Mele’s Musings

Digital Brand Media, and the Risks of Black and White Thinking

About a year ago, I sat across the table from a top executive of a major company, and he said, very plainly, that he believed all online advertising should drive to an online purchase. That was, in his view, the purpose of digital advertising, and anything else was a waste.

I wriggled in my chair, feeling very uneasy about his comment, but decided that there would be a better time to challenge his POV. The truth is he is not alone in his thinking. I still run across many people all the time who hold that same sentiment. Those of us who work with brands who have broader views of the potential of digital know that this is not true, but we still hear it quite often.

So, we should be thrilled with the eMarketer article that came out last week proclaiming “Brand Advertising Outshines Direct Response in Digital.” Right?!?

Isn’t this the day we have been waiting for, when we can say, without seeing the doubting look from the other side of the table, that digital CAN be used for branding as well as direct response?

Well, yes, and no. The trouble is that the reason online is finally getting credit, and dollars, for branding campaigns is because of the growth of video. Not that digital video is a bad thing, and certainly not because digital video doesn’t drive branding. I am a big proponent of online video, and have seen it make a material impact on brand metrics for clients.

The reason it bugs me is because, in many people’s minds, it is considered the ONLY thing, or the primary thing, that drives branding. Why? Because, as more dollars have come online, this shift has attracted strategies that are considered sacrosanct in the traditional world from people who have a limited understanding of the potential of digital. But, this belief - that branding is best done via video - is just as troubling to me as the idea that digital should be all about direct response.

This black and white thinking must be overcome. Digital is not just about direct response. Video is not the only vehicle for influencing brand perception. Holding onto these beliefs holds back our creativity and our ability to provide complete strategies for brands which create good experiences for consumers.

And experiences is the operative word. Branding is best achieved by experiencing something. Yes, watching a video can be an experience, but it is not the only way to create an experience.

When branding online really shines is when we can create experiences for consumers that are meaningful, relevant, and interactive. And that’s hard to do.

The same goes for direct response. It’s pretty easy to measure everything by a very simple metric like cost of clicks to conversion, but it’s also pretty lazy. There is a lot more to it than that. When direct response really shines is when we can creative experiences for consumers that are meaningful, relevant, and interactive.

Most of us won’t do it, however. Because it’s just easier to hold onto our black and white thinking.

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