Drugi jezik na kojem je dostupan ovaj članak: Bosnian
By: Kamilo Antolović, Managing Director, K&K Promotion
Advertisements, ads and advertising (and other forms of marketing communications) undeniably have exceptional influence on the attitudes and behavior of consumers – meaning each and every one of us. Therefore, advertising, because of its essential role (reach every individual and affect their behavior in the cheapest way) is constantly exposed to different assessments, criticism, and often various prohibitions (restrictions and bans).
Because of this long-standing reputation and some unacceptable manners and content of advertising, advertising discipline as a profession is becoming socially dishonored (to the point that people think it’s just “selling hot water”), while its practitioners are losing their social dignity (on the scale of social values, this profession is often considered more valuable only than politics and journalism, according to HURA’s research).
Undoubtedly, the professionals in advertising, communications and marketing are an important factor that has led to such social status (or the lack of) of advertising as a discipline which is not to be trusted (research by PROAGO). Exaggeration and deception, aggressive and fraudulent practices … these are just some of the reasons that cause a negative reaction of the recipient, or the consumer.
- In the period of culmination of the press (80s), there were weekly (usually on Saturdays) attachments full of ads; about 10% of readers automatically discarded these attachments (ads) without consuming their advertising content … from which we conclude that just because of this fact the effectiveness of messages fell by around 10%.
- With the development of electronic media, especially television in the 90s, the number of messages transmitted through this channel grew, and with it the reaction of the recipient of advertising content. The curse of advertising here is symbolized in the remote control that enabled users to very easily “block” an ad by simply changing the channel. According to some data, up to 25% of the audience did so, which brings us to a conclusion that only because of this, the efficiency of these ads fell by 25%.
- Interactive digital communications, especially mobile technology, have given a new dimension and paradigms, but also the parallel development of a system to block advertising as unwanted content by the user. According to available sources, almost 50% of consumers in the USA have some form of filters and blockers of the ad content, which again leads us to conclude that the effectiveness of advertising on digital platforms falls by 50% (estimates of advertisers’ loss for 2016 range up to $50bn).
There are many discussions seeking a solution: how to satisfy users (so they wouldn’t block advertising content), but also provide media revenues (through advertising and other forms of communication) and whether this is possible?
* Some advocate blocking the users (many media have already introduced this solution) who use blockers by disabling access to any of the content … from my experience, I immediately give up on anything that asks me for any kind of consent to the terms of a media (ie to see some video content). Common sense suggests that users will prefer those facilities that do not have such terms.
* Users of the content and consumers of ads (ie you and me!) do not want to block content, but simply do not want to receive “junk” that consumes our time, which deceives or interferes with the normal consumption of content, right?
* It can be concluded that the evolution of digital communication requires new models, new creativity and new forms that will respect the user (their freedom of choice) so that such advertising content will be readily accepted and shared. For such advertising there are new multilayered challenges with numerous legal and ethical dilemmas!
Take as an example native advertising (source: archive of the author). And ad, or not an ad?!