There are
opposing views on the state of advertising that we are constantly bombarded
with. One might think there’s too much especially outside traditional marketing
and media arenas (TV, Radio, Print, Billboards, etc). Now, for instance, if you
go online you can rarely watch a clip or view any video for that matter without
there being some form of ad you have to watch first. On one hand, there’s the
argument that it is a necessary inconvenience in order to not have to pay for
each video, stream, or piece of music you want to watch or hear online. Another
view might feel that it’s advertising overload, and it’s getting to be too much.
So, as a marketer, what do you think? How do you feel personally when faced
with it, and is it a necessary ‘evil’ as a marketing professional? Well, Tim shouts and The Intern weighs in…
Pro-Tim Shouts!...The way I see it, for example, if you
are going to have a ‘free’ medium where you can view content over the internet,
then someone has to pay for it, correct? Otherwise that would fall on the
content or site holder’s shoulders. All they wanted to do is provide a service
or content that others want to see. That doesn’t seem practical. The
advertisers aren’t going to advertise for free either. So who else would be
paying? You got it: those of us who are the content viewers. The internet or
any social media outlet isn’t a right, it’s a privilege. And no matter what you
do or how nice you try to be to provide that content, some will abuse it or try
to exploit it. The same goes for just about any other non-traditional medium. Therefore,
the necessary evil as it were, is to have paid ads that precede the content we
really want to see. A mere or major inconvenience depending on your level of
patience, but I’d rather wade through that to get to my coveted content than to
have to pay for it myself. Personally, I love a good ad (especially if it’s
well crafted), but not in my face all the time. Let’s face it, there are some
obnoxious and poorly put together ads. In the world of instant gratification however,
we are now relegated to make that sacrifice. You only need to ask yourself is the cost worth the price? I say yes!
Con- The Intern weighs in…As a marketer I
understand the war cry “more is better”, “over saturation is better”, “over kill is
better”! I get that. We all want more opportunities to push our product to the
masses as quickly and efficiently as possible. It’s our job. I was a consumer
20 years before I became a marketer, and that bond runs deep. As a marketer I
feel we all use that bond to do our jobs better and with that being said I have
my own war cry: “common sense drums the unnecessary!” Advertising is slowly
growing into the last drunk at the party who wants to spend the night on the
couch and have breakfast in the morning. Dude, too much! All advertising has a
purpose and that purpose is not to be a symbiotic integration in your everyday
life. Going to the bathroom in a subway shouldn’t be seen as a opportunity to
sell a Volvo. There is a personal space factor that I feel companies are
starting to lose respect for and we the consumer suffer because of it. This
epidemic has gone on for so long, and has rooted itself so deep in the fabric
of society, that we forget it’s there. Case and point: remember when you could
go to the movies and not have to sit through commercials?…….I don’t! It is one
thing for Hollywood to capitalize on the marketing staple that is product
placement in film, but it’s another thing to let it spill out even before the
picture starts. Sometimes I think ad
executives actually sit in a room and say “hey I bet I can sell this guy a Mac
before he makes it to the bathroom”. It’s everywhere and enough’s enough. Dude you’re invading my space!
So, in
conclusion, it seems that no matter what side of the fence you stand, if you
are a marketer for your company or contracted to market for other companies,
you know you will eventually explore content advertising outside traditional
marketing and advertising avenues. If you haven’t, you are already behind. Effective exposure is the key to winning.
Your main thought is to keep it simple,
cohesive to your brand, make sure
there is a clear call to action. As
a consumer yourself, it is important to consider whether it will be regarded as
something done well and subsequently viewed, or like many others, regarded as a
mere irritant that carries no weight or impact with the end user. (Here’s a
hint... try making it personal!)