26/10/2016
I think it’s fair to surmise that it’s never been harder for advertisers to obtain and retain consumer attention. We’re living in a time of fetishized connectivity, where digital devices are an extension of our being, rather than an addition; where friendships are measured in Likes and relationships in Snapchat streaks.
For a long time, the only worry advertisers had was viewers needing the loo or making a cuppa during a soap break; which was easily solved by television channels broadcasting adverts at an increased volume. Now, advertisers have to battle with Sarah liking my status, Rachel retweeting my subtweet, Jack commenting on my Instagram selfie, my bestie FaceTiming about Zoella’s newest vlog and a group Whatsapp chat ‘blowing up’ over the latest meme. I know, I’m barely keeping up either.
I mean, it’s not all bad. Technological advances are soaring, helping us make huge steps forward – but it also means that we’ve a literally endless supply of commodities. We live in an era where you can pay 79p for the ‘most advanced Fan Cooler experience’. Yes, you pay for a fake fan on your iPhone. And the awful fallout of said endless supply? The infinite oversaturation of advertising that accompanies each product and service.
When the marketing industry is so loud, you need to stop shouting and start saying something worth listening to. To stand out you need to be crafting campaigns that are gripping, that are so creative they can’t be found elsewhere and that are totally unique to your brand – if you’re not striking a chord with your audience then you won’t be making conversions.
Yes, great ideas that previously worked are ‘tried and tested’ and really, why risk switching up your stale marketing campaign? But these great ideas are often diluted to the point of being unrecognisable. What’s the end result of ‘safe’ marketing? A campaign that’s inoffensive, unimaginative and uninteresting. You’re up against perpetual distractions, endless competitors and spending countless money on marketing. Are these the kind of adjectives you want describing your results?
When it comes to marketing your company, it’s vital that the agency working on your campaign has at least a small hunger for risk taking. It’s imperative that they focus on creativity and crucial that they know how to tap into your target audience.
Like all advice, there’s no definitive equation for guaranteeing success. However, we can guarantee that when it’s noisy, simply turning up the volume won’t work. Be bold, be brave and have confidence in your ideas.
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