It's 2022 and the world of advertising is evolving and transforming at a rapid speed. As we shift from traditional advertising to digital, we are finding new ways to advertise and are developing new ideas that have never been done before. Whether it’s targeted ads while playing a mobile phone game or a podcaster giving a shout-out to their sponsor, we see advertising in all realms of the digital universe— and it’s only going to expand from here. As marketers and advertisers, the possibility of having “out of style” ads may sound like your worst nightmare, but what does out of style actually mean? Is it really a bad thing? We’re going to challenge that very concept right here in this article and go over the biggest advertising trends to look out for in 2022.
What Do “Out of Style” Ads Mean?
When we think of “style” we think of a thing or idea that is popular and aesthetically pleasing to the masses. After all, we human beings at our core naturally just want to feel like we fit in and are accepted within our community. We would rather hear someone tell us that our red boots are stylish than tell us they are weird or different— it’s just the way it is. Even so, do you think the most successful entrepreneurs and brands got to where they are today from staying in style? No. They broke the mold and paved a new path to their success; and eventually, everyone got on board. See, “style” is the unmistakable mark of a follower, and those who are bound by it are fated to be eternally average. Followers have a continual fear of breaking the unwritten rules, but they are unwritten because they can always be challenged. So do we think having “out of style” ads is a bad thing? Absolutely not. It means you are owning your creativity and individuality to trailblaze your way to success, rather than just being the average follower. Yes, having out of style ads will always stir up snickers and criticism from somebody somewhere, but remember, that person is only average.
Why is Being Confident in Your Products Vital to Every Business?
As a business owner, you must be confident in your brand, what it stands for and the products you sell. If you aren’t confident, it will show in every facet of your marketing and advertising and get buried under the brands that break the mold. For instance, business owners rarely speak on behalf of their own company as it is deemed to break an unwritten rule and an out of style advertising tactic. Yet, some of the most successful brands have done this such as KFC’s Harland Sanders, Chrysler’s Lee Iacocca and Men’s Wearhouse’s George Zimmer. These business owners rejected the idea of being average and gave out of style ads a chance and it provided outstanding results. How about you? Do you have what it takes to look the world in the eye and tell your brand’s story with confidence? Or do you fear what people might think? At Wizard of Ads®, we can help you build the confidence you need to make your brand both innovative and successful. Contact us today to learn how to create out of style ad campaigns that will break the mold of your industry.
What is the Out-Of-Home (OOH) Style of Advertising?
Out-of-home advertising (OOH) is the marketing of brands or products through billboards, signs, placards placed in public transit vehicles/stations/ferry docks, etc. The main goal is to advertise a brand/product to the target audience members who are out of their homes and happen to pass by or stop for a moment near the sign or poster installed at sites such as bus stations, ferry terminals and train stations.
Advantages of OOH
OOH advertising is an effective way of promoting your product as it can reach the consumer when they're on the go and able to take notice. Research has shown that 69 percent of consumers took some type of action after seeing an OOH ad whether it was visiting the business in person, searching for an advertiser online or posting about them on social media. Other great advantages of OOH include:
- It’s cost-effective: OOH advertising is one of the most affordable ways to advertise in the industry. Even the highest exposure areas are cheaper than digital advertising prices.
- It generates an immediate impact: When your target audience is in the market for a product or service of yours and sees your ad while they are out and about, they are more likely to take an immediate action than when they are in the comfort of their home.
- It incentivizes impulse buying: OOH ads are placed particularly in places where someone will impulsively buy your product— i.e. when there’s a tired driver on the highway, they will see signs for restaurants and hotels that will give them the impulse to buy.
Disadvantages of OOH
Just as out-of-home advertising comes with its various advantages, it comes with its disadvantages as well.
- Success isn’t guaranteed: With OOH advertising there’s no guarantee that someone will be interested or even notice your ad if it’s not strategically placed.
- The ads aren’t targeted: OOH ads are displayed to the general public, so instead of it targeting a specific audience, it targets everyone which can make lead generation more difficult.
- It’s harder for consumers to remember contact information: When people are out and about, they might not have time to write or type down your ad contact information. Instead, they might make a mental note that they will likely forget.
What are the New Ads Trends of 2022?
To be a trailblazer in the advertising industry, you still need to be aware of what is currently trending and use that information as inspiration or a point of reference to create an even better idea. Here are the Top Ads Trends for 2022.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Advertising
Artificial Intelligence is changing everything from how we communicate with one another to what products we find are most efficient in our daily lives. The global AI market has been predicted to snowball into a $190.61 billion market value by 2025 with a forecasted annual growth rate of 33.2 percent between 2020 and 2027. There’s a multitude of reasons why AI has become such a top dog in the advertising game. They are able to process extremely large data sets which allow them to target customers in ways that no other "traditional" marketing strategy can do. It’s more accurate than any human could ever be, yet still maintains the ability to customize itself for each customer or user based on their prior preferences. This is why AI has been such an effective machine; it can find patterns within inconceivably large amounts of data.
Personalized Content Ads
Personalized content advertising is the method of creating ads tailored to individual consumers based on their online activity and interests. You can personalize them through Google ads, Facebook ads, Bing ads, Gmail ads and more. The emergence of personalized content ads is naturally a result of the increasing number of mobile users and marketers' efforts to enhance web experiences for target audiences to increase engagement and customer loyalty. In fact, it is becoming more difficult than ever before for marketers to create custom content that will attract people's attention and stand out from the crowd. This is why they are constantly looking for new ways to find buyers in this "content jungle" by setting their sights on personalization tools such as machine learning, data mining, predictive analytics and contextual targeting.
Micro-Influencer Advertising
Micro-influencers are people with a large following on social media that monetize their popularity by providing brands advertising services under a contract. This is a form of advertising that has been trending recently and working well for brands because of the more relatable and social influence these micro-influencers have on their followers. Micro-Influencers have an engagement rate as high as eight percent. A survey from Linqia showed that 48 percent of marketers said influencer marketing is one of their top three growth strategies. Not only that, 58 percent indicated they plan to increase spending in influencer marketing over the next 12 months.
Instagram Reels and Tiktok Ads
The way we digest media has completely changed and has become more bite-sized than ever over recent years. A great example of this is Instagram Reels and Tiktok. Instagram Reels and Tiktok ads are short video advertisements that can be anywhere between 15 seconds and three minutes long and play automatically when viewers scroll through their feed. These site’s algorithms are like your best friend to ensure your ads are going to your niche target audience. Many brands are using Instagram Reels and Tiktok web advertising for not only running ads on their own products but also for products of other brands that they collaborate with.
Personalized SMS Ads
Personalized SMS advertising is a relatively new trend in online marketing, but it has been fairly successful. In fact, according to Savio's SMS Trend Report, over 60 percent of marketers have tried personalized SMS advertising and 79 percent of them believe it is a very effective way to reach customers. This method of advertising has risen in popularity due to its highly interactive nature and effectiveness at reaching hard-to-reach audiences who have little to no interest in traditional advertising methods. The whole idea behind personalized SMS advertising is that a business or brand can create a database of their customers' cell phone numbers and then send them custom-tailored text messages that include promotional information related specifically to their purchase habits.
Games and Apps Ads
More and more people are putting down the console and playing games on their mobile phones. This offers up a whole new platform for businesses to advertise their products and services with mobile gaming ads. In 2015 alone, revenue from mobile games topped $25 billion. In fact, one in every three minutes spent on a smartphone app relates to a game. With mobile gamers becoming one of the top new target customers, it’s no wonder why businesses have capitalized on pushing banner ads and video ads through this channel. Studies have shown that more than 70 percent of gamers actually prefer watching video ads because they are set up with the incentive of more game points or other kinds of rewards to redeem for your game. Now that you have discovered the magnificent hidden power that out of style ads can bring forth to your business, it’s brand and your target market, you have all the tools and resources you need to not be an average follower, but an advertising trailblazer. Be sure to use the top 2022 advertising trends as your foundation in creating a newer, better way of advertising that paves a new and lucrative path for your business. At Wizard of Ads®, we are right here to help you every step of the way. We have helped countless clients create engaging ads that are both innovative and legendary. Contact us today to learn more about what we can do for you and your business.