Beyond the Banner

Web advertising has been around for about 18 years. Since the beginning, very little has changed in the way ads are displayed on the web. More times than not, ads are displayed as web banners of various sizes that direct back to a landing page with additional information about a product. Not too exciting and at times quite annoying. With today's ability to easily share content, we, as advertisers, should be doing more to connect and engage with audiences.

I found a few examples of web advertisements that do more than the usual, "click here."

Buy the world a Coke

Google recently did an experiment to put digital advertising to the test. They challenged legendary creatives of iconic commercials to re-imagine their ads for the digital age. One in particular was the Coca-Cola "Hilltop" commercial from the 1970s.

Harvey Gabor, Art Director, decided to take the concept of "buying the world a coke" to a whole new level. By using the coke app, you can send a coke to any unsuspecting person anywhere in the world. The coke is dispensed through a specialized vending machine at one of the designated city locations across the globe. When you send your coke, you have the option of adding a customized text message to go along with it. When the coke is received, the recipient can send back a thank you along with a video capturing their reaction as they received their free coke.

Try this one on for size

Converse also has an entertaining app called "The Sampler." This app allows you to virtually try on any of their shoes by snapping a photo of your foot and uploading it to the app, which will then superimpose the shoe over it. The idea is simple yet engaging. "The Sampler" also allows a customer to save and share their photos as well as purchase shoes from their mobile web store. Just a few short months after the launch date, 551,000 products were viewed and 41,500 photos were taken using the app.

The gift that says it all

Around the holidays, Johnnie Walker ran a campaign called "Saying it without saying it." The campaign was targeted specifically towards men, acknowledging the stereotype that men have a hard time expressing feelings, especially to other men. Since words are often at a loss, the ad campaign allows the user to gift a bottle of Johnnie Walker which will speak for them. For the online component they developed a Rich Media banner called "The Gift Translator." The Gift Translator works by typing in the name of a gift, which generates a video of their spokesman explaining the meaning of that gift in a comical way. The campaign boosted sales of Johnnie Walker Blue Label over 40 percent—a record high.

Through the use of creativity and current technology we can find better ways to connect with our audience. Challenge yourself to go beyond the banner and it could result in a more memorable experience—for both you and your client.