The Realise approach to...
Losing the popularity contest
Consumers do not trust advertising.Messages attributed to a commercial source have much lower credibility and much lower impact on the perception of product quality than the same message attributed to a rating service. Forrester Research has completed studies that show that advertising and company sponsored blogs are the least-trusted source of information on products and services, while recommendations from friends and online reviews from customers are the highest.
Consumers do not want to view advertising.
Think of watching network TV news and remember that the commercials on all the major networks are as closely synchronized as possible. Why? If network executives believed we all wanted to see the ads they would be staggered, so that users could channel surf to view the ads; ads are synchronized so that users cannot chan-nel surf to avoid the ads.
Consumers do not need advertising.
My own research suggests that consumers behave as if they get much of their information about product offer-ings from the internet, through independent professional rating sites like dpreview.com or community content rating services like Ratebeer.com or TripAdvisor
Advertising blindness.
Audiences have learned how to filter out the intrusive (Nielson eyetracking research).
It’s not all bad news
You are 5x more likely to convert in a banner than convert on a site as a result of clicking on a standard banner.
The inclusion of an incentive, such as a giveaway or access to exclusive content, will positively impact the data capture rates.
Consumers are nearly 8x more likely to fill in a form in a banner then click on it . 34% of unique users who interact will fill in form details within a banner.
Popular rich media formats are showing 2.5x uplift in the ability to generate conversions over standard display inventory.
One can measure an increase in search activity as a result of display advertising that is sustained for a sizeable amount of time. Messages clearly resonate.
It’s early days
There are few experts so quality is low.
Many advertisers making schoolboy errors.
Turn heads
Be attractive and pleasing to the eye. Without being gratuitous or sensationalist.
Be interactive
Give viewers a reason to get involved.
Make the interaction rewarding and enjoyable. Capture data and start a relationship.
Innovate with software
Think about the way the message is created and presented. Use software to create depth, dimension and movement. Create an interface that is intuitive, dynamic and usable.
ypography is alive
Although many online designers are trying to kill it.
Use great fonts. Use space wisely. Kerning, Leading, tracking, alignment. Treat your space as if you were printing it.
Picture perfect
Anyone can use a stockshot. Few people notice them.
Photography can add gravity, provenance and impact to your message.
Open spaces
Just because you’ve paid for 468*60 pixels
doesn’t mean you have to utilise every single one. A message requires breathing space.
Jurassic Park
There’s only so much you can achieve on a camcorder. Keep production values as high as budget allows.
Be iconic
Develop a strong visual style. Be instantly recognisable. But evolve over time.
Lightness of touch
It’s not just about bold colours, bold fonts, bold images and bold statements.
Quick to respond
Production and upload times mean you can react in real time and make your messages topical.
Watch and learn
Respond to the analytical results of your work.
Look at the way the audience interact and ask questions. Read between the lines and you can improve efficiency,
Remove barriers
Look at the reasons people wouldn’t buy from you. Find ways to turn those inhibitors into benefits.
Strange shapes are interesting
Banners are very angular and often the content reflects that. Rollovers don’t have to roll out at right angles.
Entertain
Get a move on
No one has time to wait for you’re point to be made. The audience is busy, you’re a distraction, so be quick. 2 seconds is good, 3 second is OK, 4 seconds is eternity.
Don’t squeeze too much in
The Full page press ad won’t squeeze into a banner. Create executions specifically for online.
Keep changing
Familiarity breeds contempt.
Multiple variations in a campaign keep the viewer engaged. But make sure each execution is better than the last.
Put the audience first
Messages that are about me, me, me, me have far less impact than messages
Don’t over estimate people
Just because you can decipher your
message doesn’t mean the audience can.
Don’t be afraid of the B word
Your brand is often more important than your products. People want to know about you as well as what you do.
Make big waves
The impact of the advertising should create ripples around the web. People should be talking about it, debating it, loving it and hating it. “If your advertising goes unnoticed, everything else is academic.”
Keep it relevant
Make sure you understand the audience. Put the right message in the right place. Say something that provokes a response.
Make it unexpected
Challenge the expectations of the viewer. Show them something unfamiliar.
History repeats itself
“The men who are going to be in business tomorrow are the men who understand that the future, as always, belongs to the brave.”
right brain left brain harmony
