Advertisement is a way to manipulate minds in order to like ones goods or services but many people often associate advertisement negatively with mind manipulation of the masses for the purpose of benefitting their business. But sometimes, you can notice that some advertisers use advertisement for some noble causes as well.

Issues that deal with social causes and that are closer to home and to our hearts. These are the advertisements that raise awareness to social issue, for instance issues related to health, public safety and the society as a whole.

Keeping this in mind, we thought to compile a post on ads that create and raise public awareness in a way that make you think on the topic twice. We hope that you will like this collection and find these advertisements thought provoking. Enjoy!

1. Bund: Grey Seal

This creative public awareness advertisement meant to encourage us to help them save grey seals that die every minute.

2. CVV (Suicide Prevention Center): Sadness, Girl

This advertisement was for CVV (Suicide Prevention Center) whose mission is to transform sadness into hope.

3. Endangered Wildlife Trust: Lighter

This creative ad shows the consequences of human action that they throw everything in the sea.

4. Fur Free: Angry fox, 2

There is a terrible representation of a social issue in order to create public awareness. Very well executed.

5. Samusocial: Asphaltisation, 2

With extremely powerful visuals and a strong punch line the ad says it all.

6. WWF: Elephant

The advertising company features excellent illustration work in this ad encouraging people to help wildlife.

7. Big Flix Movie Rental: Spiderman

This advertisement was for creating awareness against the use of pirated DVDs.

8. TreeHouse: Table

This ad portrays a very nice concept with excellent execution that the longer a child with autism goes without help, the harder they are to reach.

9. APAV – Portuguese Association for Victim Support: Woman

Very strong campaign and strong concept. The way they managed to subtly change the “expected” image is simply amazing.

10. Ondazul: Tyre

Another public awareness advertisement demonstrating that we should be aware of the consequences of our actions.

11. ENPA: Puppy

This public awareness ad was created to make us think that we should help to cure the victims of cosmetic tests.

12. Ondazul: TV

This is an eco-friendly public awareness advertisement encouraging people to foresee the consequences of their actions.

13. WWF river pollution: Dissolvent

This creative ad creates awareness to a serious social issues that many of us throw cans of soda in the water that can pollute millions of liters of water.

14. Mothers Against Drink Driving / KIA: Granny

With this public awareness advertisement, it is evident that consequences of driving while drunk will always stay with you. So, do not drive if you drink.

15. Portuguese Sleep Association: Accident, Man

Another advertisement creating awareness that one should drive a car only when he is fit for it. Tired people often fall asleep inviting accidents.

16. People with disabilities foundation: Panda Bear

The message of this advertisement is that people with disabilities are not so hot in the news as panda bears, but they also need your help. Fundación Par. Equal ability, equal opportunity.

17. WWF: Blood

This is a pretty seriously effective public awareness advertisement. The red is a bit too bright but conveys the message.

18. Red Cross: Chernobil, 2

This creative advertisement calls for help for those who are affected by the disaster in Chernobyl.

19. Talk them dead, House-wife

Simple but extremely effective and powerful advertisement encouraging house wives not to talk to their husbands while they are driving.

20. SASP: Lobster

The tagline for this creative ad says ‘For those who have nothing, anything can seem a lot’.

21. Victorian State Government: Pokie machine

Another creative ad pointing to a serious social issue that gambling affects on social life.

22. WWF Bluefin Tuna overfishing: Panda

This is a striking campaign and brilliant idea and very well executed. It shows an actually insightful perception of the problem behind the problem

23. Toolbox

The tagline contradicts the visual because it shows the workers as tools. The whole point of the campaign is that the workers are the tools itself. And they don’t even have the money to buy coffee.

24. ONG Conservação Internacional: Lipstick, Jaguar

This creative public awareness advertisement was created for ONG Conservação Internacional, and it conveys the message right.

25. Friends of the Earth: Polar bear

Though I still feel that polar bears have been run into the ground, this is appropriately gross and twisted. Good job.

26. Schizophrenia awareness: Mirror

This ad was created to create awareness about a disease named Schizophrenia that it can be cured.

27. Agbar: Desert

This advertisement calls for some serious steps that should be taken to save water.

28. Surfrider Foundation Australia: Oil Spill

The tagline with this creative public awareness ad says everything, and it is ‘Our oceans aren’t the only ones in danger. Make a difference.’

29. Missing Children: Tree

This creative advertisement demonstrates effective use of graphics although it lacks call for action.

30. SPCA: It’s time to neuter your dog, 1

Another creative and brilliantly executed public awareness ad that asks you to neuter your dog.

31. Patronato Santo Antonio: Dog

This ad calls for an action to take care of the kids that live on street. It is very hard for them to survive.

32. WWF Desertification: Parrots

You will definitely like the art, style and execution is also well done. The series works well.

33. Samu Social: Graves, 1

Here again a very strong and brilliant concept is presented with a powerful tagline.

34. Community For The Elderly: Hangman’s noose

It’s very simple idea and the photo completely explains what it is about.

35. WWF: Lungs

This is another eco-friendly creative advertisement encouraging people before it is too late.

36. Adesf Smoking Awareness: Kitchen

With this ad, the company tries to create awareness about side effects of smoking.

37. A Roof For My Country: Peru

Creating public awareness with this creative and brilliant advertisement, and asking for help.

38. Tck Tck Tck: Sky

Good concept bringing an important problem to our notice and also a call for action to stop this.

39. Dublin City Council Anti-Littering Campaign: Butts Are Litter Too

The ad says that Cigarette butts make up almost half of Dublin’s litter, and it is brilliantly executed with powerful visuals.

40. WWF Desertification: Elephant

Nice visuals on this one showing that desertification destroys 6.000 species every year which is a serious problem.

41. Fundacion Padre Hurtado: Drunk

This creative ad is so sophisticated and communicative at the same time, and conveys the message quite intelligently.

42. Save the Neglected

This ad was created to encourage people help neglected animals leave their old lives behind.

43. Toronto Crime Stoppers: Hoodie

Your tips let other people recognize criminals easily. This is the concept of this advertisement.

44. Sea Shepherd: Harpoon, Bear

The completely sensational and fictitious scenario portraying creatures suffering that is then stamped with the Sea Shepherd logo.

45. ACT (Alliance Against Tobacco): Office

Another brilliant execution of a strong concept about smoking. Good job.

46. Parkinson Society Canada: Chair

Good line, good visual saying that everything becomes too hard when your body turns against you.