Ads Review - Vans Lifestyle Product Photo Carousels
Welcome back to the ads review, where I break down the best ads I find on the internet. This week we’re checking out Vans’ lifestyle product photo carousel ads. These are interesting because they simultaneously achieve brand and performance in their approach and strategy. I’ll break down why these work, and share a few ideas to make them better.
Why these work
They push brand
These photos display the eclectic, real nature of Vans’ brand. These aren’t studio shots–they tell a story. In the first carousel, you can see music equipment on the ground, dirty tile, an interesting rug, classic camera equipment. Whether or not you find these scenes familiar, the perspective here is undeniable. Vans isn’t making shoes for everyone–they’re making shoes for artists, for musicians, for skaters. Since Vans is a household name in the shoe space, they have earned the right to show a strong perspective, and they stick with it. I explored Nike’s approach a few weeks ago, which was basically all product and no brand. Vans sticks with their brand, and they have a dedicated customer base because of it.
They push product
The undeniable focus of these carousels is the shoes. These ads struck me because even in the midst of a strong brand perspective, the product is still the focal point. I mention this virtually every time I do an Ads Review: showing customers your product and getting them familiar with it is a great strategy for your ad spend. You can spend unlimited money on brand advertising, but you need product-focused performance ads to make sales. I’m simply impressed that these ads do both at the same time. Most businesses have separate campaigns for each.
Ideas for improvement
My only idea for improvement is to include more photos in each carousel. You can include up to 10 photos in a carousel ad, and I think including more brand-focused shots at the end of the carousel would be a good move. By starting out with the product photos at the front, Vans can be sure that even casual scrollers will glance at their product. Then, those who want to swipe on the carousel are rewarded with a deeper storyline and more compelling brand images.
Thanks for checking out this post. If you’re interested in reading more ads reviews for brands like Nike, MVMT, VRBO, and more, click here. Have a great day!
