How to avoid brand ‘skipping’ online
The internet is about micro 
engagements and if you want to advertise in the space, traditional 30 second spots won’t cut it says James Griffiths, in a piece that first appeared in Encore.
“Guys come check this out,” I holler across the office. My colleagues gather around the screen to watch the latest trending cat and his unique talents. You can feel the anticipation in the air. I hit the link, poised for the goodness that awaits. And then… An advert.
Moments like this happen every day as online content platforms look for new ways to monetise their services. With pre-roll ads frequently appearing on YouTube, and Facebook now experimenting with video advertising in people’s feeds, it is becoming more apparent that TV ads are jarring in an online environment, especially when they are forced upon the consumer.
The reason behind the frustration is that we are simply in a different mindset at our computer or on our mobile as opposed to relaxing on our couches watching the latest episode of The X Factor.
We’re in a ‘lean in’ mindset, not ‘lean back’. We want to be entertained, but it’s got to grab us quickly.
The digital space is one of micro engagements. Any brand that blocks the immediacy we expect from the medium is effectively getting in the way.
Just because online channels have created 30-second opportunities doesn’t make it the most effective way to reach people. If your content isn’t more engaging than the one they came to watch, the skip button makes it all too easy to dismiss you. Further to that, forcing people to sit through your content could actually lead to consumer frustration, which is detrimental to your brand.
So to stop destroying someone’s golden moment showing their colleagues the next ‘big thing’ in cat videos, here are five key points to keep front of mind.
1. The five second rule.
You have five seconds maximum before your micro engagement could lead to that inevitable ‘skip’.
2. Would you share it?
Make your content contagious and it will work a lot harder for you. If you wouldn’t share it, why would someone else?
3. Does your message make sense in the environment it is in?
If I’ve stolen a minute for a laugh, do I really want to know about insurance?
4. Complement the content they came to see, don’t inhibit it.
Is there something more engaging you can do that is a better suit for the medium?
5. Think beyond the 30.
Does your content play into something larger? What is the pay-off for the viewer and how can they get involved after they have invested time with you?
There is, of course, no sure-fire way to come out on top. You just have to think smart when crafting your campaign from the start making sure every component complements the next. I’m not saying pre-roll ads don’t work. They can be extremely effective when used with the above in mind.
The internet is the medium for amazing branded content. It allows the extraordinary to shine through. So make sure you don’t frustrate people. The last thing you want is your brand to be skipped.
James Griffiths is the creative group head at Iris Worldwide, Sydney.
This piece first appeared in Encore. Download it now on iPad, iPhone and Android tablet devices.
Well said Griff!
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Nice article. Surely making an impact in 5 seconds will force advertisers to be more creative. A quick grab that the user is actually entertained by rather than desperate for it to finish so they can get to what they came for.
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Adblockers can be tuned to erase youtube pre-roll ads, comments, Twitter pre-view images – all sorts of annoying intrusions.
Makes for a much nicer online experience.
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Absolutely agree – communications should not just be a means to an end, but a means unto themselves to the point where users are just as excited to share those as they are the original content strand they planned to view.
I’d like to add a couple of other challenges the industry faces though (from a media planning / buying perspective).
1. Not many vendors currently operate within the ‘5 second skip’ model; there are huge inventory shortfalls across premium publishers meaning that every video impression has to be monetised, whereas the likes of YouTube have the luxury to offer users the ability to skip, knowing they’ll make up the shortfall elsewhere.
2. Re the point you make about showing an insurance ad when you’re looking for a laugh – much of the time, video planning is less about placing ads next to specific pieces of content and instead, buying against a vertical or even worse, buying blind. In an ideal world, of course, we’d be afforded 100% visibility on what content ads are being displayed against prior to that ad being shown.
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I always love it when the skip button becomes available on a youTube clip, I click it, and realise that the start of the advertiser’s ad didn’t even get their brand, or their main purpose across. If I’m absolutely forced to watch the first 5 seconds of a 30 second ad, if you can’t engage me into watching the rest, I should at least know what your brand is. If I don’t, you’ve totally wasted your opportunity.
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Old news chap, you lost me at the first sentence. Lets hope your banners dont sound as old as this article. Seriously.
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