06. March 2025
Online advertising: creativity meets relevance and technology
Catch the news in bed in the morning, stream your favourite songs on the way to work and like your friends' social media posts. Research information, take an online course or ask the AI – and catch the latest episode of your favourite series on the train home. Order a new pair of shoes in the evening and then stream the news on your smart TV. The list goes on and on.
There's no doubt about it – the internet and technological developments such as smartphones and smart TVs have established themselves as indispensable media in recent decades. They are fundamentally different from traditional media such as radio, television or print. Interactivity and the associated opportunities for participation are particularly important. Information is available anytime and anywhere, people can network globally, content is no longer just consumed but liked, commented on, shared or even created.
These almost unlimited internet usage scenarios offer advertisers numerous opportunities to target their messages. But in this flood of opportunities, the question arises: How can online creation be successful?
Three ingredients for a successful online creation
Successful online advertising is a blend of creativity, relevance and technical sophistication. It must appeal to the target audience emotionally, be appropriate to the platform and convey a clear message. Ultimately, it must be eye-catching and have a lasting effect.
From poster to online advertising space
Many of the principles and design rules for successful advertising that are familiar from poster design also apply to the online world:
- Original ideas and surprising approaches: A creative and innovative approach stands out from the crowd. One example is Coca-Cola's “Share a Coke” campaign, where personalised names on bottles were shared on social media.
- Emotional engagement and storytelling: Stories that evoke emotion are remembered longer. Nike successfully uses this with inspiring videos of athletes overcoming various challenges.
- Audience relevance: Content should be tailored to users' needs and interests. Zalando personalises its ads based on user behaviour. Data is therefore becoming increasingly important for online advertising.
- Clear and simple messages: As attention spans shrink, simple, understandable messages are crucial, as McDonald's “I'm Lovin' It” slogan proves.
4 rules for successful online advertising
Attractive design is essential. The following basic rules apply:
- Focus on a few effective elements
- Use strong colours and contrasts that match the brand
- Clearly identify the sender of the message
- Focus on the product
6 things you need to know about online advertising
Online advertising is divided into many different formats, including display, video, social media and native advertising. Each of these categories requires a unique approach:
- Contextual fit: Content or tonality should be tailored to the environment. For example, short, attention-grabbing videos are suitable for TikTok, while detailed product information would be better placed in an advertorial in a special interest environment.
- Mobile optimisation: Small images are unsuitable for mobile campaigns as they are difficult to view on small screens. Therefore, Instagram Stories ads use large fonts and strong colours.
- Targeting: Effectiveness can be increased by targeting relevant audiences. Amazon uses personalised product suggestions based on purchase history.
- Call to action (CTA): Prompts such as “click now” or '“earn more” increase interaction. Netflix uses targeted CTAs to attract new users.
- Interactive elements: Games, polls and similar features drive engagement, as Permodo's popular, playful implementations demonstrate.
- Innovative technologies: The use of augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) or 3D elements helps to stand out from the crowd. IKEA uses AR to allow customers to place furniture in their homes.
Summary
Successful online advertising is all about finding the right balance between creativity, technical execution and user relevance – engaging your audience on an emotional level, using the right platforms and technologies, and delivering clear, memorable messages.
Inspired for your next online campaign? Over the next few months, we will be running a series of blogs exploring the key elements of online creative, showing different ways to interact and inspiring you with innovative, technology-led success stories. Stay tuned!