The following is part of our Transform 2022 series, check out our blog for additional learnings from this event.
As we continue to uncover, create, and imagine new ways to help our clients connect with the audiences that matter most, we seek inspiration from those at the forefront of crafting solutions for advertisers. As we enter planning season, we hosted a two-day virtual summit in which we invited some of our leading media partners to present us with ideas, inspiration, and insight to the future of advertising–Transform 2022.
While two full days on Zoom wasn’t the initial intent–our team of planners, activation specialists, and analytics experts, engaged with these partners to collaborate on new solutions for our clients and sought out ways to transform our work as the world around us transforms at an unprecedented pace.
There are numerous follow-ups and client-specific conversations that have been spurred from our time together during Transform 2022, and this blog series represents a distillation of the major themes that will act as the driving force in our planning efforts next year and beyond. These themes broadly apply to a multitude of channels, objectives, and audiences and we’re excited to share them with you.
Transform 2022 Key Insight: Relevancy
The more relevant an ad feels, the less it feels like an ad. In this media environment where transparency and privacy are growing concerns for consumers, the more aware they are that they’re being served an ad–especially one that feels incongruent with their lifestyle–the less likely they’ll click, sign up, or perform the desired outcome. This is why relevancy is even more important going forward.
The reality is clear: a majority of consumers will never understand the intricacy of advertising targeting solutions. But what’s also clear is that they will demand privacy and transparency as a basic right within online channels now and in the future. While there are ample efforts underway in the advertising industry to address these issues, one overlooked area is relevancy–specifically the relevancy generated from media strategies and placements aligning to messaging. While targeting parameters have been providing advertisers with pinpointed reach to refined, niche audiences, the messages that are served to these audiences generally have a one-size-fits-most approach. Furthermore, the channels themselves are unique–what works in one space is not transferable to other platforms.
As a results-driven agency, our focus is on the ability for our media recommendation to deliver–not an impression, a click, or even a website action–but ultimately deliver business results. The alignment of creative messaging and media placements is not a new concept but is seldom done with the type of care required in the data-rich targeting environment of today. Driving relevancy reduces a consumer’s weariness to privacy and transparency challenges–it blends form and function, creating utility in the form of advertising.
“The connection between creative and media is undeniable and urgent. You can no longer just create ‘ads’ and be truly successful on these platforms.”– Joelle Freeman, Integrated Planning Director
When it comes to relevancy, regardless how well executed creatively a piece of advertising is, if the message has nothing to do with you, you can’t help but disengage. And in a business of split-second impressions, the more a user is thinking about the ad’s message instead of thinking “this is an ad,” the more successful the campaign will likely be.
