When it comes to advertising, many myths are waiting to be debunked to create successful campaigns in the 21st century. One of the most dangerous myths for the industry is the notion of failing to evaluate advertising by its engagement with consumers. Some marketers might consider engaging qualities as secondary factors of success, but they are the ones that create the difference and connect to the consumers for a long time. We have been testing many different ad strategies lately, and we noticed one continuous trend. Although the ads appear to be communicating relevant information to the audience, far from all become successful once they are on air.
Why is that, you might ask? And why do people start noticing some ads more than others? The answer is straightforward: Engagement creates the difference. One should not overlook the power of different engaging elements. The use of music, jokes, stories and characters to develop bonds with consumers are great ways to increase the engagement rate of ads. Otherwise, ads are bound to be forgotten easily. And no company would want to see all the marketing budget wasted due to an ineffective campaign.
Close your eyes and try to capture advertising of any kind. Did you manage to remember one? Let’s see. Some cognitive tools help you to recall. The most powerful one is remembering a feeling the ad evoked inside you, regardless of the time you saw it. Those are stored in your brain limbic system, which deals with our memories and emotions, and helps us create consolidated memories through multiple sensory inputs. To enhance memorability, we need as many stimulants as possible. When people see an ad, they process the audio and video elements along with their internal physiological states, such as thoughts and feelings. Emotionally arousing advertising leaves a stronger imprint than a purely functional one.
Even though many people state that they are not affected by any advertising, they subconsciously rely on their neuroscientific and social psychological systems. A great experiment done by Derren Brown in 2012 shows how we pick up communicated emotions daily without even noticing them consciously. In this experiment, Derren Brown demonstrates the power of subconscious messages even on advertising experts, who are reputed as masters of persuasion.
Remember Nike’s ‘You Can’t Stop Us’ ad from 2020? It took the top spot among many in the best ad lists and is an excellent example of the effect of engagement. The creators established an emotional appeal through the music, effects, narration, and familiar historical comebacks. People loved to see an ad evoking their emotions and feelings of inclusiveness and perseverance at high levels. The advertisement managed to enact many feelings together, strengthen those collective memories and make this campaign successful.
Marketing studies show that the multidimensionality of engagement is one of the particularly important denominators of success. Rather than only attempting to persuade, successful ads should arouse curiosity in consumers while establishing an emotional, psychological, and physical connection with your brand. Thus, consumers are driven to feel loyalty and affection towards a brand, which is how you maximize your advertising ROI.
Contact us if you’d like to learn more about our approach to predicting your ad success.