An Appeal for Ad Appeal

As a marketing student, I often hear people exclaim their hatred for video ads. Having an appreciation for the medium of video, from cinema to advertisement, I view ads with a more critical eye than most, but I also think there’s definitely room for improvement- there are only so many uninspired mobile game ads one can handle. With Netflix’s recently launched ad-supported plan, YouTube’s ever-growing list of unskippable ads and Twitter’s ban on adblocking software, digital ads are becoming more unavoidable than ever (Hsu 2023). So why are people against ads these days and how can we bring back their appeal?

What’s giving ads a bad rep?

Tiffany Hsu (2023), writer for the New York Times, has reported that close to 30% of 43 substantial multinational companies have planned to drastically reduce their advertising budget in 2023, thus pushing digital media platforms like Facebook, YouTube and Twitter to lower their advertising prices. As these wealthier companies have taken a seat on the sidelines, when it comes to marketing, the weaker players with less money to spend are the ones out on the field, resulting in a less interesting performance overall. In other words, the ads we’ve been seeing recently are lower quality because they are funded by companies with smaller budgets (Hsu 2023).

Algorithms on social media, the internet and streaming services also make a difference on what targeted ads you see online (Hsu 2023). It’s a well-known fact that the average consumer is exposed to as high a number as 10 000 ads per day (Poling 2023), and with more streaming services offering ad-supported plans, this further increases this exposure.

What should advertisers do?

Despite the backlash streaming services have received for introducing their ad-supported plans, they might just be the solution to the current state of video advertising through their personalised ad settings. By strengthening targeted ad algorithms and ensuring ads are more relevant to the user, companies will not only generate greater profits as they are more likely to reach the target demographic, but it will also improve the overall reception of advertising in general (ECI Media Management 2021). The same can be said for social media algorithms and the like.

Mobile puzzle game, Merge Mansion's viral advertisement featuring Hollywood A-lister Pedro Pascal.

“The advertising industry needs to rethink once again and eliminate advertising that treats people like fools.” -Jim Poling Sr., The Minden Times

In line with The Minden Times’ Jim Poling Sr. (2023, para. 14) who states, “the advertising industry needs to rethink once again and eliminate advertising that treats people like fools,” I believe the average consumer expects more substance from video advertisements than they are currently given. For instance, Merge Mansion’s viral advertising campaign featuring A-list celebrities like Pedro Pascal and Kathy Bates outshines amongst its mobile game competitors, by taking a more cinematic and narrative-based approach rather than just showing bad gameplay. By weaving a strong narrative through a long-running ad campaign, akin to film and television, viewers become invested in the brand and more engaged with the medium (Knezovic 2023).

So to anyone reading who can’t stand ads either, don’t lose hope, there’s still a chance for ads to make a comeback!

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References

ECI Media Management. 2021. “TV Industry: Forcing to Transform.” ECI Media Management, Mar 8. 2021, https://www.ecimediamanagement.com/tv-industry-forcing-to-transform/

Hsu, Tiffany. 2023. “Why Are You Seeing So Many Bad Digital Ads Now?” The New York Times, February 11, 2023. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/11/technology/bad-digital-ads.html

IGN. 2023. Merge Mansion - Official "A Twisted Game" Teaser Trailer (ft. Pedro Pascal). YouTube video, 01:00. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8lagHPsC_U

Knezovic, Andrea. 2023. “How to Advertise Merge Games.” UDONIS, March 3, 2023. https://www.blog.udonis.co/mobile-marketing/mobile-games/how-to-advertise-merge-games.

Poling, Jim. 2023. “Advertising needs rethinking.” Minden Times, April 13, 2023. https://mindentimes.ca/opinion/advertising-needs-rethinking/