There’s a big focus on digital these days, but the best print adverts can still pack a real punch, be it in a magazine or newspaper or on the street. Like digital ads, clever print ads have to compete for our limited attention. They have the added potential challenge of being static, and it’s very easy for a reader to turn the page with barely a glance.
But while the best print ads may be less hi-tech than newer advertising channels, with a little ingenuity, they can be highly memorable. An arresting image and clever copy are usually the key, drawing us in long enough for us to process the message. Below, we’ve gathered a collection of some of the best print adverts from brands both big and small. Some are clever and creative, some made us laugh and others are hard-hitting or even controversial, but they also show how powerful clever pint ads can still be.
For more inspiration, take a look at our pick of the best billboard advertising. And if you want to work on your own designs, see our pick of the best Adobe Illustrator tutorials.
Click on the icon in the top-right of each advert to see the full-size image.
The best print adverts we’ve seen
01. Ikea accepts being second best
Spoiler alert: Ikea is going to crop up several times on this list of the best print adverts. This print campaign was one of its most recent, designed specifically for a store in the United Arab Emirates by DAVID Madrid and INGO Hamburg. It breaks one of the fundamental rules of advertising by recognising that its products are sometimes not the solution and actually get cast aside when