People Just Want the Information
What do people want from advertising? Today the once distinct line between advertising and editorial is blurring, so no matter what kind of “ad” you are constructing, remember people want to be “informed” more than any other attribute.
Research conducted by the GlobalWebIndex found that consumers really want good information, they also want to know if there is a special offer or discount, and they want to know about things relevant to them or “teach me something new.” In the top tier group was also the response, “entertain me,” yet “make me laugh” was down the list at the 6th position.
It was found that people do want ads that are relevant to them, but not in a “creepy way.” If the ad is too targeted, then that approach may have a negative impact on the brand perception.
It’s also time to tighten the ship on ad adjacencies. You may not be watching, but consumers say one third of respondents view of a brand would be negatively impacted if the ad appeared next to “inappropriate content.”
So, while you’re trying to be widely creative in your messaging, remember the first order of things people want from your advertisement—they simply want good ole information.
Mark Mathis
Mark wrote his first direct-mail fundraising letter in 1981 for the University of Iowa Center for Advancement. The effort raised a few million dollars in undiscovered wills and legacy gifts. From that day forward Mark discovered a love of the big idea that moves the needle. After 12 years at KWWL, Mark became a business owner as a co-founder of ME&V — rebranded as AMPERAGE in 2015. After 25 years of leading creative teams in video production, graphic design, PR, writing and web development, Mark transitioned out of ownership in 2021. Today he serves in an employee role as special projects consultant. He is creatively ambidextrous — son of an artist and engineer — and famous for distilling complex ideas down to a few words and a few visuals. Mark is a writer. When he found that many nonprofits struggled with complex branding puzzles, he wrote the book, “NonProfit-NonMarketing .” He also wrote a novel called “Reenactment.” Mark is an active blogger OneMinuteMarketer® with nearly 1,000 readers each week on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter. One of his most popular YouTube videos is on “How to Look Good on Zoom.” One of Mark’s fondest business memories was being named to INC 500 two times and attending the INC 500 conference with other winners. Mark is considered by some a Civil War expert (and that explains his novel). Mark also served as an adjunct professor in the business and in the communications departments at Wartburg College. Mark is a graduate of the University of Iowa and is currently vice president of the University of Iowa Journalism and Mass Communications Advisory Board. Mark is married to state Sen. Liz Mathis, and the two love to travel, even when it means being trapped by a volcano in the Czech Republic for three weeks.
