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The Wethey Forecast

Today's question: Why is most digital creative so uninspiring?

Comments:12 Add your comment

I'm trying a new tack on my blog this week: a provocative question a day. But it will only work if you are interactive and reply.

If advertising is old hat and digital the future, why are there so many examples (from all over the world) of great ads, and so few memorable pieces of digital creativity?

Published Sep 26 2007, 08:48 AM by David Wethey

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Comments

by ANNE-MARIE WEEDEN

September 26, 2007 12:01 PM

Hi David, how you doing? I think the problem is twofold. 1. Digital is still somewhat under the radar as far as the industry is concerned. As a one to one medium, who can say the curators of 'great ads' (whatever environment they appear in) actually get to see the really good digital stuff out there? It's far easier to reference ideas that appear in a mass media, which will carry more recognition with a greater number of people. 2. Agencies, on the whole, are still backwards in developing really good creative for the digital environment. It's outside our collective comfort zone, so most agencies end up taking what looks like a press ad and squishing it into a banner format. It remains an effective message delivery system, but 90% of digital activity won't be getting our creative tastebuds tingling any time soon... A-M

by David Edgar

September 26, 2007 2:29 PM

It's not a problem really. The world has finally developed a medium to access information that doesn't require them to sit through advertising if they don't want to. It is far too easy to NOT click and NOT watch adverts online. If an advert or popup message becomes too overt, people soon move on to another site with the same content which isn't a pain in the ass to read through. Secondly, the spread of the web is so vast that it is impossible to buy enough 'space' online to reach a mass audience. We should feel joy in the fact that there is one part of the world, a small oasis if you like, that enables us to avoid advertising. There are plenty of opportunities to view advertising in the real world, billboards, telly, radio, your cinema ticket, petrol pumps, toilets, etc.

by sarah margolis

September 26, 2007 2:46 PM

Is this the latest blog posting method - asking questions and asking readers for a response?

by sarah margolis

September 26, 2007 2:48 PM

Sorry, I meant laziest blog posting method

by Hal Clarke

September 26, 2007 2:56 PM

It's a little short on content, to be sure. What do you think David I think you need to enlighten us.

by Fran Hazeldine

September 26, 2007 3:34 PM

It depends what you mean by 'digital creativity'. Most would agree that the digital presence of brands like Apple, Google, Amazon and Facebook is pretty memorable, and certainly required creative as well as technical skills. Then there's the immersive promotional microsites created for brands like Absolut, Mini and Nokia. All very top of mind for me, and positively oozing with creativity. Can I remember many great examples of banner creative? No. Only a handful. But digital creativity has always been about more than banner advertising.

by James Cooper

September 26, 2007 3:56 PM

"If advertising is old hat and digital the future, why are there so many examples (from all over the world) of great ads, and so few memorable pieces of digital creativity?" Oh please. Come on. Nike + Diesel Heides Shave Everwhere Clearification (even Second Life!) A cursory knowledge of the global awards scheme should be enough to make your point totally meaningless. I think what you mean is most digital advertising is rubbish - agreed. But the point is most advertising (in any medium) is rubbish.

by WETHEY

September 27, 2007 7:20 AM

may be the laziest method - but is it effective! If you've got the energy check out scores of my posts this year. Beautifully crafted, elegantly argued etc etc. And no bugger responded. This way works! And I was genuinely looking for comment and answers

by WETHEY

September 27, 2007 7:21 AM

by Michael Trenerry

September 27, 2007 7:56 AM

So few pieces of digital creativity??? Perhaps you need to be a little more creative in your thinking if you can't see what is happening out there! Marketing within the digital realm is creative in so many more ways than traditioinal - we have to be! Yes, there are brands such as Adidas, Nike, Diesel, Coke & so on... and then viral and stuff but creativity within digital has gone beyond the realm of simply sticking stuff in peoples faces (old school marketing / ad world method)... It's now about putting a brannd creatively within content that already exists to add value & offer the consumer something! I think if your going to post questions like this, perhaps a little more thought is required! Provocative maybe... but isn't that a 'forum' piece???

by sarah margolis

September 27, 2007 10:11 AM

Depends what you mean by effective. If you want people to respond and discuss topics in advertising, surely this is what the forums are for? Or alternatively, pose the question and then give your viewpoint. Surely your blog is suppossed to be all about content ratehr than discussion?

by Gino De Blasio

September 27, 2007 5:50 PM

Isn't advertising a medium, and digital a channel of that medium? How could you possibly compare the two? If it looks like an advert, sounds like an advert and has "advert" written all over it - then it's still an ADVERT but it may be digital or on TV or on the radio. Someone is getting a little confused I fear.

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