The best marketing campaigns of 2020: Part 1

The AA – Love that feeling?
While many brands created sentimental ads during the Covid-19 crisis, The Automobile Association provided us with some much-needed joy. In July, timed to coincide with Boris’ announcement that the nation would be coming out of the first lockdown, it introduced a new mascot – Tukker the puppet dog who reminded drivers, and pedestrians alike, of the feeling of freedom.

Created by adam&eveDDB, the ad sees Tukker reminisce on the joys of driving in his bright yellow living room, playing a song on his record player and setting up a fan to recreate the experience.

The campaign launched on social media and achieved the highest engagement of any campaign AA has run on the platform to-date. It also led to a 74% increase in positive engagement versus previous work and was the most effective brand campaign it has launched based on short-term new business sales appealing to target audiences (28% more effective than the previous brand campaign).

As an extension of the campaign, it also launched drive-in cinema events across the UK. These screenings helped to generate positive sentiment around the brand, with 96% of attendees saying they would recommend it to a friend. MF