ADVANCING THE PRACTICE OF CREATIVE ADVERTISING

Having evolved into an advanced concept, advertising in the present time has turned into a sophisticated yet most effective imperative, helping brands shape impactful narratives, build connections, and foster perceptions pertaining to repute, credibility and value. With new concepts emerging due to intense attention recession, advertising being a core practice within the larger framework of marketing communication, is being redefined by brands quite dramatically to reach out effectively to the new consumers that are driven by their faith, trust and loyalty.

As the digital revolution continues to drive modern retail to new heights, the heightened awareness of Gen Z and the shift in their interests and preferences has triggered immediate adoption and formulation of exceptional methodologies and approaches by a majority of brands, businesses as well as creative advertising agencies, to elevate brand positioning and projection.

Reflecting on the changing dynamics and new developments shaping the global advertising landscape, the recently held 70th annual Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, appropriately stressed some of the major aspects including enhancing accessibility, artificial innovation and reimagining customer journey, emerging as the key themes besides the role of generative AI in creativity, efficiency and marketing. Highlighting new norms to harness the power of media to drive positive change with respect to responsible and objective advertising, sustainability and equality have been the real talks in focus on agenda.

Identified as a major future driver, affecting several quarters within a business, creativity as a way of problem-solving would remain to be a go-to practice in the coming years for driving monumental change and help address global issues by combining science, predictable thinking, and imagination.

Actvertising

As the attention of the new league of global consumers prioritizes transparency, ethics, values and commitment, enforcing brands to re-build identities, the concept of actvertising has infiltrated the brand communication domain and has become a core practice to reflect uncompromising stance on critical issues of concern affecting the society or world at large. Having emerged from the idea of brand citizenship, the concept has made its way to the core business development strategies.

With respect to important environmental and social issues, brands leaning into the challenging spaces with actions on critical issues and creation of meaningful solutions for impact stands to gain unconditional consumer loyalty, trust and reliance.

Being an extension of advertising in the modern era, the concept having stemmed from Kraft Heinz in 2019 proves to be highly beneficial for establishing a distinct brand identity and repute. Going by the recent studies suggesting 70% of consumers in the US believing its crucial for brands to take a stance on issues of concern, 95% in the UK expecting brands to take action and extend financial support and 54% of Gen Z in Southeast Asia expecting brands to take a stance on social issues while remaining 46% considering purpose as an imperative for brands, businesses in the present-age are required to be better equipped with new frameworks that excludes tall claims, gimmick marketing, and meaningless commitments. To rise above challenges and cope with complexities of little tolerance for uncorroborated claims by brands, maintaining absolute transparency and being accountable for practices is central to building brand values consumers resonate with.

Diversity & Inclusion

Having become another crucial priority for brands in the present times, the concept of commitment to diversity and inclusion (D&I) tends to be a major aspect, helping brands align objectives parallel to consumer values.

In view of controversies surrounding the casting preferences by brands for endorsement and promotion for business objectives, brands are beginning to expand on the broader meaning of D&I and are implementing at length both internally and externally across segments.

Identified to be a crucial aspect in new-age advertising, significant stress on respect and representation of people from different communities and backgrounds helps brands build great perceptions amongst target customers. For instance, a recent report by a leading market data and analytics company revealing the stark reality of only 6% of ads featuring people aged 65 and above, and LGBTQIA+ community, 1% of disabled people, and 19% from ethnic minorities, reflects the gross disregard for representation of people from specific sections of the society in the mainstream.

To attain great brand stranding and projection, brands with uncompromised commitment to diversity and inclusion, responsible brand citizenship, ensuring authenticity and relatability, and extending safe and inclusive space for all, would be perceived as purpose-driven brands.

Sustainability

With great emphasis on aligning strategies with consumer orientations, Greenvertising, referring to sustainable or responsible advertising methodologies is yet another concept that helps brands build profound repute and credibility.

Identified as a norm for brands to gain absolute loyalty and trust, sustainability in advertising tends to be a pre-requisite as more and more consumers turns conscious and demand transparency and accountability. Be it the procurement of raw material or project execution, operational framework or media buying, the concept of greenvertising helps brands prioritize transparency by re-evaluating protocols across various fronts from business processes to marketing and policies to regulations, and use of green-tech solutions. Some of the best practices that are believed to steer business growth while building exceptional repute includes acquiring requisite technical and environmental knowledge, investment in measurement tools, imparting training on sustainability as well as appointments of highly skilled professionals at every business level, including leadership roles.

Besides, concentration on such aspects, defined policies and regulatory guidelines helps brands avoid misleading claims on sustainability. For instance, the recent ban on misleading adverts reflecting greenwashing from three leading airlines - Air France, Lufthansa, and Etihad, by the UK’s ad regulator, The Advertising Standards Authority, highlights the growing intolerance and concerns over false or uncorroborated claims about sustainability and ethical business practices. As sustainability becomes a priority for brands and businesses, communication teams as well as the marketing teams are to be geared appropriately. 

Artificial Innovation

Revolutionising the practice of new-age advertising quite dramatically, the use of artificial intelligence has been picking up the pace ever since its advent.

With a prime objective to enhance creativity and incorporate big changes that drives traction, advertising, in the age of AI has become an area of immense exploration, experimentation and innovation.

While brands and businesses continues to invest in reinvention to establish robust identities, consumers are increasingly demanding much more than ever from brands, prompting them to embrace the idea of ethical marketing and advertising practices.

While the introduction of new technologies takes several industries by storm, artificial innovation helps brands fetch deeper insights and engage in advanced ideation. Yet being in the nascent stage, the use of AI has become the core focus for brands and businesses.

From the use for creatives to securing precise actionable insights, AI continues to disrupt industries and penetrate multiple verticals of business. With the potential to help brands create awe-inspiring customer-centric experiences that entails personalization and exclusivity, the use of AI as a concept facilitates tremendous business growth and success.