Everything You Need to Know About How Advertising Works

If there is one thing about getting old it is the realization that you39re never going to know everythingamp160This may come as much of a shock to many in the digital advertising business who seem to believe as I once did that they knowamp160and have the answer toamp160everythingI cherish the memory of once going in to see a very senior figure by his own modest admission in the digital world at one of Havas39 media agencies I feel okayamp160about mentioning them by name as I understand the individual has long goneamp160Anyway before I started on whatever it was we had come to talk about this guy leant over the table at me and my colleague a man with multiple startups and exits to his name and said quotLet me tell you everything you need to know about how advertising worksquotWhat followed was largely garbage built around his belief no doubt forged in the white heat of his vast two years39 experience in the business that the answer to every advertising problem was quotpaid searchquotMy presentation to APAN combined evidence from 1895 1947 1984 and 2015 Some was a bit weird I39m not sure if I would have included the original Punchamp160cartoon in which the notion of the curate39s egg was first aired if I was to do it again Other bits like Bill Bernbach39s amazing letter about why he wanted creative moldbreakers over what he referred to as advertising scientists in his agency seemed highly appropriate to today39s worldMy message was simple amp160ignore the fads and stick to the facts Use your experience your brand knowledgeamp160and your gut feel and you won39t go far wrongamp160This is not to advise advertisers to stay rooted in the past The world of media and communications has of course changed out of all recognition We all know that we should always be experimenting trialling evaluating and learningThe answer is always a blend TV advertising via whatever device can still work wonders If you doubt me read the IPA39s effectiveness awards papersamp160or the Field and Binet book The Long and Short of ItOnline advertising is brilliant at many things especially in combination with media forms like TV that can add the emotional to the rationalamp160and can extend the message far and wideamp160But like us all it39s not brilliant at everything alwaysIt39s not about Mad Men versus Math Men or algorithms versus creative thoughtsIt39s about both and all of everythingCarry on learning you39ll be amazed at what you39ll find and where it will take youImage courtesy of Corbis The opinions and points of view expressed in this commentary are exclusively the views of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated bloggers

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Everything You Need to Know About How Advertising Works

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Brian Jacobs

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