The stereotypical images of creative agency suits huddled around advertising storyboards is all very well. But as a creative advertising agency in London, we can tell you that the reality is somewhat different in 2021.
However, what hasn’t changed is what’s at the very heart of great advertising: creativity. Advertising and creativity go hand in hand, like beer and crisps or movies and popcorn. You just can’t do one without the other.
You can’t have fabulous creative designs, videos, stills, copy or any other form of content without creative advertising. So you have to allow consumers to connect or associate your brand with whatever creative mediums they’re experiencing.
Creative advertising is how your audience is then compelled to perform an action, to click that “buy,” “share”, or “order” button.
Here’s why we know that creativity in advertising means everything.
Creativity and Brand Recognition
If you want to provide your target audience with meaningful advertising content that they can engage with, creating ads that resonate is a must. If you wish to brand recognition, your advertising has to stand out, have meaning, resonate with your audience and be relevant.
Creative Advertising Tells Your Story
Your ads aren’t infomercials; they’re stories. So if you want to make a connection with your audience, you have to make an emotional impact. That way, your audience will share and talk about your ads.
Using creative advertising storytelling to resonate with your brand tells your audience exactly who you are, what you believe in and your personality. Your story is what makes you recognisable and memorable.
Creative Advertising Creates Engagement
Your ad campaign needs to reach a big audience if it’s going to succeed. The only way you’ll get it in front of a big audience is by well-thought-out and targeted creative ads.
We use audience insights to ensure that all our creative ads are on target and disappear into the ether. We want our work to spark interest, to create engagement, to stand the test of time.
By offering advertising that isn’t a hard sell, isn’t dull, isn’t intrusive and disruptive, it’s possible to entertain your audience and hopefully give them a little joy at the same time. In addition, creative ads that positively impact your intended audience are more likely to engage and leave your audience with a lasting positive memory of your brand.
An example is our fully integrated social, in-store, POS and e-commerce creative ad campaign for Barbour Beacon.
Creativity and Personalisation
If your content is tired and is simply reinventing the wheel, your audience will look elsewhere. We already know that in the digital age, attention spans are short. If you design personalised creative advertising content, your audience will come towards you.
Audiences want originality. They also want to be surprised and entertained. If you make your ads distinctive and personal to your brand, you have a better chance of grabbing people’s attention. You’re giving them something to remember you by. No more so than Gen Z and Millennials whose attention typically spans anywhere between 9 and 12 seconds when presented with video ads.
Creative Ads Generate Revenue
Harvard Business Review found that creativity in advertising matters. This includes originality, moving away from the obvious, and stepping away from the norms. Creative ads that do this have almost double the sales impact of an ad campaign that isn’t creative.
Check out some of our attention-grabbing ad work for Bloom Gin is just one example of what we mean by personalised creativity.
Creativity and Love
Creative campaigns that portray a brand image that promotes a particular lifestyle, something to be part of and proud of, and something to strive towards, will help your brand create an audience following. If you give your audience something impressive and high quality that’s worthy of their (short) attention, they’ll love you, follow and share your ads.
Creative Advertising provides real and tangible ways in which your customers can connect with your brand. For example, our three ad stories for New Balance about modern football culture have amassed 1m+ views so far.
ZAK is a next generation creative advertising agency in London. Check out our work and say hello.
