketing, further solidifying your expertise as well as gaining a competitive edge in the industry.

Tell us which digital marketing example inspired you the most in the comments below!