Calm’s Silence Speaks Volumes

The average person absorbs thousands of ads in a single day.

From social media feeds to pop ups to billboards and flyers, ads show up in most parts of life.

Calm, a mental health and wellness app, saw an opportunity to break through today’s ad-overload.

During the 2024 election season when advertising clutter was at an all-time high, Calm bought 30 seconds of airtime for an ad with 

simple creative direction: Pure silence.

The advertisement made no attempt to sell anything to the viewer, instead providing a calming and serene experience. An experience that reflects the value prop of the Calm app.

Saying Nothing Said Everything

Many companies would have utilized that ad space to tout benefits or share customer testimonials. Not Calm. The choice to subvert traditional tactics in an overwhelmingly noisy advertising climate emphasized the brand’s focus on mental health more than any catchy copy.

Calm isn’t the first brand to turn advertising expectations into a memorable campaign.

Angel Soft had a similar take during the 2025 Super Bowl with its “Potty-tunity” advertisement. The advertisement provided a 30-second break from the action for viewers to use the bathroom.

While different in focus, the two advertisements put emphasis on the same thing: the experience. Both advertisements allowed the viewer to engage in a shared experience that aligned with the brand’s voice, forging a deeper connection without relying on messaging or conventional marketing tools.