The way we advertise products has changed drastically in the last decade. We take a look at what resonates with audiences today as well as the importance of creativity and authenticity.

There’s no doubt that the increase in digital media and social platforms has revolutionized how we advertise.

Brands can no longer rely on traditional formats like newspapers or radio; the advertising ecosystem is now more complicated than ever.

When it comes to potential advertising reach, some of the stats are mind-boggling:

• Facebook’s potential advertising reach is more than 2 billion people
• TikTok’s potential advertising reach is more than 18% of the total adult internet users
• YouTube’s potential reach extends to 31.5% of the total population on Earth

With so many digital platforms to choose from, brands are constantly battling for attention. Understanding what makes a person interested in your campaign on a specific platform is a science.

We’ve already looked into whether AI tools are a threat to creativity. And now, with the help of some creatives in the field, we’ll examine the role of creativity in advertising in 2024.

What advertising used to look like

It used to be the case that brands and agencies could only communicate their messages through billboards, TV commercials, print ads, and radio spots.

These methods were effective in reaching large audiences but lacked precision, provided minimal performance data, and could not prompt direct action from the audience.

It was purely a matter of the ad looking interesting enough for the audience to consider a purchase.

Key to the success of these kinds of ads were catchy jingles, striking visuals, and easy-to-repeat phrases to capture attention.

All of these still hold some relevance today, but, for the most part, the world has moved away from product-centric advertising and embraced the power of narrative-driven strategies.

Long gone are the days of simply showcasing features; today’s buyers (in both B2B and B2C scenarios) want stories that resonate in some capacity with strong, well-thought-out narratives.

As Mina Luce Liang, former Agency Strategist and Founder of sticky icky designs, explained: “From my experience, the best ads are the ones that make you truly ‘feel something’.

“That feeling can be anything from intrigue to humor to relaxation, but its clear objective is to make an impact on the viewer’s emotions some way or another.”

How the internet brought about a new way of advertising

The explosion of the internet and social platforms has allowed brands to connect with customers in different ways.

Targeted ads based on location, demographics, interests, and behaviors all came into play thanks to elements such as third-party cookies.

Moreover, the internet has given birth to content marketing, where brands can provide valuable information and engage with their audiences through a variety of mediums such as blogs, videos, audio, and social media posts.

This interactive, two-way communication channel enabled brands to build relationships and foster loyalty, rather than just pushing products.

Adobe is a prime example of a company that has excelled at content marketing.

What a view 🌤️ by @AnarkyDesigns pic.twitter.com/cJ1sfpVWYI

— Adobe Photoshop (@Photoshop) May 23, 2024

Given Photoshop’s position as the image-editing software market leader, Adobe is able to partner with creators to generate content that is both educational and entertaining.

This technique has provided the company with another avenue to connect with its audiences through great content, while also promoting its products through the medium its target audience enjoys the most: creativity.

Furthermore, the inclusion of its target audience’s favorite creators, as well as competitions and prizes, creates a link between the person who is already likely to be aware of the product and the creator that Adobe has decided to work with. This can often create a stronger bond between all parties involved.

Yasmin Bligh-Hasan, a freelance creative and alumni of the Gen Z copywriting community Word Tonic, also highlighted the importance of inclusion in terms of accessibility.

She said: “Ads need to be to-the-point, snappy, and be designed for accessibility by using fonts such as sans-serif.

“They also need to consider elements such as contrasting colors, easily digestible and clear language, strategic use of white space to reduce sensory overload, and providing alt text, captions, and other suitable ways of intaking information for people with various processing needs.”

Creativity in a world of metrics

In an age where consumers are increasingly skeptical of polished advertising, authenticity stands out.

Research shows that when it comes to choosing which brands to support, 88% of consumers value authenticity the most.

Yet, marketers and agencies are often held accountable for proving how effective a campaign has been, and this might cause a clash when it comes to reporting on success.

How you report on any given campaign depends on its main objective. For example, if the campaign is about engagement, metrics such as likes and shares will prove how far the message has been spread.

If it’s all about conversion, then click-through rate and sales will be the two main measurements that will indicate success.

However, when it comes to building an authentic brand, an easy mistake is to focus solely on metrics.

Those who think outside the box and use more personalized messaging might see better results in the long term due to the impact it has on the consumer.

One way to remain creative while maintaining a brand identity is through personalized ads via dynamic creative optimization (DCO).

DCO allows for the creation of multiple ad variations that are tailored to different audiences, and these can tap into what’s happening around the world at that current moment.

In the world of sports betting, this can be effective because of the live nature of sport; if the brand stays on top of the game, it can offer potential customers the best possible odds at any given time.

However, these types of creatives take up a fair amount of time and money.

For most businesses, whether they choose static or video ad formats, their products are timeless. An organization should only consider using DCO if they want a specific action at a specific time.

Another example is influencer marketing. Partnering and allowing established creators to produce their personal style of content with your product can create more trust with the brand as it respects their relationship with the audience.

Liang stated: “I found the biggest challenge to be brands that held onto previous campaigns and ways of working, instead of leaning into what works for performance creative.

“They can no longer base their advertising ideas on a one-size-fits-all type of messaging. Engagement, trends, and attention all move so quickly that if a brand applied traditional ad logic to online campaigns, the results would be poor overall.

“When I worked on the agency side of things, it was difficult to explain this to more traditional brands. But I believe most marketers will now admit that flexibility is essential for success.”

The role of user-generated content (UGC)

User-generated content (UGC) continues to be a powerful tool for brands as it is considered to be one of the most authentic, relatable, and often more engaging forms of content than that which is professionally produced.

It involves customers sharing their experiences and stories, which in turn creates a sense of community and trust around the brand.

UGC advertisements have up to four times the click-through rate of other forms of advertising, with 84% of consumers trusting recommendations from people they know over other forms of advertising.

However, according to Liang, this form of storytelling doesn’t always resonate with an audience. She said: “It all depends on the product. I’ve had clients who generate most of their revenue from UGCs and others for whom this creative format has never stuck.”

She elaborated further by explaining that most people nowadays are savvy enough to understand if something is too focused on pitching the product, rather than remaining authentic and the creator giving an honest opinion.

Liang added: “I’ve found UGCs work for products of lower price points, especially those that come across as a ‘hack’-like designer-inspired fragrances. In this context, UGC ads feel most authentic; as if they were a boosted organic video.

“Viewers can sniff from a mile away if it comes across as forced, which means the success of UGCs comes down to quite a few elements, including product fit, organic script, visuals, and delivery.”

The key to a thriving UGC campaign is understanding your target audience, their content preferences, and what resonates with them.

By speaking their language in a less structured manner, a brand might have a new form of content that fuels both engagement and reach.

That’s one reason why Bligh-Hasan believes that UGC content is non-negotiable. She said: “It creates a sense of inclusivity and accessibility. Without seeing yourself represented through the product, you feel misunderstood and less likely to interact further.

“Gen Z loves humor, sustainability, wild aesthetics, inclusivity, accessibility, and cutting the fluff. Companies whose product has these attributes and are promoted authentically by real customers will see the most success.”

Creativity and authenticity – a match made in advertising heaven

As consumers are met with more advertisements than ever, brands are expected to do more to get their attention and convey their messages effectively.

From long-form emotive videos to giving complete control go to online creators, there are many different avenues for brands and agencies to explore.

The key to success in any approach lies in establishing an authentic connection with the audience, which takes both time and freedom.

This means empowering creatives to think outside the box and craft content that resonates on a deeper level.

Bligh-Hasan highlighted the potential challenge of opposition from brands accustomed to older practices. “Brands being resistant to change is a huge problem for many young creatives.

“If a brand isn’t employing its target audience to bring them the knowledge they’re lacking, it’s unlikely they’ll see great success as they won’t understand what makes this new generation light up.”

Metrics remain important for measuring success, but prioritizing genuine audience engagement is becoming the quickest way to build brand loyalty.

Standing out from feature-heavy ads and predictable content might feel risky, but it should be seen as an opportunity.

By using data to understand what truly connects with your audience, and then having the freedom to experiment, you can create something with impact.

As Bligh-Hasan summarized: “Brands face the challenge of standing out in a market where ‘uniqueness’ and ‘authenticity’ is everyone’s USP. How is anyone supposed to create a completely fresh brand/product/service that blows people’s minds if everyone else is trying to do the same thing on every other platform?

“It’s about making a simple solution to a simple problem from a unique angle. You don’t need to be the next Elon Musk, but you do need to know what specifically you’re solving, who you’re solving it for, and how you’re going to appeal to them consistently in the places you find them.”