By: Amelia Wolfe As people try to save money but still keep up with trends, dupe culture has become a big part of how we shop. Social media and online stores make it really easy to find cheaper versions of popular products. It’s not just about price either. It’s about whether the cheaper option feels … More The Rise of Dupe Culture

By: Leah Pawlowski Every year on April 1st, brands get a rare opportunity to do something they normally can’t: lie. Well… kind of. April Fools’ Day has become a playground for advertisers, a day where creativity, humor, and unpredictability take center stage. Instead of polished campaigns focused on conversions and ROI, brands lean into absurdity, … More April Fools’ Day: When Advertising Gets to Break the Rules (and Why It Works)

By: Dominic Grapentien As students, we have learned that advertisements use various emotions to capture their target audience’s attention. One emotion that consistently stands out is humor. Whether the advertisement is on social media, print, or video, humor has the ability to stick in buyers’ minds because it creates a positive feeling. Especially in today’s … More Why Humor Works in Advertising

By: Chloe Mills ​Spring break is one of college life’s most anticipated experiences, filled with sunny beaches, travel with friends, and unforgettable parties. Each year, ads on social media and travel sites showcase packed beaches and luxury resorts, promoting the “perfect” vacation. Driving these campaigns is a powerful strategy: FOMO-the fear of missing out. With … More Spring Break Marketing: Why FOMO is the Ultimate Advertising Strategy

By: Bella Bonifazi Rejected by his mother and bullied by peers, Punch, the baby Macaque at the Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan, became a global sensation after videos of him seeking comfort in a stuffed orangutan went viral. Though the zoo assured viewers and visitors alike that this display of rejection is a completely normal … More From Simple Product to Cultural Artifact: How a Baby Monkey Caused a Global Brand Moment for IKEA

By: Jasmine Daly Valentine’s Day isn’t just for candy hearts and roses—it’s also a big moment for brands to show off their creative side. For advertisers, it’s basically the Super Bowl of emotional storytelling. Some companies go sweet, some go funny, and some totally flip expectations. Either way, the best Valentine’s campaigns stick with us … More Love at First Ad: 5 Valentine’s Campaigns That Won Our Hearts

By: Hannah Johnson The Advertising Club at Grand Valley State University recently had the opportunity to tour Steelcase’s global headquarters in Kentwood, Michigan, gaining a behind-the-scenes look at how brand communication comes to life within a world-renowned organization. While Steelcase is widely recognized as a global leader in workplace furniture and space design, our visit … More Steelcase Agency Tour Recap

By: Jasmine Daly When the market tightens and uncertainty becomes the norm, the instinct for many organizations is to pull back. Budgets are reallocated, priorities shift, and marketing is often viewed as an easy place to cut. I believe that mindset misses the bigger picture. In challenging economic environments, strong marketing isn’t a “nice to … More Why Strong Marketing Matters Most in Tough Times

By: Chloe Mills Coca-Cola’s Holiday Ads Since 1995, Coca-Cola every year created an iconic holiday campaign that has signaled the official start of the holiday season. The iconic sound of the jingle and the sides of Coca-Cola trucks are always included in every holiday campaign by Coca-Cola. Many even say they can’t imagine the holiday … More The Evolution of a Holiday Ad

By: Amelia Wolfe After our end-of-the-year celebration at the Christkindl Market in downtown Grand Rapids, we are fully in the holiday spirit. It is December, we have had hot cocoa, we have seen enough twinkly lights to last us until next winter, and we are thinking about Christmas advertising. Because honestly? Holiday ads hit different.To … More Ad Club’s Top 5 Christmas Advertisements