These top 10 ads from 2019 made the best use of mobile marketing

• 2019 was a good year for advertising in the mobile space.
• From Idea collaborating with Mallika Dua and creating an AR based campaign, to Flipkart using VR to leverage Amitabh Bachchan's brand presence, the year saw brands investing heavily on the mobile and interactive ads.
• As it expands further this year, mCanvas Ads compiled a list of the top 10 interactive ads from 2019 that have set precedent for the industry.

2019 – the year when brands stopped at nothing to engage users through creative storytelling. From prompting them to jump, blink, tilt and experience the ad in augmented and virtual reality, we’ve seen it all. Of the hundreds of campaigns we executed this year, here are the top 10 interactive mobile ads of 2019, as compiled by mCanvas:

1. Idea 4G - #IndiaKaLiveNetwork | Video Chat Bot
One of the biggest milestones in 2019 was the creation of a campaign that featured a first-of-its-kind Artificial Intelligence (AI) – led, interactive video chat bot for Idea 4G.

Using AI and Machine Learning, the ad campaign enabled users to speak to Idea’s brand ambassador and comedian, Mallika Dua, who advised them against wrongful behaviour.

2. Mercedes–Benz GLC | Voice Recognition Technolog
Premium car manufacturer, Mercedes–Benz, wanted to promote its most novel feature of the car – the Mercedes-Benz User Experience or MBUX, a smart multimedia system and in-car voice activated assistant.

Using speech recognition technology, the rich-media ad encouraged users to actively participate by asking the creative questions, that could also be asked to the MBUX in the car.

3. Flipkart – The Big Billion Days Sale | Virtual Reality
In keeping with the cultural traditions strongly upheld in India, Flipkart, the Indian e-commerce giant, promoted its yearly sale – The Big Billion Days Sale through an interactive ad that tied in the auspiciousness of the moon, with the theme ‘Deals Ka Chand’.

Utilising virtual reality (VR) and sound recognition technology, the creative prompted users to find the moon to reveal exciting offers from the sale. Further, the ad experience was extended to a microsite, which could also be shared on social platforms, and was directly promoted by Flipkart.

4. ASUS Zenbook Pro Duo | Real-Time Eye-Blink Detection
ASUS aimed to promote India’s first dual-screen laptop – the ASUS Zenbook Pro Duo, in a manner that would resonate well with users.

In line with the brand’s objective, the innovative mobile campaign used technology of tomorrow, to promote a product of tomorrow – the ASUS Zenbook Pro Duo.

Using eye-blink detection technology, the ad prompted users to blink to reveal the product. This experience was a first-of-its-kind in the rich-media industry, creating a user experience like no other.

5. Figaro – Women’s Day | Branded Sharable Selfie

Figaro’s campaign to celebrate women’s day was an absolute hit among the audience. The ad encouraged users to take a selfie, enabling them to be the face of the brand.

Thereafter, the brand gathered some of these selfies and shared a collage on their social media handles, wishing women a ‘Happy Women’s Day’. The experience was sharable, wherein women could also invite their friends to experience the creative.

6. Godrej Appliances – Go Green | Colour Recognition Technology
For World Environment Day, Godrej Appliances launched their ‘Go Green’ initiative with a mobile-led ad to promote their range of eco-friendly air conditioners (ACs).

The ad prompted users to scan and select green objects in an augmented reality (AR). Using colour recognition technology, the ad detected these objects and revealed the ACs that not only cool the users, but also efficaciously cools the planet.

7. L'Oréal Professionnel – Parisian Cool | Offline-to-Online Experience

L'Oréal’s offline-to-online marketing strategy set it apart from other mobile-based ads we’ve seen this year. To create buzz around its new hair colour trend Parisian Cool, L'Oréal unveiled a campaign that first cued users to scan a unique QR code placed across 3,000 L’Oréal Professionnel salons in the country.

Using their mobile phones, users could scan the code, which would direct them to the digital experience. Users were prompted to take a personality quiz on their mobile, based on which a hair colour was suggested.

8. Bajaj Allianz General Insurance | Real-time Weather API & Augmented Reality
Bajaj Allianz General Insurance unveiled a highly interactive mobile-led campaign to promote its insurance policies in light of the smog crisis that plagued northern India in late 2019.

Using real-time weather API and AR, the ad dynamically showcased the respective city’s name and Air Quality Index, before revealing the insurance cover. This experience in its entirety, elevated the user’s interaction with the ad, providing the brand’s insurance cover as a solution.

9. Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk Hazelnuts | Smarticle
Setting interactive ads aside, another aspect of building a strong brand reputation, is through storytelling. With the desire to create awareness about its newest addition to the Silk range – Turkish Hazelnuts, Cadbury, unveiled a storytelling – styled campaign on mobile.

Using mCanvas’ proprietary content solution – Smarticle, the campaign encouraged users to scroll down and press and hold on the article to highlight the history of the chocolate as an interactive story.

10. Bira 91 – ICC World Cup | Real-time API
Bira 91, one of the most popular beer brands in the country, also unveiled a dynamic ad to promote its six-pack beer during the largest cricketing event in the world - the ICC World Cup.

Using real-time API technology, when a super six was scored, the ad dynamically featured the current score, along with an animation of a ball being hit for 6 out of the stadium. Alternatively, when a perfect delivery was made, the ad creative prompted users to tilt their phone forward, to take a wicket.

2019 has been a good year for advertising in the mobile space. And we’re working towards making it bigger and better in 2020!