the effects of advertising in creative media
have you ever stopped to think about how it’s possible to impact people in a different way with your brand? a study published in the Journal of Advertising investigated exactly that. the researchers conducted a meta-analysis of 26 studies and over 200 effects to quantify the impact of advertising in creative media.
but what does advertising in creative media mean, Henrique? 🤔
Sprite showers
these are ads on physical objects that don’t typically carry marketing messages. for example, Sprite created beach showers that looked like soda machines to convey the idea that the product is refreshing.
and what the researchers found is that advertising in creative media is more effective than traditional advertising in strengthening brand associations and persuading people to buy a product or service. additionally, it’s especially effective when the physical object chosen to convey the message is a metaphor for the product or brand. 🤯
Creative media: originality and appropriability
these results are interesting because they show that this type of advertising can be useful for repositioning a brand and strengthening its associations. however, it’s important to remember that advertising in creative media has a deeper effect on people’s attitudes towards the ad itself rather than the brand. the researchers explain that “people tend to connect advertising in creative media to the product category rather than the brand itself.”
the researchers also highlight the importance of two fundamental pillars: originality and appropriateness. originality is important because advertising in creative media mainly works by surprising people. and appropriateness is important because the effects are even stronger when the chosen medium is congruent with the message. like IBM, which created urban interventions to defend the “Smarter Cities” concept.
another more recent example of this type of advertising is the award-winning “Shutter Ads” campaign by Heineken. during the COVID-19 pandemic, bars around the world were forced to close. Heineken used these spaces, in over 5,000 closed bars worldwide, to display a hopeful slogan: “see this ad today, enjoy this bar tomorrow.” the brewery paid the involved bars for these advertising spaces to help them financially deal with the consequences of the lockdown. when, after the restrictions ended, consumers passed by the bars, they could still be reminded of the campaign and order or buy a Heineken.
in conclusion, the research results indicate that advertising in creative media doesn’t need to be seen in person to be effective, and online exposure is just as (or more) persuasive than direct exposure in strengthening brand associations. that is, to increase the effectiveness of their campaigns, advertisers can encourage content sharing on social media and stimulate the press to write about the campaign – a double act that works very well. 😉
download the full report by clicking here.
source: contagious
