• by Seth Dallaire , May 31, 2011

All of this talk of summer blockbusters recently got me thinking about what goes into making a hit. We read about "formulas" to produce them, but the reality is that the truly great films are more than the sum of their parts. They need a great story that creatively ties all of the elements together.

A similar debate is underway in the online marketing industry over the use of insights and expression of creativity in developing effective digital advertising campaigns. There's a perception that insights narrow creative objectives, while creative impulses, insufficiently checked, hold an unacceptable level of risk for the brands involved. In reality, the two need to work together to guarantee success. How then, can we strike a balance that's between fresh and personally relevant content and avoid the scourge of commoditization?

Understand both the power and limitations of insights

At its best, the Web is a place for deeply personal experiences. It's a platform for communicating our own thoughts, preferences, and feelings and enables each of us to seek out uniquely relevant digital content. What that means for advertisers is that the insights derived from interaction on the Web offer a more accurate sense of what consumers will find creative. 

Without personal relevance, the creativity doesn't matter much.  However, once advertisers truly understand what matters to a given audience, those insights can inform -- not dictate -- creative development. A keener understanding of what resonates with a target group of consumers can even spark new creative ideas, in terms of both content and execution.

With this in mind, it's crucial to rely on data-driven insights as a guide facilitating the creative process and not an ironclad code stifling it. It's dangerous to overrely on the quantitative as the human element -- so crucial to the digital experience -- gets lost, resulting in a campaign that fails to create a personal connection.

One brand that found a middle ground is Kellogg's and its Moments of Motherhood (M.O.M.) online community hub. Data allowed the brand to better understand all the little things that go into being a mom, and as a result, they could develop a comprehensive online portal to meet those needs, speaking passionately and engagingly while tastefully integrating brand messaging. The resulting site offers original video series on motherhood in the style of E!'s "The Soup," blog posts from parenting gurus and a special photo group for family moments.

Trust the creatives

Nowadays, technological hurdles to unleashing creativity online are being smashed daily, meaning there are ever-increasing opportunities for brands to stand out in new ways. Today's creatives are running with the opportunity, producing truly remarkable and bar-raising digital work for what kinds of campaigns are possible. Brands that allow creative teams to take risks are likely to see a payoff in the form of a campaign that strikes a chord with audiences in ways they have not experienced before.

For example, GM's creative team developed full-screen ads for three Chevy models on Yahoo!'s Log-in Page, which had never been done before. In the end, it was well worth it -- as searches for both Chevy Traverse and Equinox reached their highest level since GM launched specific TV and print ads for each.

Develop metrics that measure the quantitative and qualitative

Perhaps the best way to achieve a level of balance between data and creativity going forward is to develop a measurement system that indicates the role that each plays in reaching and engaging audiences. While some element of uncertainty will always be involved, the more accurately brands can justify their investment in developing campaigns that bring together a balance of data and art, the more innovation we are likely to see in this space.

Just like with the movies, consumers online gravitate to content that speaks to their own personal interests, opinions or beliefs. But it takes a healthy dose of artistic input to turn that content into a true story, taking a campaign from good to great. Achieving that balance allows advertisers to take their brands to new heights online.