Cannes Lions
21 Things Advertisers Must Know in 2009 and Beyond
I’m in Cannes right now, just finished up with my panel at the Cannes Lions conference (Big thanks to Digitas for the invite). I had a lot of discussions around advertising and marketing on the web. Overall, I was surprised at how still, in 2009, so many people just don’t get how the web works and how the old rules DO NOT apply. I found myself silently stewing during one of the panels I sat in when I kept hearing ideas that clearly came from people who were playing it safe and boring. So here are some of the tips and pointers I picked up from my past few days here:
Dear people advertising on the web,
1. Do not look back, you will turn into a pillar of salt.
We are pushing the biggest, reddest reset button in modern history. The old way of doing things does not apply. Not here on the web.
2. Be bold and mighty forces will come to your aid.
Next time you (or your creative) has a GREAT idea — one that you know in your gut is awesome — do me a favor, DO NOT run it by everyone else in the goddamned building. Go with it. A point of view has focus. Too many points and that vision becomes dull.
3. STOP calling people consumers!
People are not mindless drones waiting to consume. We are all people hoping to connect and you are hopefully facilitators of conversation. As soon as we change the language we will change the action.
4. It is not professional vs. amateur. It’s crap vs. quality in COMMUNICATION.
Just because something is polished and created by someone who has dozens of filmmaking awards does not mean it will communicate what you need it to communicate. It does not mean they understand the language.
5. You better care what you’re talking about, otherwise I wont.
6. Stop trying to be cute. Be useful. Inform, don’t just entertain.
There better be a very good reason why I need you in my life. I can’t tell you how many commercials I’ve seen where I remember the character, or the funny thing that happened, but can’t for the life of me remember who the advertiser was. Tell me how you’re useful to me. If you are a serious product or service, why are you trying to be cute?
7. An unexamined life is not worth living, neither is an unexamined idea.
Do not be lazy. What’s the point?
8. Have a conversation!
Open up. Stop trying to control the message. When you talk to someone, you don’t muzzle them, do you? Do you have your lawyer meet every person you speak with? Establish a relationship. Establish understanding. Keep your doors open. Invite people in. Show us your human face. It’ll be okay.
9. React.
Having a conversation means you take turns.
10. To thine own self be true.
Play to your strengths. If you’re X company why in the world would you create a bland fictional web series about a bunch of people doing silly shit? When I’m searching for X on the web a few months later, guess what, you won’t show up. And I was looking for you!
(this deserves another blog post about funding & sponsoring fictional content)
11. Play the match game.
If the show I’m about to watch is shot one camera, raw, non-fiction, why in the world would you have an ad that doesn’t match the tone? What you are saying is that you do not care about the creator or the viewer, only about getting your self-important message out. It does not reflect well.
12. Stop it with the 15/30 second glossy prerolls.
Seriously, is that the best you can do? It just ends up pissing people off.
13. The web is a new language, take time to learn it!
Understand the web! It is NOT TV, stop treating it like it is. Take the time to learn the medium otherwise you deserve to fail… so you can learn.
14. Speak less, listen more.
A general truth: if you don’t know what to do, if you can’t find the answer, it’s because you’re not listening. Stop being arrogant and listen. The answer and the first step is usually a very simple one.
15. Information fatigue is a real thing.
Keep your message simple and direct.
16. Step down from your tower. Go where the people are.
You are not better than your community. You are providing a service. Never forget that.
17. Jack be nimble, Jack be quick.
Or you will be burned by the candlestick. That strategic plan you had six months ago is too old. We’re in a constant state of acting and reacting. Taking months to make a decision is not going to cut it on the web. Cut the bureaucracy.
18. It’s not the height, it’s the weight.
What people carry away is more important and long-lasting than the amount of number of people reached. Which is better? Telling your story to one person who will be moved enough to retell your story to other like-minded friends, or expanding your story to cater to five people who will find your story amusing, but not impacting, and therefore ultimately forgettable?
19. Aim for the bulls eye: right place, right time, right person.
Stop throwing spaghetti against the wall to see what sticks. Good communication means that you have an understanding of your environment, the social climate, and the person you’re having a conversation with.
20. The web is global. Global is the web.
21. The web is that last checkbox.
It’s the one everyone has checked throughout the history of surveys, the one that says “heard about it from a friend.” Our friends and acquaintences are our filters, our trusted sources, our new networks. PEOPLE are the new media… and medium. Be real. Just talk to us and stop trying so hard. We’ll either be friends or we won’t. Easy as that. :)
eric susch June 27, 2009
yep.
Chris McCaleb June 27, 2009
Brilliant.
Rykos June 27, 2009
A few more:
1. Users have built up a resistant to your bullshit.
Although they may be idiots, we have robot like reflexes (or add-ons) on closing out annoying pop ups, prerolls, in video ads and other such annoyances. If you present a user with a balanced use of advertisements we permit it.
2. Give your "adopters" or "finders" the ability to spread your information through whatever means they deem necessary.
If I can’t share it easily, I won’t share it at all. Not everyone uses Digg, Facebook, and Twitter but you should still give them the ability to link that content (one click away, easily found) in whatever way possible.
3. Don’t make me jump through hoops.
If I have to wait 30 seconds for the graphics to load, the splash screen to finish or a pre-roll to run I will not be sharing that skull smashing experience with my friends. Friends don’t let friends intarweb blind.
4. Viral efforts can backfire.
True, a lot of viral efforts are huge successes but there are also viral efforts that backfire when the audience feels they have been "had" and there was no discovery. If it smells like shit, it probably isn’t bacon. You’re audience wants bacon… and cupcakes and cake… and pie.
5. The audience is there, find it.
Chances are, there is an audience for that… or there will be one shortly. Have solid work, don’t lie to our faces, treat us like idiots, keep the adverts to a minimum and the effort will spread farther and faster than you think.
Joe Mescher June 28, 2009
Conversation is King…
Zadi, you Stud! Why don’t more people realize the power of starting conversations in this two-way "Web" world? I’m instantly reminded of a relative who is still on the fence about using Twitter to communicate with business partners.
"Hey man, you only get one shot, and if I say something stupid…it’s over."
Seems like he’s missing the point. Pre-scripted messages are so obvious to the sort of people using Twitter anyways. Anyhow, keep up the great writing for social media commandos like me who eat it right up!
Mike Ambs June 28, 2009
Awesome blog post Zadi! :) You tell them. There are some really great points in here. Seriously – very impressive breakdown on things people need to be doing more of on the web.
Danielle Relation July 10, 2009
thank you and Rykos too for the advice..it’s good to have some feedback from the consumers
Mikelo! August 24, 2009
I don’t necessarily mind being advertised to, myself. After all, advertisements tell us when something is out in the marketplace and where I can find it. Tell me, and I don’t mind spending my money.
What I don’t like is when companies are obnoxious about it. This can take the form of content, such as commercials trying to be cute and funny by being outrageously stupid (and insulting my intelligence in the meantime), or it can take the form of pop-ups, pop-unders, or basically intruding on my experience. I do agree with the statement on 15-30 second prerolls, though, especially if you’re looking at multiple videos on a single site. How many times do I have to watch the same advertisement? After the umpteenth time, I’m probably not going to care about your business or product.
However, I agree with everything on here. Interruption marketing is rapidly becoming the way of the past, and conversational marketing the way of the future.
Paul Cyopick September 8, 2009
20. The web is global. Global is the web.
Could you PLEASE tell people in the USA this? As a Canadian, I’m getting more and more upset with all of the US only sites and technology.
Hulu, Netflix, Amazon mp3 store and video streaming, Zune Marketplace, PS3 Video marketplace, all the US network web sites, Pandora, last.fm, iTunes store (for US tv shows), TIVO, 3rd party DVRs are all US only, and these are only the ones I can think of at 4am.
Then the same companies complain that Canadians pirate too much. Hmm … think there’s a connection?
I WANT to watch your content. I even WANT to pay for it. Please let me.
mallet June 14, 2010
We should be chary and particular in all the intelligence we give. We should be extraordinarily painstaking in giving opinion that we would not about of following ourselves. Most of all, we ought to evade giving advisor which we don’t imitate when it damages those who depreciate us at our word.