The ad campaigns in the NYC subways are my superbowl commercials.
As I complete the often mundane task of traveling to my next destination, my eyes are inevitably drawn to the colorful images and quick quips that populate the world around me. Unlike ads in other mediums, subway riders like myself cannot simply “click away” from or fast forward through these vibrant rectangles secured to the walls of our trains.
I’ve chosen to embrace them. I have an unofficial ranking in my head of my favorite campaigns I’ve seen over the six years I’ve lived in NYC. I get excited when a new one pops up. I’ve been known to chuckle aloud, shake my head in disapproval, and even send a photo to the group chat if I’m particularly tickled by a certain slogan.
In 2023, the MTA generated a whopping $77 million from advertisers. It’s no wonder. 3.2 million New Yorkers ride the subway each day, giving advertisers the opportunity to cast their nets wide and reach a large, diverse audience. Plus, it’s not uncommon for a rider’s photo of—or commentary on—a subway campaign to go viral.
Here are four lessons marketers can learn from the ads that entertain us on our daily commutes:
1. Eliminate the fluff.
NYC’s subway advertisers have become skilled at telling rich, complete stories in tiny little rectangles. They only have a small amount of space to work with, so it’s important to get every detail of the campaign right.
Learning how to edit down your ideas and get to the heart of your message fast is a difficult skill to master, but once you do, it can take you far. The key is to ensure that each element of your messaging serves a clear purpose. Scour your copy for unnecessary exposition, repetition, and tangents. Eliminate what’s extraneous, and keep only the meaningful words.
This is a practice that can be applied not just to short pieces of copy, like social posts and emails, but also when writing longer pieces like blog posts, whitepapers, and e-books. Keeping your messaging clear, meaningful, and free of fluff helps you earn the trust of your audience and keep them engaged, no matter how much space you have.
2. Use your words.
The chaos of a New York City commute can make it difficult to grab passengers’ attention—just ask anyone trying to exit a crowded train. But while many advertisers look to vibrant visuals to turn the heads of commuters, oftentimes it’s a campaign’s slogan that packs the biggest punch.
The power of a gripping headline, a clever catchphrase, or a glowing customer quote should never be overlooked. Take the “Lucas uses Venmo” campaign of 2014, a series of ads from Venmo that featured pictures of a random man named Lucas accompanied by text like “Lucas gives gifts” and “Lucas loves his friends.” The ads left readers wanting to know more—namely, who Lucas was (apparently a software engineer at Venmo at the time) and led to an influx of new app users.
3. Define what values your company stands for—and then let people know.
Some of the most successful subway ad campaigns in recent memory have been ones that made social statements. Dove caused a stir when, just ahead of New York Fashion Week, it plastered the subways with images of women’s bare armpits. Dove has always been vocal about its mission to redefine and expand the world’s definition of “beauty” and its #FreeThePits campaign was right in line with that message.
Dove’s campaign encouraged women to stop being self-conscious about their underarms. Its bold conversation with the fashion industry—an institution that typically promotes traditional beauty standards—garnered praise from viewers.
Creating materials that take a stand and show the world your company’s values isn’t just a great way to put your integrity into action, it’s also great for business. 61% of customers across the world tend to buy from brands whose personal values align with their own. So go ahead and put those values into action in your next campaign—you might just make a difference and gain customer loyalty along the way.
4. Don’t be afraid to take a risk.
When creating an NYC subway ad, oftentimes you have to go bold to cut through the noise and command attention. Taking a risk may sound scary, but it can have a huge payoff. Take, for example, OKCupid’s “Every Single Person” campaign, a series of ads that championed inclusivity with features of app users from a wide spectrum of identities and dating preferences.
By publicly featuring less mainstream dating preferences—like polyamory—and touching on a hot button, politically divisive issue at the time (the COVID-19 vaccination), OKCupid knew they might ruffle some feathers. And they certainly did. People took to social media to express their disapproval and a woman was even filmed ripping the ads down.
But despite facing some pushback from some, the campaign resonated with a lot of people. According to the company’s blog, the message of inclusivity led to an influx of new, diverse app users. It goes to show that sometimes taking a risk pays off.
Ready to start your commute to copywriting success?
MarketSmiths writes humanized copy across a wide range of industries. We also run Content Catalyst, a cross-departmental content solution designed to help companies unify their brand voice while maximizing ROI. Contact the MarketSmiths team to get started.
