Navigating Last Minute Changes in Advertising: A Daily Guide

Let’s face it, it’s the ad industry. This happens often and it’s somewhat of a norm in our field. It was interesting to me, as I come from a production background in T.V., how similar the two industries are in this way. It’s extremely important to be able to shift and be flexible when working on creative projects. Projects are naturally dynamic. Although the chances are low, things may go wrong somewhere.  It is the nature of the beast. So, how does one cope with this style of creative project management in advertising? Here are some things we’ve learned over the years.

1.     Streamline your processes: We pride ourselves on having a seamless system in what we do. Unnecessary steps can take time away from what is important in a project. Efficiency is everything. This way, when something comes up we’re not scrambling, and you’re not scrambling. This is a top priority that we recommend for helping agencies navigate creative changes.

2.     Manage expectations: We are always upfront about whether or not we think a project will be deliverable. Sometimes, it’s not. Honesty helps build good relationships with partners. This also goes for while we’re working on a creative project. Everyone is dealing with a fire and change requests coming from all angles, so being transparent about what is realistic and what is not when dealing with alterations, in our opinion, is the best policy.

3.     Always remain adaptable: Creativity is our world. Creativity isn’t ridged. It is something that flows naturally and processes and ideas just come to fruition. Think about your creative projects as being the same. Don’t get frustrated when someone up top wants a change directive. Try to think of it as a creative opportunity.

4.     Have a backup plan: In our case, we always discover, curate, and clear some backup content for projects just in case a few pieces don’t work in the edit flow. Having a few more tricks up your sleeve can help save the day especially once you’re nearing the end of a project and trying to combat potential scope creep.

5.     Communicate: This is huge for anything in business. Communication is key and as cheesy as that sounds it could not be more true. We are in constant contact with our team and also our B2B teams that we are partnered with. This way, everyone is in the know as changes are happening in “real-time.”

6.     High-level budgeting: We always say it’s important for creators, not to “out-price” themselves. We feel the same way about our business. Keeping costs lower ensures that if there is a change in the creative, we can work with our partners to overcome any obstacles that happen during projects.

There are obviously more ways to deal with abrupt creative changes, but we think these are the top recommendations. Feel free to comment with anything you think we should add!

Friday Favorite 9/2/22

With the recent release of the prequal to Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon, we felt compelled to feature one of their newest advertisements for the show. We’re not going to lie, we’re really big fans of both! This ad was featured on Official Media Samosa. This interactive ad was located in Brazil and features a black, melted bus stop billboard as part of the piece. The half rectangular, half melted transit shelter display is smoldering from beneath, as if melted by dragon fire as it sits alongside the Targaryen house emblem placed behind the local bus stop bench. We love a good interactive advertisement as one of the top creative ways to advertise. They’re truly one of the best ways to get your audience engaged and remember your name. This ad had the desired effect. It was creative, catchy, memorable and fun!  

Creative Ways to Advertise

Did you know that it typically takes 5-7 brand interactions before a consumer remember the brand? (Start Up Bonsai) We’ve written articles in the past on how to make your advertisements stand out from the crowd with the use of Interactive Advertising. We’ve also talked about what contributes to the effectiveness of an advertisement. Creativity will always win in advertising campaigns so why should the way that you advertise be any different? Not only should the advertisements themselves stand out, the way that you advertise should as well. Here are some creative and not so creative, but tried and tested, ideas to get you started.

1.     Magazines. This type of advertising is one of the oldest. Ads began in newspapers so this is similar. This can cost your brand anywhere from $500-$20K depending on which publication it is as well as the placement within the magazine. Ads in the back are typically better so they are going to cost your brand more. Cost will also be affected by the size and colors you choose.

2.     Sponsor local city maps. This one is a bit old school but tested to work. This will work especially well if your brand is located in a tourist destination.

3.     Use the space creatively. Put an ad on the celling of a building. On the floor or the staircase. Use the space creatively to draw attention to the campaign.

4.     Swag. Everyone loves free stuff and it helps your brand advertise. Think pens, tee shirts, reusable water bottles, stickers, bottle openers, etc. Keep costs low by ordering early, buying in bulk, shopping around for the best deals and also negotiate pricing.

5.     Vehicle wraps. We’ve all seen the bus side ads. It’s dynamic since the vehicle is always in motion. Many people will see the ad but make sure that it legible to read in motion. This type of advertising is also a bit costly ranging anywhere from $3K-5K. That being said, this type of ad generates 2.5x’s more attention than static billboards according to Sign Post. You can easily find companies in your area that specialize in vehicle wraps with a simple Google search. 

6.     Banner Ads. Banner ads are a great way to get your brand to the eyes of those that potentially are interested in what you have to offer. These are placed on specific websites that have similar interest to your business through publishers. This can help grow your audience big time. They should be animated to get the viewers’ attention immediately. Costs of this type of advertising varies. Some do 50cents per 1,000 impressions. Meaning that it will be displayed 1,000 times. Some charge one-time fees for a specified span of time.

These are some fun ways to mix up the ways that your brand is advertising. Not only should your advertisement be creatively sound, the way that you choose to advertise that campaign should be as well. We hope this helps give you some ideas to add diversity to your advertising strategies.