An advent for adverts
Did you know that 2019 marked the twenty-fifth anniversary of the first online ad? In spite of this notable landmark, last year was a bad one for advertising, with many adverts proving divisive (see Gillette’s “The Best Men Can Be”) or downright offensive (Philadelphia and Volkswagen had their ads banned for depicting harmful gender stereotypes, while Peloton’s Christmas ad was accused of sexism).
Will 2020 see an improvement? Lucy Hahn, head of client operations at Flashtalking, argues that ads need better creativity.
“While the technology has developed to enable brands to make ads more personal and relevant, the creative aspect has been left behind,” she says.
“The success of Christmas ads, from John Lewis and Aldi, serve as a recent reminder of the power of a great creative to drive consumer engagement.
“We predict that in the year ahead, as brands seek to cut through the ever-growing digital noise, there will be a creative renaissance with a return to the art of storytelling and the end of consumers being bombarded with dull, intrusive ads.”
Read the full article and predictions on City A.M.
