Advertisers which use humour in their campaigns are far more likely to get a response than those which opt for sexual imagery, according to a new study which also urges digital marketers to beef up their use of data.
The global study, “Click Here: The State of Online Advertising”, polled both consumers and marketers in seven countries across the US, Asia-Pacific and Europe, and showed 92% of respondents believe funny ads are far more effective than sexy ones.
When it comes to the medium, many find online ads “annoying” (62%), “invasive” (45%) and “distracting” (44%). But in the UK they were still the third most accepted form of ad, after print and TV.
Consumers also crave personalised marketing but do not want to give up too much information to get it, says the report. Some 87% of those quizzed in the EU believe firms collect too much information on consumers, while 76% said targeted ads based on online behaviour could be “creepy”.
Adobe chief marketing officer Ann Lewnes said: “Digital marketing has created a remarkable opportunity, but it comes with higher expectations from consumers. They expect a story tailored specially for them, a level of trust and transparency with the brands they do business with and, most importantly, a great experience. Brands delivering anything less will ultimately be ignored.
“These survey results demonstrate that we aren’t quite delivering on digital marketing’s full potential yet. We now have the technology and know-how to target relevant and personalised marketing messaging and media to our customers. Shame on us, if we don’t deliver on that.”
David Edelman, global co-leader of digital marketing and sales practice at McKinsey & Company, added: “The best marketers will focus on building their muscles in data to drive relevance, design to generate an experience that makes consumers feel good, and delivery to bring it on-demand.
“And as a side benefit, as consumers appreciate those experiences more, they will also value the marketing profession more highly, helping it attract the talent that will drive the right virtuous cycle.”
