The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically boosted an already growing ecommerce industry. In fact, global retail ecommerce sales grew 25% in 2020.
Although there are more people shopping online than ever before, there are also more ecommerce stores and online advertisers.
For this reason, ecommerce brands need to be exceedingly creative, clever, and dynamic when it comes to ad creation.
In this in-depth guide, I’ll discuss:
- The 7 best ecommerce ad examples
- Why each advertisement is effective
- How to take inspiration from each advertisement
- How you can grow your own ecommerce store
- Lots more
Let’s jump right in.
1) Allbirds
Allbirds is a footwear and apparel company that focuses on providing eco-friendly products. Their claim to fame was their merino wool runners that are lightweight, breathable, temperature resistant, and odorless.
With massive brands like Nike and Adidas, competing in the footwear space is extremely competitive. For this reason, they had to offer an ultra-innovative product along with exceptional ads.
Let’s take a look at one of these inspiring ads.
Allbirds Advertisement #1
Right away, you can tell that is advertisement is highly-produced and professional. It’s also extremely creative with an image of a pair of shoes balancing on eggs.
This shows how lightweight the shoes are without having to tell us.
Let’s also take a closer look at the caption.
Now, I assume that most people have no clue what eucalyptus trees are. However, it doesn’t even matter. By telling us the shoes are made from sustainable material, we perceive that these shoes are eco-friendly and “organic“.
Being green or environmentally friendly is trendy and a lot of people support the cause. The pastel pink background also indicates a more indie and casual aesthetic.
The goal of this advertisement is to offer a modest product that’s also highly functional.
Lastly, we didn’t touch on the risk-free trial period yet. Since most people are probably unaware of Allbirds, it’s clever that they added the 30 day free returns.
This gives interested shoppers the chance to try out the product before fully committing. Furthermore, shoppers can also switch sizes if the first pair didn’t fit.
Allbirds Advertisement #2
Allbird’s goal is to be claimed as “the most comfortable shoes in the world“.
This advertisement touches on that goal by explaining how the shoes are made from merino wool.
Pay attention to their tone and use of words. “Give them a spin” and “cozy” both indicate a casual and playful tone. It seems like their goal is to come off as the cool indie shoe company.
And once again, they explain that all purchases are risk-free.
Lastly, the image they used in the advertisement is an excellent action shot with a focus on the shoe. Here, you can see a detailed image of the shoe. The picture also shows how it could look on your feet and allows you to imagine what’d it feel like to wear them yourself.
Key Takeaway
All in all, Allbirds is a remarkable company to learn from if you’re running an ecommerce store focused on apparel. Their advertisements teach you how to stand out in a crowded market and how to focus on your unique value proposition.
2) Bellroy
Bellroy is an accessories company that focuses on providing innovative wallets, bags, cases, and pouches.
Their goal is to provide products that offer more utility and functionality than their standard counterparts.
Since most individuals already own wallets and bags, they need to quickly captivate why their product is unique and how it works into a single advertisement.
Let’s take a look ad an advertisement for their Desk Pouch.
Bellroy Advertisement #1
Right away, we can tell the product is some sort of tech accessory holder. The image clearly showcases how many different pockets the pouch has and what kind of objects can fit into each pocket.
They also cleverly used Apple brand products to fill the pouch. Since this type of accessory is more of a luxury item, they are likely targeting more affluent individuals.
Now, how exactly did they word the caption?
The keyword they used is “organized“. With this one word, they sum up the main benefit of the product. Furthermore, “so you spend less time looking, and more time finding” is an action phrase that helps visualize how you’re going to make use of the pouch.
All things considered, this advertisement does an excellent job of showing the product’s key differentiating factor in a beautiful and easy-to-understand manner.
Bellroy Advertisement #2
Let’s take a look at another advertisement from Bellroy.
This advertisement comes in a video format and showcases their iPhone case. The phone case market is extremely saturated with hundreds of different brands selling their own, so it’s really difficult to stand out.
For this reason, Bellroy uses a video to help better explain their product and why it’s different.
Bellroy’s video clearly shows the different color options, what can be put inside the case, and how to stand the phone up on its side.
It would be much more difficult to explain all of these features through an image ad.
If your ecommerce store is selling products that can be better explained through video, I recommend creating them yourself or hiring an advertising agency to help you create them.
Importance of Video Marketing
Video content in general is quickly taking over as the most consumed form of media.
In fact, research predicts that online videos will make up more than 82% of all online consumer traffic by 2022. This is 15x higher than what it was in 2017.
Furthermore, 72% of customers would rather learn about a company’s product through video.
For this reason, a well-made video like the one above can be crucial for your online marketing campaign.
Key Takeaway
Bellroy’s advertisements showcase how to explain products that provide unique value. By using info-driven images and videos, potential customers can clearly see why the product is beneficial.
3) Beardbrand
Beardbrand is a men’s grooming company that actually made a debut on Shark Tank in 2014.
Although they weren’t able to secure an investment from any of the Sharks, the company continued to grow and become an established brand in the men’s grooming space.
This was accomplished through excellent branding and marketing.
Let’s look at one of their ads.
Beardbrand Advertisement #1
As the name Beardbrand suggests, the company mainly focuses on beard maintenance and care.
Here’s one of their most prominent advertisements.
Immediately, we can tell that this company is selling some kind of beard grooming product. The image is extremely high-quality, showcases an illustrious beard being washed, and has an illuminating tone.
Despite beard treatment being more of a personal topic for most individuals, this advertisement does a great job of showing people that they aren’t alone.
Let’s take a deeper look at the caption they used.
Beardbrand Advertisement Extended Caption
If you were to click on the first caption, it would extend to show the entire text box.
The first line of the caption “Does your beard dry out quickly” quickly pinpoints exactly who the product is for.
This is a great way of quickly explaining what the product is and who can benefit from it.
As you read through the caption, you learn that Beardbrand has a different take on how to maintain your beard. Instead of using beard wash and then beard softener, they recommend only using beard softener.
They further explain how beard wash strips away oil and causes dry brittle hair.
Why is this Caption Effective
Right away, they pinpoint their target audience as individuals with dry beards. Then, they explain how people normally groom their beards and why it’s ineffective.
Afterward, they further narrow down their target customer by explaining how only people with dry, wavy, curly, coarse, or medium-textured beard hair should opt for co-washing.
Finally, they explain how to use their co-washing products and where to buy them.
Rather than just saying “Use Beardbrand if your beard is dry“, the advertisement dives deep into how the product works and why it’s beneficial.
This level of detail builds trust with potential customers and keeps them engaged with the advertisement longer.
Key Takeaway
Beardbrand showcases an educational styled caption with a captivating image. They do an amazing job at dialing in on their target audience right away.
Furthermore, the caption takes it a step further by connecting with the reader and relating to their beard issues.
4) Chubbies
Chubbies is a men’s apparel company that was founded in 2011 by two Stanford graduates.
The company rose to the mainstream by selling shorts, but now sells a variety of apparel products.
As a brand, Chubbies focuses on portraying a fun-loving and playful image. They utilize creative humor in their advertisements and connect with customers on a different level than most other companies.
Let’s take a look at one of their advertisements.
Chubbies Advertisement #1
Below is an advertisement Chubbies posted about their Chubbsie product.
As you can see, the advertisement is playful, exciting, and casual. The images are inviting due to the colors and how the model is posing.
Although the images are great, the best part about this advertisement is the caption.
“The Chubbsie is BACK and I have literally never been more excited about anything. Except for maybe half days and early weekends.“
The tone is casual, humorous, and relatable. It’s as if your friend wrote who’s genuinely excited about the Chubbsie wrote this caption.
And that’s exactly what Chubbies strives to be. Your friendly next-door neighbor that so happens to be selling apparel.
Chubbies Advertisement #2
Let’s take a close look at one of their other advertisements.
This advertisement accomplishes a lot:
- Funny caption
- Captivating first image
- Explains the flash sale and bundling options
- Shows that they’re selling swimming shorts
- Explains that they always offer free shipping
With a few pictures and a short caption, they are able to explain so many details about their offer.
However, my favorite part of this advertisement is once again, the caption.
“Accountants worldwide are shaking in their boots“.
Although it’s a severe exaggeration that accountants are panicking at the amount of money people are spending on shorts, it’s clever and funny.
People use social media as a form of entertainment. Furthermore, they scroll past hundreds of uninspiring ads each day. This is why it’s imperative in your advertisements to stand out and relate as much as possible to your target audience.
Key Takeaway
Chubbies emphasizes how important a brand voice is and how good branding creates a strong community. By going all-in on humor, Chubbies has been able to successfully connect with their customers in a way most brands can’t.
5) BarkBox
BarkBox is a company that offers a monthly subscription for dog treats and dog toys.
Each monthly package they send contains two toys and two all-natural bags of treats. Furthermore, each package has a certain theme attached to it.
For example, they’ve had packages with Halloween, NBA, Scooby-Doo themes.
Since it’s difficult for companies to get people to join their subscription programs, they’ve had to be exceptional in their marketing efforts.
Let’s take a look at one of their advertisements.
BarkBox Advertisement #1
Below is BarkBox carousal advertisement that focuses on humor and exceptional copywriting.
Right away, we can see that the dog in the image is irregularly long. This hooks our attention and forces us to read the caption.
“Your dog wants you to stop scrolling and start playing with them“.
The first line of the caption pinpoints the ad’s target audience in a relatable way. Because it’s probably true, most people spend too much time on their phones when they could be playing with their dogs instead.
Then, they explain exactly what they’re offering and that the reader’s dog wants them to sign up for BarkBox.
At this point, your attention is hooked, you understand the product, and you feel a sense of relatability to the brand.
Afterward, you may see the “How quarantine is starting to feel:” and be curious how the rest of the carousel images play out.
Let’s see what happens when you click the arrow to continue scrolling through the carousel images.
BarkBox Advertisement Extended
So, here’s what the ad looks like once you click the arrow once.
You see that the dog’s body gets even longer. This is because the image represents how long quarantine is starting to feel.
By using an image of an elongated dog and a quarantine caption, they are able to further relate to their target audience on both aspects.
Furthermore, since viewers have already clicked on the arrow again, they’ll likely keep clicking to see how long this dog truly gets.
BarkBox Advertisement Extended #2
After clicking to view more carousel images again, we can finally see the dog’s hind legs.
If dog owners have engaged with this advertisement until the end, they’ll most likely click “Get Offer” to at least see the entire product offering.
Even if they don’t purchase the subscription the first time, BarkBox can run retargeting advertisements to them.
Since this advertisement was so memorable, the retargeting ads have a better chance of converting customers.
Key Takeaway
BarkBox does a stunning job at connecting with their target audience with a relatable and interactive ad. As an ecommerce company, the best thing you can do is connect with your customers on a personal level.
By talking about the quarantine lockdown and how their dog needs more attention, BarkBox is able to key in on their target demographic.
6) More Labs
More Labs is a dietary supplement company that focuses on providing hangover relief beverages.
Although there are billions of alcohol consumers around the world, there aren’t that many drinkers who utilize recovery supplements.
For this reason, More Labs created a product that can aid in the difficult mornings after a long night out.
The biggest challenge More Labs faces is getting people to actually try their products.
Let’s take a look at their advertisement.
More Labs Advertisement #1
Here’s what the advertisement looks like before you press play on the video.
Good video advertisements always have a strong thumbnail, which More Labs does well.
The thumbnail showcases a woman hunched over a toilet the morning after a night of partying. Furthermore, the thumbnail is also split into two images to show the product line.
The main caption further emphasizes exactly who the product is for and what it does.
They also threw in a clever caption that says “Drinking this weekend?” for further relatability.
Let’s take a look at what the video showcases:
More Labs Advertisement – Intro
I’ve taken screenshots of each section of the video to better explain each part.
The video starts with a caption that says “our scientists got drunk for science” and shows a woman with a lab coat who’s dancing around and drinking.
This is an extremely humorous way of hooking their viewers’ attention and explaining how they made the product.
More Labs Advertisement – How to use
Then, the video explains how the product is used.
All you need to do is drink one bottle of their Morning Recovery while consuming alcohol to receive the benefits.
More Labs Advertisement – Benefit
Finally, the video showcases the main benefit as well as a risk-free offer.
By offering customers a refund if the product doesn’t work, More Labs can get more people to try the product.
More Labs offers a product that has a high potential customer lifetime value. People who benefit from the Morning Recovery drink will need to continue repurchasing it every time they drink.
Key Takeaway
Although More Labs’ product could be beneficial for many people, it may be difficult to get them to actually try it out.
The advertisement does a great job of fully explaining the benefits of the products in a relatable and casual tone.
7) Lumin
Lumin is a company that sells beauty and cosmetic products to men.
Although men’s beauty products weren’t very popular in the past, Lumin has led the wave of normalizing healthy skincare habits in men.
They accomplished this through well-made and relatable testimonial video advertisements.
Let’s take a look at one of their ads.
Lumin Advertisement #1
Lumin’s video ads typically consist of a compilation of testimonials from different men.
Even the caption showcases a customer review and how he was able to improve his skin using Lumin.
As you can see, the image touches on the fact that men’s skincare can be taboo and looked down on.
However, Lumin wants to explain it doesn’t have to be like that, and taking care of your skin can improve your overall quality of life.
As the video plays, it walks through a series of different clips with different men explaining Lumin and what the products do.
Lumin Advertisement – Intro
The video starts with someone explaining how much their skin changed after using Lumin.
Lumin Advertisement – Offer Explanation
Then, another guy explains how Lumin sent them a 3-step bundle.
Lumin Advertisement – Product Demonstration
Next, there’s another series of clips with people using the products on their faces.
Lumin Advertisement – Closer
The final part of the video shows the actual offer and how you can get all 3 products for free if you pay shipping.
Similar to More Labs, cosmetics brands usually have high customer lifetime values.
This is because skin products are used daily and need to be repurchased once they run out.
By offering a free starter set, individuals who actually like the product are more likely to keep coming back.
Key Takeaway
Lumin does a fantastic job of normalizing a taboo subject through video ads with compilations of testimonials. This shows how there are plenty of men who care about their skin and benefit from a good routine.
How to Create Better Ecommerce Ads
Now that you’ve seen the best examples of ecommerce ads on the internet, it’s time to get to work.
Here’s how I suggest you improve your ecommerce marketing efforts.
1) Test Everything
As an online marketer, testing is the most efficient way of finding what works best for your ecommerce store.
There are dozens of different ways you can test your online advertisements:
- Captions – Brand voice, humor, benefits, offers, product information
- Images – Shots, captions, offers, colors
- Videos – Sequences, shots, text, thumbnail
Once you’ve found an advertisement that converts extremely well, you can continue running it until it’s completely saturated. Then, you can spin off what worked before and create more based on the previous winner.
2) Focus On Your Unique Value Proposition
Focus on the reason why your ecommerce company stands out. Furthermore, focus on how you can best related to your target audience.
Conclusion
Well, there you have it!
The 7 best ecommerce ad examples to take inspiration from and improve your own marketing efforts.
Now it’s your turn: Which advertisement example spoke to you the most?
Did we forget any other amazing and captivating ads?
Either way, let us know by dropping a quick comment below.