One of the best parts of print advertising is thinking of new concepts and ideas. The fun part of a print ad is that you get a lot more space to play with compared to an online advert, and a little more room to be creative.

Some of the biggest brands in the world invest heavily in creating funny, shocking, influential and artistic print ads in order to keep them in the consciousness of their target market, resulting in some amazing examples of graphic design at its finest.

Here are 10 absolutely brilliant print ads for some graphic design inspiration (click to see the full version of each):

McDonalds – “Make Billy our problem”

This ad from McDonalds for their children’s birthday party service captures every parent’s attention. The little monster that shows up at your kid’s birthday party doesn’t need to cause you any stress if you go to McDonalds, because you don’t need to clear up after. The brilliant character creation has a lasting effect and makes sure you don’t flick the page without noticing.

Harvey Nichols – “Customers who bought this…”

With a superbly subtle design, this ad for Harvey Nichols Dubai plays on the recommendations you see when shopping online, suggesting that if you wear the jacket, you’ll get plenty of female attention. The luxury shopping giant produced a whole range of these aimed at both men and women to promote their latest fashions. This one also works well as the layout of the ad automatically takes the eye through to the brand name.

Scrabble – “The surprising power of words”

A personal favourite of mine, this excellently demonstrates the principles of Scrabble by showing how the word “squirrel” is more valauable than the word “fox”. With the dramatic yet fun imagery, we get the message instantly and it’s almost impossible to ignore.

Lego – “Tank”

This is probably one of the best print ads I’ve ever seen. Everyone knows Lego and what you do with those little plastic bricks, and this ad seeks to remind people of the fun they had playing with it. Playing on the idea that a Lego brick can be anything with a little imagination, the ad says it all with no words, call to action or any information whatsoever. Genius.

Brucciani’s – “Free WI-FI”

Simple and effective. This ad for Leicester based café Brucciani’s is a master class in subtlety. It gets straight to the point and is memorable, ticking all the boxes of what a print ad is meant to do.

Thai Health “Sleepiness is stronger than you”

This ad aims to raise awareness of the dangers of driving whilst tired and does a great job of it. The idea here is that when this eye closes, the car and the bike will collide, showing the consequences of falling asleep at the wheel. The ad works well with the extreme close-up shot of the eye, making it feel personal.

FedEx – “USA-Brazil”

This ad is another example of the power of simplicity. Using a clever photograph, the ad suggests how FedEx can easily connect your parcels across continents. The use of the real people here is also right on-brand with FedEx, who love to show that they are a friendly, people-driven company.

Band-Aid – “Hulk”

Another ad that needs no words to convey its message. The big green arm of the Incredible Hulk is instantly recognisable, suggesting that even the toughest guys need help sometimes, and this brand of plasters can withstand the toughest demands.

National Geographic – “Dogs have issues too”

This hilarious print ad for National Geographic’s The Dog Whisperer brilliantly plays on the idea of that dogs can become emotionally scarred, and subsequently lead them to become misbehaved – turning the show’s format on its head for a moment. Funny and memorable, this definitely helps promote the channel’s flagship show. Tsst!

Swiss Life – “Twists and turns”

Financial services can be a difficult sell, which is why this range of print ads from Swiss Life is so refreshing. Totally copy driven, the ad tells us how quickly people can change their minds and warns of the potential financial consequences.

Of course, this list is a mere drop in the ocean of fantastic print ads. What are your favourites? What do you think makes a good print ad? Let us know in the comments below.