There is a change in the air. Past industries that have communicated to us and which we relied on for information, like broadcast media and newspapers, are undergoing a transformation – and this goes for the advertising industry as well. With the widespread use and access to the internet, and the democratization of information and communication, we now have the ability to choose what information (and advertisements) we want to receive and how we want to receive it. At the same time, this change isn’t just about how we receive stuff, but also, and more importantly, how we interact with information and communication. This is a scary thought for traditional media, because this puts a lot more power and choice in people’s hands. With all this choice and access to information, what should industries do?
In TED’s Ads Worth Spreading initiative report, the key to cutting through massive amounts of information comes down to have an excellent idea and executing it so that it compels people to interact with the medium and the message. The initiative:
…recognizes and rewards innovation, ingenuity and intelligence in advertising — the ads that people want to see, and share with their friends. An ad worth spreading is a short way of communicating an idea. The ad can be as long as it takes to communicate the idea powerfully, up to five minutes, whether that’s through state-of-the-art animation, lush imagery or an individual talking directly to the camera. What matters is the “a-ha” moment, the central idea.
Ultimately, it isn’t about just advertisements, but for every type of content you can think of… it comes down to having a good idea, executing it well, and integrated into the social media landscape. We’re in an age of conversation, and good content should help drive the conversation, and we should all be there to contribute.
Here are some of my favorite quotes and ads from the Ads Worth Spreading initiative report.
So what do you think Donald Draper would say to this?
Some of the most forward-looking and compelling ads in the Ads Worth Spreading challenge encouraged viewers to share content and gave them a place to have the discussion.
Most brands realize that ads are no longer messages to a passive audience.
An overreliance on technology can make a campaign unnecessarily complicated and detract from the ideas behind an ad
In a world of nearly infinite choice, consumers increasingly base their purchasing decisions on factors beyond price and product benefit. They look to how brands articulate their ideals; not simply the corporate culture, but the way in which they aspire to benefit customers and the world. This makes good business sense.