Written by Nermae De Asis ● Last Updated on February 13, 2025
Many brands, big or small, use stickers for their marketing—and for a good reason. Aside from being cost-effective, these small promotional staples open a whole new world of marketing possibilities. From simple product labeling to decorative pieces that expand brand visibility, stickers are pretty versatile in what they can provide. Stickers can also be a source for creative marketing strategies, as demonstrated by these companies that have successfully used stickers to grow their business and fanbase.
In this article, we’ve listed the most popular ways brands have used stickers and labels in different stages of their marketing.
The popular social media forum began their promotions using stickers featuring their iconic alien logo. Their story shows how sticker marketing works and the importance of an iconic sticker design.
In 2005, Reddit's founders allocated their $500 advertising budget to print stickers featuring their distinctive alien logo.
They gave away these stickers for free at events, meetups, and public spaces, encouraging "sticker responsibly."
The first Reddit users started sharing photos of the stickers in various locations, and some even created fan art inspired by the alien mascot.
Apple
We cannot list the most popular companies that use stickers without including Apple. The tech giant has been using stickers as part of their promotions since the Apple II computer, and it's common for their customers to receive them as freebies whenever they buy the latest Mac or iPhone variant.
Though the stickers are meant for phone cases and the backs of laptops, they are also often stuck on cars, bags, chargers, and other products.
Most customers proudly display the stickers to show brand loyalty, as well as a status symbol.
Some customers also collect "colored variants" of the "bitten apple" sticker, representing the various periods of the brand's history.
GoPro
The go-to camera brand known for its wide-angle fish lens and outdoor/extreme target audience also uses custom-printed stickers for promotions and as freebies.
GoPro customers also receive stickers when purchasing their cameras, which encourages them to showcase their passion for adventure while promoting the brand.
GoPro stickers are also handed out during public events, and some customers collect designs that represent the camera brand's various products.
Fans can also request additional stickers via email, and GoPro delivers them directly to their address, making brand promotion effortless.
Le Cactus
The French restaurant Le Cactus' sticker campaign is a long-standing example of combining fun, creativity, and a cool sticker design to promote their meals.
In 2009, Le Cactus promoted their Spicy Wings as one of the country's hottest (literally) foods by putting car stickers of a man shouting while sticking his tongue out on taxis.
The stickers were strategically positioned over the brake lights, so every time the taxis brake, the man's tongue lights up, mimicking a burning sensation.
The stickers became one of the first viral marketing campaigns, and many customers visited the restaurant to try their spicy chicken.
In-N-Out Burger
For over 70 years, In-N-Out has built a loyal fan base, becoming a must-visit for locals and tourists at its select West Coast locations. And while word of mouth has strongly promoted the California-based restaurant for many years, they don't shy away from selling merch, including stickers.
Diners can usually request free In-N-Out stickers at any restaurant—no food purchase is necessary, and no questions are asked.
These stickers often feature the brand's palm tree and retro-inspired designs. These can be placed on car bumpers, laptops, and water bottles.
In-N-Out also offers these stickers online, reinforcing customer loyalty and keeping its brand visible daily, further solidifying its cult-like following.
Folgers Coffee
One of the usual effects of going viral is becoming an Internet meme. This is what happened to Folgers' sticker campaign.
In 2006, the coffee brand created an ad by placing a large sticker over a maintenance hole. The cleverly designed sticker covered the manhole cover while holes (shaped like coffee bubbles) were cut to let the steam out.
This resulted in a realistic image resembling a hot cup of coffee that people could pass by. The promotion was considered ingenious, and photos of the sticker were circulated online, making it viral.
People are still sharing the image more than a decade later as an online meme.
Glossier
Glossier became trendy among the youth by partnering their beauty products with creative packaging, creating a pleasant unboxing experience that customers love to share online.
Mastering the art of packaging designed for social media allowed them to also use other promotional items such as stickers that come with their products.
They also include "seasonal stickers," which are collectible and unique. Many avid fans still collect them, and they have become a commodity in their community.
The Glossier sticker designs have become so iconic that in 2024, the brand released T-shirts featuring the different sticker designs over the years.
Vans
By combining the vintage, casual design from the 1960s with modern marketing trends and youth-oriented appeal, Vans managed to keep a large target audience that will always admire everything marked by their iconic logo. This is likely why their sticker game is as big as it is despite handing them out for decades.
Unlike most stickers, which are displayed in cars and accessories, most Vans stickers are seen on people's skateboards and helmets, a testament to their reputation as one of the world's best surf and skate brands.
Vans' "off the wall" slogan also highlights the brand's authenticity. Most fans are familiar with the brand's logo design; they can immediately discern whether the product (or sticker) is genuine.
Cillit Bang
In an effort to showcase its cleaning prowess, the German household cleaning company Cillit Bang created one of the most popular sticker campaigns, which became widely collectible worldwide.
In 2008, Cillit Bang handed out half-cleaned 5-cent coins to supermarkets with their brand's stickers on one side. The storeowners handed these out to customers as changes.
People became intrigued with the coins' unique look, and at a certain point, the half-cleaned, half-dirty cents became collectible. It also boosted the brand’s revenue by over 300%.
While the brand only briefly ran the sticker promotion, it was still considered one of the best product promotion strategies.
Batman Begins
The first of the Dark Knight Trilogy films had its share of viral marketing tactics, which involved creative sticker placements.
In 2007, several sidewalk lights in Australia were adorned with Batman-shaped stickers to promote the launch of Batman Begins on TV2.
During the campaign, several of these lights flashed the Bat Signal at night, and many passersby saw how clever the marketing strategy was then.
Similar guerilla campaigns followed suit, with some avid Batman fans outfitting their flashlights with the Bat Symbol stickers to show support.
Pedigree
The popular dog food brand created a clever sticker campaign that impressed buyers and their pets.
Pedigree placed stickers resembling a dog food bowl in front of pet stores and supermarkets. The stickers were unique because they were treated with the essence of the brand's dog food.
Dogs near the stores would immediately run up to the stickers and start licking them, showing their owners that Pedigree was the brand to buy for their pets.
Using scented stickers and their strategic placement greatly helped the brand improve its sales during that period while making it trendy for animal lovers online.
Gillette
Gillette launched possibly one of the most memorable and widely shared sticker campaigns using tiny yet highly effective stickers.
The razor brand printed miniature stickers that looked like small, bloodstained tissue pieces and strategically placed them on posters, banners, and billboards featuring male models.
The stickers instantly transformed ordinary advertisements into realistic shaving mishaps, where men used tissue paper to stop bleeding from shaving cuts.
These stickers captured the attention of countless passersby and social media users, with many praising the marketing stunt for its creativity and efficiency.
Most brands see the value of custom stickers for growing their business and connecting with customers. While many use stickers as freebies to give away, others find clever ways to promote their products and services while also standing out.
Whether you’re looking to get your brand noticed, create an impactful message, or just give back to your fans, custom stickers are a surefire way to make a lasting positive impression. Start your viral sticker campaigns with 48HourPrint today and try your hand at impressing many people with a clever strategy.
