Advertising isn’t just about catchy slogans and flashy visuals—it’s also about the language you use.
Idioms bring flavor, familiarity, and emotional punch to your message, making your ads more relatable and memorable.
1. Grab someone’s attention
Meaning: To make someone notice something immediately.
Usage:
That bold headline really grabs attention on the homepage.
We used humor in the ad to grab people’s attention on social media.
2. Stop someone in their tracks
Meaning: To make someone suddenly pause, usually due to surprise or interest.
Usage:
The stunning image stopped me in my tracks while scrolling.
Our new storefront design is made to stop customers in their tracks.
3. Turn heads
Meaning: To attract attention because something is striking or impressive.
Usage:
The new packaging is sleek and sure to turn heads.
Their commercial really turned heads during the Super Bowl ad break.
4. Eye candy
Meaning: Visually attractive content or design.
Usage:
That Instagram reel is pure eye candy—bright colors and smooth transitions.
We want the homepage to be eye candy for new visitors.
5. Jump off the page
Meaning: To appear very noticeable and appealing.
Usage:
The bold text and icons jumped off the page in the magazine ad.
Use colors that make your call-to-action jump off the page.
6. Make waves
Meaning: To get a lot of attention or cause a strong reaction.
Usage:
Their eco-friendly campaign is making waves in the beauty industry.
The product launch made waves across online communities.
7. Catch fire
Meaning: To suddenly become very popular or successful.
Usage:
Our limited-edition sneakers caught fire within days of launch.
That TikTok challenge we started has really caught fire.
8. Steal the spotlight
Meaning: To attract more attention than anything else.
Usage:
The influencer’s unboxing video stole the spotlight from all other ads.
Our quirky mascot completely stole the spotlight during the campaign.
9. All eyes on you
Meaning: When everyone is watching or paying attention.
Usage:
During the brand reveal, it was all eyes on us.
Make sure your message is clear when it’s all eyes on you.
10. Make a splash
Meaning: To have a noticeable and exciting impact.
Usage:
The company made a splash at the trade show with its live demo.
Their ad campaign made a splash during the holiday season.
11. Think outside the box
Meaning: Be creative and come up with unconventional ideas.
Usage:
We need to think outside the box to stand out in a saturated market.
The viral jingle was a result of the team thinking outside the box.
12. Off the beaten path
Meaning: Unusual or not commonly done.
Usage:
The ad campaign took an off-the-beaten-path approach with experimental visuals.
Their quirky packaging is definitely off the beaten path, and it’s working.
13. Break the mold
Meaning: To do something in a completely new or different way.
Usage:
The minimalist branding totally breaks the mold in the snack industry.
That influencer collab really broke the mold for skincare advertising.
14. Push the envelope
Meaning: Go beyond normal limits or expectations.
Usage:
That commercial pushed the envelope with its edgy humor.
Apple continues to push the envelope in user experience design.
15. A lightbulb moment
Meaning: A sudden realization or great idea.
Usage:
We had a lightbulb moment during the brainstorm—free shipping for first-time buyers!
His lightbulb moment led to the best campaign we’ve ever run.
16. On the cutting edge
Meaning: At the forefront of innovation or progress.
Usage:
Our AR-powered product preview puts us on the cutting edge.
They’re known for staying on the cutting edge of fashion tech.
17. Ahead of the curve
Meaning: More advanced or innovative than others.
Usage:
This AI-driven chatbot puts them ahead of the curve in customer service.
Their brand was ahead of the curve in using sustainability as a selling point.
18. Go against the grain
Meaning: Do things differently from what’s expected.
Usage:
Their ad goes against the grain by avoiding typical sales language.
She went against the grain with a silent video ad—and it paid off.
19. Reinvent the wheel
Meaning: Create something entirely new when there’s already a good version.
Usage:
Instead of reinventing the wheel, we updated the existing template.
You don’t need to reinvent the wheel—just rebrand it creatively.
20. Think on your feet
Meaning: React quickly and intelligently in changing situations.
Usage:
During the live Q&A, the brand rep had to think on her feet.
When the ad platform glitched, our team thought on their feet and launched Plan B.
21. Seal the deal
Meaning: To successfully complete a transaction or agreement.
Usage:
The free trial offer helped us seal the deal with hesitant buyers.
His pitch was so convincing it sealed the deal in just one meeting.
22. The hard sell
Meaning: An aggressive and forceful sales approach.
Usage:
Customers are tired of the hard sell—they want real value.
That ad felt too pushy—it came across as a hard sell.
23. The soft sell
Meaning: A subtle, non-aggressive way of persuading someone to buy.
Usage:
The influencer’s storytelling approach was a perfect soft sell.
We’re shifting to a soft sell strategy that focuses on building trust.
24. Sweeten the deal
Meaning: Add something extra to make an offer more attractive.
Usage:
To sweeten the deal, we offered a 10% discount and free shipping.
The brand sweetened the deal with a bonus gift for early buyers.
25. Pulling out all the stops
Meaning: Using every available resource or effort to succeed.
Usage:
For Black Friday, they’re pulling out all the stops—ads, influencers, and giveaways.
We pulled out all the stops for the product launch event.
26. Pull the trigger
Meaning: To make a final decision or complete a purchase.
Usage:
I was browsing for weeks, then finally pulled the trigger on that laptop.
We added urgency to encourage customers to pull the trigger quickly.
27. Hit the nail on the head
Meaning: Say or do exactly the right thing.
Usage:
Their campaign hit the nail on the head with Gen Z shoppers.
That tagline hit the nail on the head—simple, emotional, and clear.
28. Drive the point home
Meaning: To emphasize something clearly and strongly.
Usage:
We used customer testimonials to drive the point home about quality.
That visual really drives the point home about saving time.
29. Call the shots
Meaning: Be in control or make the decisions.
Usage:
The marketing director calls the shots on all major ad campaigns.
The client wanted full creative control—they’re calling the shots.
30. Under the radar
Meaning: Not widely noticed or promoted; low profile.
Usage:
The campaign launched under the radar, but quickly went viral.
They’ve been growing steadily under the radar with micro-targeting.
31. Word of mouth
Meaning: Free advertising through people talking about a product or service.
Usage:
Their coffee shop relies heavily on word of mouth for new customers.
Positive word of mouth helped the indie brand grow without big ads.
32. In a nutshell
Meaning: To summarize something briefly and clearly.
Usage:
In a nutshell, this ad says: “We’re faster and cheaper than the rest.”
The billboard explained their value in a nutshell—short and powerful.
33. Cut through the noise
Meaning: To stand out in a cluttered or crowded market.
Usage:
Bold visuals help your message cut through the noise.
We need a catchy hook that can cut through the noise on social media.
34. Hit the ground running
Meaning: Start something immediately and energetically.
Usage:
Our launch team hit the ground running on day one.
She hit the ground running with a full week of ads and promotions.
35. Raise the bar
Meaning: To set a new, higher standard.
Usage:
Their latest campaign really raised the bar for online retailers.
We want this product video to raise the bar in our industry.
36. Play your cards right
Meaning: Use your resources or strategy well to succeed.
Usage:
If we play our cards right, this collab could double our reach.
He played his cards right and landed the biggest ad client of the year.
37. Blow out of the water
Meaning: To completely surpass or defeat the competition.
Usage:
Their new ad blew the competition out of the water.
That discount strategy blew last year’s numbers out of the water.
38. Build buzz
Meaning: Generate excitement or anticipation around a product or event.
Usage:
They used teaser videos to build buzz before the launch.
The surprise giveaway built serious buzz on social platforms.
39. On brand
Meaning: Consistent with a company’s image, voice, and values.
Usage:
That cheeky tone is totally on brand for them.
The new logo update is clean, bold, and on brand.
40. In the spotlight
Meaning: To be the center of public attention.
Usage:
The new spokesperson is in the spotlight after that viral ad.
The campaign put the small business in the national spotlight.
41. Go viral
Meaning: Spread rapidly and widely online.
Usage:
Their funny TikTok ad went viral overnight.
We’re hoping this behind-the-scenes clip goes viral like the last one.
42. On the same page
Meaning: In agreement or understanding about something.
Usage:
Before we launch, we need to make sure the marketing team is on the same page.
The client and agency weren’t on the same page, which delayed the campaign.
43. Make a splash
Meaning: Attract a lot of attention, usually in a positive way.
Usage:
Their bold rebranding made a splash at the trade show.
We want our Super Bowl ad to make a splash and trend online.
44. Hit or miss
Meaning: Unpredictable in quality or results.
Usage:
Influencer marketing can be a hit or miss if not well-targeted.
Their email campaigns are kind of hit or miss lately.
45. In full swing
Meaning: Operating at full capacity or peak activity.
Usage:
The holiday ad season is in full swing across all platforms.
Our campaign is in full swing—traffic and sales are climbing daily.
46. Flash in the pan
Meaning: Something that shows early promise but quickly fades.
Usage:
That trendy product felt like a flash in the pan—everyone forgot it in weeks.
We don’t want our campaign to be just a flash in the pan.
47. Talk the talk
Meaning: Use impressive language or marketing speak.
Usage:
They sure talk the talk, but can their product deliver?
He knows how to talk the talk when it comes to branding.
48. Walk the walk
Meaning: Deliver on promises or back up words with action.
Usage:
Their eco-campaign walks the walk with real sustainable packaging.
It’s one thing to promise quality—you have to walk the walk.
49. Jump on the bandwagon
Meaning: Join or follow a trend that is becoming popular.
Usage:
Many brands are jumping on the AI bandwagon this year.
They jumped on the bandwagon with influencer reels—just like everyone else.
50. Get the word out
Meaning: Promote or inform people about something.
Usage:
We’re using SMS and social ads to get the word out about our grand opening.
The press release helped get the word out to local media.
51. Back to the drawing board
Meaning: Start over because something didn’t work.
Usage:
The concept didn’t test well—we’re back to the drawing board.
When sales didn’t improve, the team went back to the drawing board to rethink the strategy.
