Focusing on the blurred lines of video advertising

Held at the River Club in Observatory, Cape Town, the audience were given an insightful display on the evolving media mix. Andrzej Suski, Head of Media & Digital Africa & Middle East at Millward Brown, gave us his six predictions for 2016. His presentation was focused on context, and how campaigns can be wonderful, but if they're in the wrong context they won't work. After all, context is now king!

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"All this complexity calls for simplicity," he says, as there are so many platforms and so many intricate differentiations between them all, that sometimes advertisers need to take a step back and really get to the heart of what their campaign is all about, make it simple for your viewer.

He brought up the notion of "matching luggage" - a common issue brands display as they push the same idea and format into multiple platforms (TV, computer and mobile). This doesn't work as each platform is viewed in a different way.

His six trends were:

1. Context-based marketing

• Good marketers will recognise different channels and the context of each
  
• Align the objectives with the context
  
• With the creation of disruption, any media can work

2. Rethink effective mobile ads

• Mobile is producing many creative challenges as the medium becomes diluted
  
• Get mobile right first in the creative process, rather than it being an afterthought
  
• Average time video ads are skipped is 12 seconds (and that's even the Cannes ads), so advertisers need to get their point across quickly

3. Brand will waste millions on video creative formats

• Brands will continue to interfere with users' navigation online with advertising
  
• Brands will need to create intrigue and impact in just a few seconds

4. Connected TV

• Linear advertising won't be affected by connected TV and streaming services
  
• This will be era of precise advertising
  
• Advertiser's will need to understand how people adopt and adapt to connected TV for advertising oppotunities
  
• At the moment there's no measureability in this medium, making it a difficult platform to approach.

5. Content marketing will reach the C-Suite

• Marketing is moving from the age of disruption to attraction
  
• Content marketing will move to the corporate agenda
  
• Brands will need to inspire readers with tangible, rewarding branded content

6. Measurement to reflect true value of digital

• Just because digital can be counted, doesn't mean it's accounted for
  
• Advertisers need to ask the right questions to get true measureability

TV vs Digital

Monique Leech, Director Media & Digital at Millward Brown, then gave her presentation on the more practical side of video advertising in the digital world. She says that advertisers need to understand the brand creative, and powerful content is the most important contributing factor to a successful campaign.

Every brand wants its campaign to go viral, but the truth is that less than 1% of online video goes viral. There is a slight chance of this if the creative is great, but brands need to really understand their audience to have a campaign get the views they desire.

Leech revealed that the ads that don't get skipped straight away are funny, humorous ones. Of course not every brand can be funny depending on what they sell, but if you can't be funny, be relevant.

Advertisers also need to make their messages simpler and clearer in such a short time span, don't dumb down a campaign just because it's on a smaller screen. What also needs to be taken into account are the likely viewing scenarios: where are people watching mobile ads?

According to stats, TV is still more powerful than digital media, and is the 'biggest reach' medium in SA. But in terms of brand consideration - digital comes up on top. Although digital is where the future is heading, TV still matters in SA and for brands this means they need to look into both aspects for a campaign.

Definitely some food for thought from Millward Brown. You can view more of their insights on their Bizcommunity Press Office and on social media: Twitter & Facebook.