Lack of old school strategy is the reason for digital advertising’s struggles
Adland veteran Roger Pugh argues that the digital ad industry’s problems are down to one simple thing: a failure to understand its clients.
“Never submit a strategy or an ad to a client before you and the creative team know everything about the client and you have all used, experienced and understood the brand.”
It was the best piece of advice I ever received, a welcome gift from David Abbott, creative director at Doyle Dane Bernbach in London, at my first job in advertising as group account director.
Which struggles were they? Everything seems pretty green, over here.
I could not have put this better myself.
The number of people who call themselves “advertisers” just because they’ve divined some arcane data-driven strategy that happens to be effective on Facebook this month is legion. And they’re all pumping out ABYSMAL sub-standard copy that really would make a well trained advertiser cringe. And maybe it’s working because your data strategy is genius. Right now.
But there’s no argument your campaign wouldn’t be performing BETTER, if it actually adhered to any of the fundamental advertising best practices. “Stock photo of a smiling chick with supporting text obscuring the offer and failing to relate any customer benefits. There. Now I want 5% of your entire ad budget, please …”
Roger, you are spot on. Designing an accompanying banner and writing a listicle is not an advertising strategy. The Big Smoke is doing good things in our industry.
Well said, Roger.
As Sir John Hegarty so aptly put it: “Shit delivered at the speed of light is still shit.”
As in all forms of advertising it doesn’t matter how well, or how often you say the wrong thing it will still be wrong.