How to Create a Great Ad Campaign
Advertising is an awesome and creative way to reach new customers and grow your business. And it can be highly effective, otherwise, why would so many global brands spend billions of dollars a year on it? If you’re business is growing and you’re finally ready for your first ad campaign, here are a few things to consider before you dive in.
Be Quick
No one particularly loves advertising, other than the people who make it for a living. It’s an interruption. Whether it’s our favorite show, a YouTube video, or while we’re scrolling through social media. It’s a brief pause between what we actually want to see.
So, keep that in mind and get straight to what you want to say. That way you’re much more likely to get your message across before you annoy your potential customers.
Be Entertaining
You’re interrupting someone, so make it worth their time. Give them something to care about while you have their attention. Whether it’s inspirational, funny, or even sad (some great ads have been tearjerkers). The point is you want to keep people engaged and feel something, so tell them a story.
And don’t be afraid to think of interesting new ways to reach them. Great campaigns don’t always have to be traditional media. Things like pop-ups, interesting limited edition products, and other non-traditional media are becoming more common, but they’re still exciting new ways to be creative when you think about generating conversation around your brand story.
Be Relevant
Make sure the right people are seeing your ads. If you’re a huge brand with a broad product, you probably want everybody. So you’re message has to appeal to everyone.
But if your product has a specific niche, or you know your customers fall into a specific demographic, then you want to talk to them where they are. So be strategic about your placements. And sometimes the best places to reach them are unexpected.
Be Actionable
Let them know what you want them to do with a great tagline or CTA. But also consider the moment they are having with your brand.
Sometimes you’re creating awareness and your CTA isn’t as direct as “buy now.” Think about how Coke wants people to Share Happiness. While it may sound big and broad, it’s actually still very specific. They are still telling you to buy Coke, but in a more interesting way. It’s a CTA, but one you save for later.
You see the ad and become involved in their story. And then when you get to a store, they hit you with a sale, or 2 for 1 offer that prompts you to buy now. Same actionable idea, but in two different settings.
If customers are in a situation to buy now, learn more, or any other direct action that’s great. Use that. But sometimes brands use CTAs out of context, where the action is simply too much for a person to take in that moment. How often do you scan a QR code or visit a website after reading a billboard or watching a TV spot?
Save those CTAs for moments when it takes less effort. Like social media or a banner ad where the action is just a tap and can provide them all the information they need to take action in the moment. The more effort your CTA requires, the less actionable it becomes.
Be Smart
While the first thought of every business is usually how much is this going to cost me, that doesn’t mean you can’t afford great advertising. Media spends are becoming more affordable for businesses of all sizes. And you can maximize your budget with relevant targeted placements.
The more you know your potential customers, the more likely you can create relevant campaigns that succeed when you put them in front of your audience. Because you’ll be in the right place at the right time.
If you consider everything mentioned above, you can find interesting new ways to create a successful campaign even with a small budget. And if you need help creating a great campaign, reach out. Onassis has worked with brands of all sizes and helped them create highly successful work to grow their business.