Print advertising is an extremely powerful marketing tool. Aware of this, ad agencies are constantly pushing creative boundaries in order to reach their target audience. Here are five of our favourite print ads released this month...

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01. SANCCOB

Inspired by the artwork of Dutch graphic artist M.C. Escher, two of the designs feature clever optical illusions

A species in rapid decline, the African penguin needs help. South African advertising agency Bittersuite and SANCOOB, a non-profit organisation that aims to protect threatened seabirds, recently developed this innovative series of print ads to raise awareness of the penguin's critical situation.

Inspired by the artwork of Dutch graphic artist M.C. Escher, two of the designs feature clever optical illusions to draw the viewer in for a closer look and get their message across. The third draws inspiration from optometrists’ eye charts, featuring a timeline of different sized penguins to show the decline in the species.

02. Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF)

The cartoon-style characters and graphics maintain a fun, tongue-in-cheek element

Ad agency McMillan encourage animation lovers to rediscover the child inside with this new print ad campaign promoting the Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF).

Each of the five designs features a gorgeous illustration and the tagline 'Get in touch with your inner child'. Some of the drawings contain mature content but the cartoon-style characters and graphics maintain a fun, tongue-in-cheek element to the campaign.

03. DDB&Co. Istanbul

Is this campaign a joke too far?

Suffering from a speech disorder is no laughing matter. However, advertising agency DDB&Co. Istanbul has attempted to see the lighter side of such conditions with this new print ad campaign for Kekemelodi stuttering therapy classes.

Three colourful posters use simple graphics to depict a potentially embarrasing situation for someone who suffers with a stutter. For example, being stuck on the first syllable of 'poodle' would ultimately result in a sufferer repeating the word 'poo'.

The concept is a clever one, but it's likely some may be offended. What do you think - acceptable use of humour or a joke too far?

04. The Potting Shed

This print ad uses just two lengths of thread and some pins

Adverts for wealth management companies often show dull stock images of businessmen standing about. But these adverts for Jersey-based firm Affinity Wealth Management are a world apart.

Created by design agency The Potting Shed, each of these beautiful and elegant images was designed by the group and then created by junior designer Sam Falla using just two lengths of thread and some pins. The beauty of the concept lies in its simplicity particularly in its choice of two colours and a set of simple images.

05. Nike - Art of Woven

We Are Golden team ensured the main selling point - the woven material

The team at Leeds-based creative agency We Are Golden are the brains behind this striking new print ad campaign for Nike and its woven trainers. Featuring minimal text and simple trainer illustrations, the We Are Golden team ensured the main selling point - the woven material - wouldn't go unnoticed with it providing the brightly coloured, textured backdrop for each print.