Ask the Expert: 8 Fresh Ideas for Advertising Creative

Entertaining the Audience: Add Some Humor

Trends come and go in designing creative. Some are worthy of consideration and can make the ad more compelling and personal. Groll said his top choice currently is adding humor to an ad. Making someone laugh immediately gets their attention. He noted that it can impact performance and garner more clicks. He’s an expert at doing this with our own advertising!

We’ve covered this on Aspire with posts about funny ideas for ads and using memes in campaigns.

He explained that the key to doing it right is to keep it light and not cross any lines. He also recommended that the messaging be short, catchy and bold. Most banner ads only have room for five to 10 words, so be snappy.

Don’t Be Ho-Hum in Visuals for Advertising Creative

It’s easy to slap a logo on a banner ad, add a sentence and include a CTA button. However, that’s not going to be appealing. Groll encouraged those creating these assets to use vibrant colors and high-quality images. While the copy is important, you should let the image tell the story.

Finding the “perfect” photo or illustration isn’t easy, especially for service versus product companies. Groll’s been testing out the realms of AI for image creation. He relayed that it can give you something custom and unique in many instances, but he cautioned that it doesn’t work very well for people. For example, AI tends to generate photos of people with extra fingers and toes.

Animating to Grab Attention

Another area Groll discussed was using animation in display ads. Since people tend to be “banner blind” to many encounters with advertising, a little motion can go a long way. It will capture their eyes for a bit, and if the ad is relevant, it could influence people to click. He also advised only animating one aspect. If everything’s moving, it may have the opposite effect.

Photos vs. Illustrations

Within the design landscape, creative can incorporate photos, illustrations or both. Groll explained that both could work. He did suggest that having people in ads is always a good practice because others can connect and relate. Being representative of all types of people is a tip every designer should keep in mind.

Illustrations can be a better option than photos when the concept is abstract or hard to capture in a picture.

In his designs for Marketron, he uses both to make the creative come to life. What’s most vital is that the images and illustrations align with the brand’s identity.

Video Advertising Creative: Telling Stories

Video is obviously an in-demand tactic for local advertising. It’s usable in many channels, from display to geofencing to OTT/CTV. The creative inspiration depends a lot on the product, service, message, length and promotion.

For example, he noted that video playing on CTV, which involves larger screens, has to be the best of the best. With a video that plays more on mobile devices, he advised not to have too much text. Otherwise, it would be hard to read and follow.

Many advertisers are turning to AI for this as well. However, you can’t count on AI to serve up great or realistic creative every time. It’s still not the best at making humans or animals look realistic. Those developing the creative also have to be aware of the specifications. Most importantly, it must be a high-quality output.

Thoughts on Email Design

Email marketing continues to be an ROI-driving tactic in advertising. The design of the messages matters in getting the response the company wants. Groll’s top recommendations include using imagery that’s bold, unique and relevant. He suggested a vibrant image at the top of the email with the text having a white background.

A background for the entire message also has shortcomings. It could be blurry or display incorrectly. He said most people look at these on phones, so readability matters.

A current trend is using GIFs in emails, which can satisfy the boldness. However, they don’t work across platforms, so the email may only display correctly for some recipients. The same would be true for video. It’s great at telling a story, but you cannot control how it will render.

Social Media Ads: Stopping the Scroller

Social media advertising fills our feeds, but how much do we pay attention to it? It depends on relevancy. These ads can be video or static. Groll’s suggestion here is to personalize the creative just as you do the targeting.

Defining the audience is a big part of social media advertising, so use that to ensure it inspires the creative. He noted that you also have to get their attention fast before they scroll on by.

Something that evokes an experience is great for social and other ads. Groll shared that subtle beach images or wave movements could be an interesting concept if the ad is for a vacation destination. It even conjures the feelings of relaxation.

The Latest Trend: Interactive Ads

The latest experiment in advertising creative is making ads more interactive. It’s another option to get the attention of those who typically ignore digital ads. Groll has seen several examples he considers clever, including ads that appear like someone’s scratching off a layer to reveal a promo code or incentive. Another option is a carousel of images that lets users click arrows and scroll.

It’s an engaging take on ads, but getting the execution right matters. One thing to note is that these display ads would need to be larger to create interactivity.

What Not to Do in Advertising Creative

Along with what you should consider, there are also things to avoid in design. The first is too much copy, which ends up being super small, especially for ads on mobile. Also, if it’s all words, the ad is unlikely to capture any interest.

Regardless of size or amount of copy, Groll also advised against not having contrast. You should either have light text on a dark background or vice versa. You don’t want these things competing.

A white background is also something he doesn’t recommend. He shared that it would likely get lost on the page. Having some color, whether it’s brand colors or those that fit with what companies are advertising, is critical.

Another key component of the ad is the button. While the entire ad is the “link,” the button is the CTA setup. It should have some depth to it and say something more enticing than “Click Here.”