Last updated June 2026
Looking for real examples of marketing that made headlines — for better or worse? This growing collection of marketing case studies breaks down iconic campaigns, clever strategies, and even the occasional brand blunder. Each case digs into what happened, how the public reacted, and the lessons modern marketers can apply today.
Whether you’re a strategist, content creator, or curious observer, these stories offer practical insights into what makes marketing succeed or fall flat.
Click any column header to sort the table, then click it again to reverse the order.
| Company | Topic | Date | Case Study Studied |
| 3M | Innovation | 1968 | The Post-it Note |
| 7-Up | Positioning | 1968 | The Uncola Campaign |
| ALS | Social Media | 2014 | The Ice Bucket Challenge |
| Amazon | Personalization | 1998 | The Amazon Recommendation Engine |
| Apple | Positioning | 2006 | The Get a Mac Campaign |
| Apple | Product Launch | 2007 | The iPhone Launch |
| Blockbuster | Strategy | 2010 | The Missed Blockbuster |
| BMW | Search Engine Optimization (SEO) | 2006 | The SEO Google Ban |
| Caesars | Personalization | 1997 | The Loyalty Jackpot |
| California Milk Processor Board | Branding | 1993 | The Got Milk? Campaign |
| Coca Cola | Branding | 1985 | The New Coke Branding Misstep |
| Coca-Cola vs PepsiCo | Strategy Comparison | 2025 | Revenue vs Margin Business Models NEW |
| Dollar Shave Club | Branding | 2012 | The Viral Razor Subscription Launch NEW |
| eBay | Search Engine Optimization (SEO) | 2013 | The eBay Ad Spend Experiment |
| Excite | Acquisition | 1999 | The Opportunity to Buy Google for $750K |
| Johnson & Johnson | Crisis Management | 1982 | The Tylenol Cyanide Recall |
| Lego | Branding | 2004 | The Brick Revival |
| McDonald’s | Jobs To Be Done | 1997 | The Milkshake |
| NASA | Data Ethics | 1986 | The Challenger O-Ring Data Failure |
| Nordstrom | Customer Satisfaction | 1975 | The Tire Return |
| OpenAI | Strategy | 2023 | The ChatGPT Revenue Pivot |
| Oreo | Newsjacking | 2013 | The Dunk in the Dark Moment |
| Spotify | Personalization | 2016 | The Wrapped Phenomenon |
| Starbucks | Customer Feedback | 2008 | The My Starbucks Idea |
| Target | Personalization | 2012 | The Pregnant Teenager |
| Toys “R” Us | Partnership | 2000 | The Amazon Mistake |
| United Airlines | Customer Satisfaction | 2017 | The Passenger Dragging Incident |
| USDA Forest Service | Public Service Advertising | 1944 | The Smokey Bear Fire Message |
| Van Halen | Strategy | 1980 | The No Brown M&M’s Clause |
| Volkswagon | Dishonesty | 2015 | The Clean Diesel Scandal |
| X (formerly Twitter) | Strategy | 2022 | The Twitter Takeover |
| Xerox | Strategy | 1979 | The GUI That Changed Computing |