On grabbing your attention versus forcing it

A number of years ago I was invited onto a popular current affairs Hong Kong TV programme to join a debate about the merits of online advertising versus traditional media, in particular, newspapers.

?Sitting opposite to me was a ‘digital guru’ and it was clear that the idea was we would offer opposing opinions and in this case I would be playing the role of ‘Luddite’. The old timer who had yet been able to catch up with the modern world, still living in the past.

?Actually the conversation (or argument) didn’t go according to plan, I think to the disappointment of the host, because I get my media fixes from online sources as much as anyone. At the same time, as I pointed out, there’s nothing I enjoy more than sitting down over a coffee and browsing the pages of a nice big fat newspaper.

?However, commenting on this from the perspective of someone whose job it is to sell stuff via said media channels, I have to say, yes, I’m pretty old school.

?I know we live in a programmatic, data-driven world where online ads were supposed to banish traditional media to the great advertising museum, but speaking as a practitioner, I know which platforms I prefer to work within.

?Don’t get me wrong, I’m not about to start even trying to take on the digital media whiz kids to argue the ins and outs of click rates or effectiveness. Or to argue against the fact that printed media is a dying cause these days.

?It’s just that, in simple terms, I’ve never gotten turned on by trying to come up with an awesome web banner.

?I do quite enjoy working on online films, which to me, are just extended TV ads, if you’re given the creative freedom to do something different that people would actually want to watch (most are not).

?But when it comes to static ads, as I argued during the debate, nothing can beat a brilliant, simple, outstanding print ad (not that we get to see many of them in public these days, sadly, but that’s a whole other discussion).

?I've always found online ads are really hard to do well, simply because you’re in a space where most people have zero interest in looking at you. You’re wallpaper. Unless it’s something exceptional.

You are getting in the way of what they really want to look at.

?You could say the same about a magazine or newspaper ad, except that it’s a slower reading environment. Where people are often comfortably browsing the pages. And where, if you do your job well, you have a chance to catch their eye, and draw them in.

?A short captivating headline, a compelling visual, or combination of both, can do the job.

?Then you get the pop-ups, which do their utmost to get your attention. Interrupting your view by shoving themselves across the content you were focusing on in an extremely annoying manner like flies that keep coming back.

?The digital equivalent of trying to read a magazine or newspaper (or anything) and having a salesman keep interrupting you and waving a product in your face. You just want to reach for the ad-swatter and swat them away fast.

They don’t work. Get it? You can’t keep flashing rubbish in people’s faces and expect them to like you.

?Same goes for irritating pre-roll ads on You Tube, which are generally crap, and come on before those football highlights you’ve been desperately wanting to catch up on.

?Be honest, when did you ever not click the ‘Skip Ads’ button?

?When was the last time you screen-grabbed an amazing online banner-ad and shared it with your friends?

?I used to see that with great ads, and still do, especially in social media business circles (how ironic) where I still see people sharing print ads or posters, often from the past but not exclusively.

?Because they’re great. Because they’re there to be admired as well as to sell.

?They are also not easy to do well. But when you do, when you manage to get buy in from all involved and sign off on something special, it’s an awesome feeling.

?Give me a big bold full page (or even half..I’m not greedy) space within which to do the job, and I’d take that over a small desperate-to-get-attention pop up any day of the week.

?Or for that matter, a nice spacious poster site. A medium that these days that seems to be completely wasted on wallpaper.

?I offered all of this as my view during my live TV debate. I’m not sure my comments sank in or that I ‘won’ the debate mind you.

?But then, some people are just set at living in the future.