What makes ads soar?—?and crash?

Everyone sees advertisements, but what are their real purpose? More importantly, do ads work?

Jason Schemmel has notions about successful ads. A speaker and podcaster, he spoke about the purpose of advertising, the importance of empathy — plus what ads get wrong.

He talked with Ivana Taylor. She owns DIYMarketers, a company “committed to helping small business owners get out of overwhelm.”

“People want their attention gained through entertainment,” Schemmel said. “We now live in a digital age where people can be picky about what ads they see and decide if they want to interact with an ad at all.

“Brands often focus on selling their product or service rather than connecting with their audience,” he said. “No wonder nobody remembers those types of ads.”

While many ads are eye-catching, Schemmel said their intent goes much deeper.

“Most know that ads are meant to grab attention, but there’s more to it than that,” he said. “Typical ads get impressions, but no one clicks them. Good ads grab attention and get some clicks. But the best ads grab and keep attention, get lots of clicks and are shared a lot.

“What truly differentiates the typical from the great ads are ones that resonate with the audience,” Schemmel said. “It does not have to promote the brand to be effective — see Apple. Effective ads strike an emotional chord with their audience.”

Rules of attraction

Naturally, big events commend attention, which makes them attractive to advertisers.

“That’s what makes the Super Bowl so special,” Schemmel said. “The ads you remember most aren’t necessarily promoting a product or service but tap an emotional feeling that’s remembered for a long time.”

Taylor wondered how marketers make sure people remember the brand or the product or service instead of just the ad.

“If the message resonates with people and the ad is memorable, they’ll remember the brand,” Schemmel said. “Take for example Sarah McLoughlin’s ‘In the arms of the angels’ song. Instantly, people think of the ASPCA. Remember the Super Bowl when the lights went out? Oreo Cookie was on top of that.

“Emotional connection is what makes an ad effective, regardless of the emotion it’s connecting with,” he said.

Taylor said she best recalls the “quirky ads — ones with stories or strange silly characters. I’m a sucker for sure.”

People have different ways they like to be “sold.”

“I like to be sold on more than just the ‘sizzle.’ Show me something beyond what’s expected,” Schemmel said. “When a brand’s ad meets my needs, connects with me on an emotional level and can show how they’re different, I’m instantly hooked.

“Empathy is your greatest tool,” he said. “When you can see things from your audience’s perspective and meet the needs — or solve the problem — they’re having, and effectively communicate how you can help, your message will stick.”

Beyond expectations

Extra effort done well will pay off.

“That’s a huge component of a good ad,” Schemmel said. “Go beyond what’s expected and really wow your audience.

“It’s truly about the relationship you form with each individual person,” he said. “Show you’re meeting their personal needs. When they feel you continually help better themselves through the content and services you offer, you’ve got a fan for life.”

Marketing, strategy, leadership and business consultant Iva Ignjatovic believes she is less easily manipulated.

“The most important thing for me is, can I connect with what brands or businesses are offering?” she said. “I’m practical. So, emotional manipulation is never enough.”

Taylor contended that the purpose of ads is to follow the customer through the buying cycle. Schemmel took a slightly different view.

“On its most basic level, the purpose of advertising is to inform,” he said. “A lot of people forget that and think it’s just about promoting their product, service or agenda. They forget the human element.

“From a business perspective, the purpose of ads is to drive awareness and conversions,” Schemmel said. “Awareness calls attention to your brand, service or product. Conversions are getting people to act because of your ad, moving them further into your sales funnel.”

Ignjatovic noted there are “several end goals of advertising, but the two most important haven’t changed: to inform and convince.”

Spending up

The latest data shows digital ad spending increasing, predicted to rise to $129.26 billion in 2021.

“That’s not surprising at all,” Schemmel said. “More and more companies are realizing that digital ads and not TV, billboard or mailer ads are the way to go. The big shift keeps on shifting.”

He also admitted that he has made purchases based on ads.

“The last one was an online course,” Schemmel said. “I was conducting research for a side project when an ad popped up. It claimed to help me better learn a process that would help me make the project a reality. After doing research on the person, I bought it.

“This is why proper targeting — and retargeting your ads — are essential to a successful advertising campaign,” he said. “Reach the right people, and make sure your ad shows up when they’re experiencing the problem that you can solve.”

Sometimes the lure of ads is hard to ignore.

“It’s easy to get caught up in the ‘sizzle’ of them selling the dream of all of your problems being solved by buying their course,” Schemmel said. “I bought the one I did because there’s an offer to get your money back if you complete the course and do a couple extra steps.

“I find myself drawn to ads when I’m struggling with something,” he said. “That ‘easy fix’ is soooo tempting. But I’d rather take the time and do it right.”

Confronting skeptics

In the last decade, Taylor said consumers have become more skeptical and overwhelmed. Meanwhile, the cost of digital advertising in the United States is rising five times faster than inflation.

“So much has changed,” Schemmel said. “Ten years ago, the focus was on website ads. Now we advertise on apps, social media, mobile and Alexa. It’s also a lot more data-driven.”

He said the article, “10 Things That Changed in Advertising During the Last Decade,” details the changes.

“I also believe more and more companies understand using empathy to create ads that connect with their audience, instead of just promoting their products and services,” Schemmel said. “That makes ads more relatable and more effective.

“A small company with 100 loyal customers has the potential to earn more revenue than a big company with 10,000 not-loyal customers where their cost per acquisition is far higher,” he said.

Empathy also plays a large role in advertising.

“It depends on what conversations you’re in,” Taylor said. “Look how awesome SAP Small Business is. They make personal connections.”

Schemmel said empathy’s strength lies in those connections.

“Empathy is absolutely important in advertising,” he said. “If your ads don’t connect with your audience, no one will engage with it, no one will remember it, nothing will happen, and you’ll have wasted a valuable budget.

“Think of the brands you follow and some of their ads you remember,” Schemmel said. “What made them memorable? What made them make you want to take action? They fit an emotional need you were experiencing at the time.”

Don’t stress

He explained how the best ads have a relaxed approach.

“This reminds me of a book I’d recommend to others: “Don’t Make Me Think” by Steve Krug,” Schemmel said. “It’s a quick read — and the info is fairly common sense — but it’s a good reminder that the journey your customer takes is essential to the relationship process.”

Ignjatovic noted that empathy is connected to perception.

“It’s important because it shows that a brand understands its consumers,” she said.

Social media also factors into empathy and connection.

“Twitter is, by far, my favorite platform for connecting with people,” Schemmel said. “It has actual personable interactions, great conversations and a growing network.”

Google and Facebook dominate the digital advertising. Nearly 60 cents of every dollar spent in that category goes to those two platforms.

“Facebook, Instagram and SnapChat are everyone’s highlight reel,” Schemmel said. “LinkedIn is everyone’s online rolodex and platform to post articles that sometimes say, ‘I know my industry.’ Twitter — those are real connections with influencers, brands and people.”

Be real

An ad’s attitude also resonates.

“Just be yourself, especially online,” Schemmel said. “It takes too much effort to be someone you’re not.

“I keep telling people I’m a professional dork,” he said. “I can help others, but I’ve also got a sense of humor, and I’m an eternal optimist.”

Just as viewers recall many times ads get it so right, they also know when ads get it so wrong.

“I hate it when ads think we are stupid and don’t know basic things like, ‘What’s Tylenol?’” Taylor said.

Schemmel blamed repetition.

“I see a lot of ‘wrong’ ads use the same cookie-cutter strategy: ‘Our product is awesome. Buy it!’ or ‘We do this task. So, hire us.’ It’s uninspiring,” he said. “It’s not creative and doesn’t convey why you’re better than any other competitors in the market.

“That reminds me of my favorite TED Talks: Simon Sinek and his ‘Golden Circle’message instantly clicked,” Schemmel said. “He says, ‘People don’t buy whatyou do, they buy why you do it.’ If your why aligns with your audience’s, you’ve instantly got them hooked.”

Making assumptions

Ignjatovic cautioned advertisers not to paint with a broad brush.

“Don’t generalize the audience,” she said. “Don’t assume that I hate boxing and love pink color because I’m a woman. It’s actually the other way around.”

Business-to-business and business-to-customer ads fall into different categories, but are they really that distinct?

“People make buying decisions,” Taylor said. “I’ve always seen B2B and B2C as ads that sell to people.”

Schemmel said differences are negligible.

“We’re all humans trying to connect with another human on the other side,” he said. “Ideally, the decision maker holds the checkbook. The strategy for B2B versus B2C ads may be different, but the end goal is the same.

“To appeal to another business, your ads have to reach and connect with the right person — or at least the one who will show it to the right person. People forget that businesses are made up of people, too.”

Seek agency help

When developing ads that work, remember agencies.

“They can be an important asset for creating entire campaigns,” Taylor said. “The trick is finding an affordable agency.”

Schemmel emphasized that these experts play a central role.

“Agencies are quite relevant,” he said. “The beauty of agencies is they bring a different perspective to the table. The best ones help their clients find that happy medium between conveying the brand’s message and connecting with the desired audience.

“That is not always easy to do, especially for businesses,” Schemmel said. “Sometimes you get so wrapped up in the message you crafted that it makes sense to you — but not to your audience, and you don’t understand why. This is where an agency can help.”

Above all, Taylor and Schemmel have basic demands for ads.

“Don’t just look at me as a demographic,” she said. “I’m a person.

“There are psychographics that deal with users’ preferences and purchasing patterns,” Taylor said. “If you like cycling, you might have a $10,000 bike but you rent and eat rice for dinner. That’s not the same as a demographic.”

Schemmel wants ads to loosen up — for a purpose.

“Make your ads fun, make your ads connect, make me want to engage with your ad,” he said. “Then I’ll choose you over your competitors.”

About The Author

Jim Katzaman is a manager at Largo Financial Services and worked in public affairs for the Air Force and federal government. You can connect with him on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.