Connections are more powerful than clicks

Since the dawn of digital 30 years ago, the debate has raged: can digital advertising build brands? Are pixels really able to create meaningful connections with people? And is generating brand fame within digital marketing’s grasp? The answer is straightforward - yes, but it all depends on how you use it. 

It’s true that digital media gives advertisers the ability to track real-time results in a way that offline channels can’t. It can efficiently deliver short-term, performance-based campaigns that do, (despite getting a bad rap) serve a strategic purpose in the marketing mix. 

The challenge is that digital advertising has long been pigeon-holed as being able to do performance and little else. Even though over 86% of brand marketers say that digital channels can build brands, the short-term narrative lingers. It’s a reputation built on a cycle of serotonin-inducing vanity metrics like click-through rates (CTR). Sure, measuring clicks is easy and satisfying, but it only shows you a very limited, somewhat misleading snapshot of success. 

The rule to live by for marketers? Just because you can measure it, doesn’t necessarily mean you should. If you’re chasing clicks above all else, you’ll end up shouting for attention at the expense of building meaningful connections with your audience. This is where our campaign against Clickheads comes in (definition: a person with an insatiable appetite for CTRs). 

However, if you get the right objectives and measurement strategies in place, you lay the foundations for better digital advertising. Build on that by prioritising quality environments, considered creative, relevant targeting and focused messaging. All factors that matter just as much online as they do offline and are proven to positively impact how people respond to digital ads. 

Most importantly, indulge in the joy of brilliant storytelling. Take the opportunity to deliver advertising that strikes a chord, stops the scroll, and connects with people at a fundamentally human level. Because - whether it’s a banner ad, social video or a podcast spot - digital advertising is primed to bring your brand to life in ways that extend far beyond what is captured in a click.