Kieron Matthews the IAB 's head of marketing has drawn on his digital agency pedigree to bring you his definitive guide to creating successful internet marketing.
I do not regard advertising as entertainment or art form, but as a medium for information. When I write an advertisement, I don’t want to tell you to tell me you find it ‘creative’. I want you to find it so interesting that you buy the product.
- David OgilvyDavid Ogilvy of Ogilvy and Mather wrote the above quote in 1985 in the first chapter of a book called ‘Ogilvy on Advertising’ a definitive guide to how advertising works.
Little has changed with the advent of internet advertising, although there is still some confusion about how to do great advertising online.
As with ‘Ogilvy on Advertising’, this is by no means a definitive guide to creating great online advertising but rather a series of signposts and checklists that will demystify what is essentially rooted in traditional advertising disciplines.
All communication should be anchored by a great idea (big or small). Great ideas do not only translate into a variety of media channels, but are much more likely to be embraced by your audience. However great ideas are not always found in front of the computer, so walk away and immerse yourself in what your target audience like to do and consume.
Look at your campaign and ask yourself, “What is the idea in one sentence?”
Quite often, online advertising is expected to follow a piece of work already created for another channel such as TV or print. The online creative should be an expression or extension of the ‘idea’ and not simply just matching the look and feel of other communications. ‘Matching luggage’ online creative is no more than an opportunity to see more of the same message.
Look at your campaign and ask yourself, “Have I made the most of the idea online?”
Bringing ideas to life online can rarely be achieved in isolation. Successful campaigns require a mixture of planning, creative, technical, agencies, directors, film companies, animators, research and media. Online media can be some of the richest creative avenues to explore, and work best when creative and media agencies collaborate as the ‘idea’ will almost always inform the media buy.
Look at your campaign and ask yourself, “Does the work fit the media plan or has the idea contributed to it”
The exciting thing about rich media advertising is that a consumer can do something - open it, play with it, watch it, click it, interact with it or at worst ignore it. In order to increase your opportunities of success, be clear on what your audience want and what they are likely to do. This insight will not only drive the idea, but also steer your decision on the levels of interactivity you produce. Start by assuming they will do nothing and keep it simple.
Look at your campaign and ask yourself, “Why would I bother?”
Keep it simple and just when you think it is, make it even more so.
Look at your campaign and ask yourself, “Would everyone get this?”
