From the age of digitization, we are all heading into the age of automation. We are catering to audiences who have an abundance of content, but a scarcity of time and attention span.
Increasingly consumers are depending on machines to make intelligent choices for them and are looking for ad-free content platforms like Netflix and Amazon. We have an inherent love for stories. Successful brands leverage this humane behavior and try crafting compelling content that sometimes turns out to be an advert.
Hence, it’s the power of creativity that can define and trigger a positive, negative or neutral emotion in the heart and mind of a consumer.
Two Ads I Like
HarperCollins: Parcel
With changing times, the formats of how stories are told have also changed. Stories that once were only confined to books and novels have taken the form of content that is served to the audience over multiple mediums.
Today consumers are craving content which they are discovering through the connected world. Amidst it, we are exposing them to advertisements which they love and share or choose to dislike and ignore. So how does a publishing brand make themselves relevant for the audience that is glued to the screen today?
Well, this would have been the challenge to Harper Collins who tackled it beautifully in their recently released campaign,”Parcel.” The campaign, which included a promo and a long format film, that promotes Harper Black; their exclusive crime and thriller offering.
Beyond the trailer and the film, I just love the approach that’s being taken to sell books to an audience that’s so hooked on binge-watching on OTT platforms. The focus in direction is to such detail that it keeps you engrossed until the very end. The intention of the brand to find new and innovative ways to reach out to their audience through storytelling is brilliant and admirable.
Budweiser: Typical American
Budweiser’s “Typical America” is a recent addition to my admiration list. With the commercial, the brand has sustained its continuous efforts to be relevant to American pop culture.
The spot showcases extraordinary people that represent the best of America. One may see both renowned and other inspirational faces that have gained traction over the web – such as the World Series champion Nationals, World Cup-winning United States women’s national soccer team, Ken Nwadike of the Free Hugs Project. It’s an exceptionally powerful film that gives strength and a sense of pride to every American stereotype viewed by the rest of the world.
The entire narrative, that depicts a contrasting view of visual and voiceover is so thoughtfully crafted and made real that it keeps the authenticity of it. As a non-native who shares a similar belief as other global audiences, the film could change my perspective and stir a positive emotion towards Americans. There couldn’t a better brand and product connection which is so contextually and culturally appropriate.
One Ad I Hate
It’s been a while since I have switched on the TV in my room. It’s disconnected and has a thick layer of dust on it. My entire entertainment consumption happens online over multiple devices and in that ecosystem, I hate all the non-skippable adverts that intrude into the content that I am interested in watching.
Barring some, most of them are out of my context and vaguely long or maybe are felt long by me. All thanks to the scripting and low-cost production that makes them absolutely functional, dry and fails to evoke any emotion in me than to ignore. The most recent one was of eLearning platform testimonial based ad that was counseling me for some course that I didn’t mind heed to and got engaged into something else on my phone.
I believe in an age where attention is the most valuable currency, brands need to be crisp, concise and entertaining in what and how they communicate to their audience. I also think that in the process context can be an aid for them and the creative agencies to weave an enjoyable piece of the story that’s relevant and made enjoyable for the viewer.
