• by Brian Hunt , December 8, 2010

Recently, a leading agency's high-ranking creative told me: "Advertising is a bit of a dirty word for us these days. I like to think we deal in 'experiences.'" Other than sounding like a good piece of copywriting, the quip left me thinking. What exactly did he mean by "experiences" as opposed to "advertising"? Was it a legitimate flag stake in the ground or just semantics from a well-seasoned marketing man? And while it sounds obvious that an experience is better for both a brand and a consumer than a traditional "advertisement," what exactly does it mean and how does one get there?

One type of "experience" that brands can create thanks to digital technologies is a two-way conversation with consumers that can extend campaign goals. The challenge is getting to the point where consumers want to have a dialogue, achieved through informing, entertaining, or providing value. There's more to it than just posting a Facebook button to the top of a page. For starters, marketers need to envision a campaign that utilizes creativity, with a constant eye toward authenticity -- meaning it's not a two-way conversation if you're just jamming a message down the audience's throat. Here are a few ideas to consider as to how marketers can create an online "experience" that will catalyze conversions.

Take A Risk

While data can be a marketer's best friend, they can also become an obstacle to innovation as they remove risk -- one of the key ingredients of creativity (and this holds true for a painting, a book, or your latest advertising campaign).

Without creative risk, we would never have seen "Seinfeld," a show about nothing, or listened to the rock opera "Tommy" or watched Isaiah Mustafa selling Old Spice deodorant on a horse or by personally responding to tweets through YouTube videos. It's easy to forget, since Old Spice's campaign is now seen as a hit, but it certainly wasn't a "safe initiative." But trusting the agency's creative instincts resulted in a smart, different, and funny campaign that struck a chord because consumers could participate. None of this would have been possible without taking a risk.

Take Advantage Of Rich Creative Canvases

Risk-taking can produce more authentic interaction with consumers, but if your means of interaction is limited to 100-pixel box, then the result may be akin to "so what?" The good news is a range of richer and larger digital canvases that allow for more custom, unique experiences, including video and social functionality. Whether it's CBS offering a digital magazine for users to peruse its fall schedule or Drew Brees singing in the shower the day after the Super Bowl for Dove's audience, these experiences wouldn't be possible without the use of engaging digital canvases. Rich formats and larger spaces offer more room for storytelling, have more direct conversations and more authenticity, and less "hard selling."

Talent Still Matters

Finally, online advertising may be unique and complex, but successful online campaigns still need strong design and copywriting. In the last year, we saw more marketers than ever before building Web-based campaigns designed to touch consumers on an emotional level, making use of social, mobile, and video opportunities. However, technologically sophisticated campaigns with poor design or weak core ideas only attract surface interest and don't make lasting connections with consumers. As was the case with traditional media, if your copy and design are garbage, then you can expect the same from your results.

In 2010, marketers took impressive strides to help the Web reach its creative potential and laid the foundation for new achievements in 2011. Future achievements will be fueled by creatives trusting their creative instincts, taking advantage of the sophisticated digital canvases available, and staying true to the fundamentals of strong design and copywriting. The resulting experiences will be viewed as both engaging and genuine by consumers -- whether you call it "advertising," "experiences," or just "smart marketing."