Ads We Like: October 2018

When we talk about talking selfies and stories on our socials, which side are you on? Instagram, Facebook or… Snapchat? When Facebook attempted to buy Snapchat recently, they were rejected despite a whopping bid of $3 billion. In response, Facebook leveraged on their acquisition of Instagram to compete against Snapchat, by launching Instagram stories or what’s widely known at Instastories.

Talk about life’s regrets.

With the purchase, Instagram’s platform soared in terms of the number of users and ads, while Snapchat struggled to keep up. Facebook also launched Facebook Stories to add options for the avid social media users. From there, Snapchat started to look more and more like an Instagram copy instead of the other way around, as they struggled to innovate to pull ahead of its ‘successor’.

Until now.

Snapchat recently launched a gaming platform, similar to WeChat, in an attempt to improve user engagement and move ahead of their rival. They released a series of Snapchat filter games and Augmented Reality (AR) games that users can play on the platform.

Most notably, the AR Tennis game against Serena Williams is a clear sign that Snapchat’s advanced AR technology is going to become their selling point.

Snapchat games provide an additional tool for businesses to adapt. (YAY!) That is always welcomed for creative people (*wink wink*) to adapt for marketing.

Does Snapchat still matter?

Well, it really depends.

Snapchat numbers have risen steadily over the past year, with more and more youths adopting the platform. We’ve to admit, they’ve got really nice filters. Heh. This means any strategy or business targeting youths have to take Snapchat into serious consideration.

Incorporating gaming has given other platforms (aka Facebook) a boost before and it should do the same for Snapchat.

What can businesses do with this information?

Consider playing around with Snapchat’s functions and ads viewing if you are unfamiliar with the platform. Businesses can also start looking into adapting filters and AR games to help their own cause.

Do keep the demographics of Snapchat in mind while developing and utilising them and tie in to your branding. It will be a waste of marketing dollars otherwise.

If you want to utilise them, and you are having trouble with incorporating into your brand, consult an agency to help you.

Similarly, in these ads, the AI’s voiceover and the content were awkward and funny, which seems to hit the spot for some consumers.

While it is scary to imagine a world where even content is run by AI, it seems like there has been more and more research and development going in that direction.

Why did this ad appeal to so many audiences?

Currently, advertisements are proliferating our everyday space, and the only way for your ad to stand out is to find creative and relatable angles.

Likewise, the Burger King ad used a creative yet relatable idea of faulty AI content, which captured the attention of the masses.

Hence, the formula seems clear: the less brand sells the product, the more it will appeal to the general public. This is because such content is viewed as more sincere in their interactions with consumers.

If you are looking for a strategic content with a creative and relatable angle, approach a creative team that generates meaningful interactions with consumers.

Will AI become the new wave of digital advertisement content?

We don’t think so.

AI has successfully transformed digital marketing, such as data analytics and targeting/re-targeting various profiles based on interests and internet behaviour.

But when it comes to content, humans are superior in terms of creativity and empathy, which AI fails to replicate.

Even the content of the Burger King ad itself was created by the marketing team at Burger King, banking on the inability of AI to create content and humour.

Without creativity and empathy, AI is unable to replicate creative and relatable content as exemplified by the Burger King ad.

So how should I craft digital marketing content going forward?

While targeting helps to bring the message to the right people, the right content will find the right people on its own.

Be creative. Creativity will remain the key to content creation for a long time.

Creative content often becomes talking points in everyday conversations and media news and improves your brand visibility.

At the end of the day, you will need creative yet strategic content (link to our top 5 ad article) to achieve marketing goals in the digital age.

It is good to employ advanced technology. However, there’s nothing in this world that can replace good and effective advertising content built on creativity, not even AI.

If you need help in crafting a top-of-the-line advertising content, look for a digital team that is experienced in doing so.

Given the saturation of the digital marketing industry, it is not difficult to find a digital marketing agency nowadays. The challenge is finding the right agency to do it.

With the abundance of choices, it may seem difficult to narrow it down to one and that’s understandable. In the spirit of giving during this festive season, here are 3 ways to choose the right digital marketing agency for your business: