Today, it is impossible to use any digital platform without being exposed to multiple ads in fast succession. In media jargon, each ad delivers an impression, but when it comes to ad effectiveness there is a massive difference between delivering an impression and making an impression. With that in mind, here is my update of the original post.
Update of original post
The reference to an "advertising message" makes me wince. The word "message" seems to imply that the advertising is designed to convey specific information or an argument. But not all advertising is intended to persuade people by reporting the merits of a brand. And even when it does, I think we overestimate the degree to which people comprehend what is shown and said.
People do not want advertising
Let's get the obvious point out of the way first. Most people do not want to be exposed to advertising. It interrupts and distracts them from what they really want to do in the moment. For instance, in attempting to follow a recipe for fermented serrano chili hot sauce on my phone, I was constantly prevented from reading the content by various pop-up videos and in-content ads. Honestly, I have no recollection of any of the ads, just an antipathy toward the site that hosted the recipe. Most people just want advertising to get out of their way.
People rarely assess relevance at the time of exposure
Further to this fundamental point, however, and particularly for dynamic media like TV, online video, radio and cinema, people rarely assess the relevance of an ad at the time of being exposed to it. There are three reasons for this.
- First, there is no pause for thought. If ads are presented sequentially and people have decided to view or listen to them, then new content is constantly displacing attention on the old. Even with ads presented in isolation like a pre roll or pop-up, the viewer is intent on the content they want to see as soon as the ad ends or they can skip it.
- Second, most people are not in the buying window, i.e., the subject matter is not immediately relevant to them. Why would they waste time thinking about a brand for which they have no immediate need? (Of course, this is why most advertising works. By leaving a positive impression, before people actively consider a purchase, it predisposes them to choose the advertised brand.)
- Third, even for those in the shopping window, information delivered by an ad is understood as a claim, it is not yet a belief confirmed by experience. Contrary to the ad industry's apparent assumption that people do not have minds of their own, most people understand what advertising is trying to do and will likely want to check any claims made for themselves.
So, even if someone notices your ad, they may not gain more than a vague impression from it. However, this does not mean that most advertising is ineffective. Provided the ideas conveyed by the ad come to mind when relevant, then it will have an effect, i.e., when someone is thinking about buying the product category or choosing between brands in it.
Impression not message
This is why I have always preferred the word "impression" to "message." Although impression is typically used as a media term to imply an exposure or ad view, the word also implies that people get the general idea. They understand the gist of what is being said, without necessarily consciously considering what the ad is trying to convey at the time of viewing. An impression is the mental image of a brand that sticks in people's minds.
Advertising should make a good impression
After all, isn't that what advertising should do? Advertising helps a brand to make a good impression. The analogy might be chatting with someone you find attractive. You might try to make yourself seem interesting to the other person. You might try to make a good impression by saying the right things and casting yourself in a good light. You might choose to emphasize certain things about yourself more than others, to make yourself stand out from the crowd. And you will try to make yourself seem likeable.
After all, isn't that what advertising should do? Advertising helps a brand to make a good impression. The analogy might be chatting with someone you find attractive. You might try to make yourself seem interesting to the other person. You might try to make a good impression by saying the right things and casting yourself in a good light. You might choose to emphasize certain things about yourself more than others, to make yourself stand out from the crowd. And you will try to make yourself seem likeable.
It seems to me that if these tactics work for a person, then they ought to work for a brand as well.
Addendum
The original post ended here, however, on Branding Strategy Insider, a couple of people took me to task over the preceding analogy. For instance, seconding the viewpoint that brands ultimately want to connect with their customers, Dan White commented,
"Brands want to connect with their audience on a personal level and inspire them to both make a purchase and be an ambassador to their friends."
While that may be the ultimate objective for some brands, I would argue that most brands are destined to fall short. For a start, most people just take brands for granted once they have proven that they can get their intended job done. Very few brands inspire. Most advertising fails to inspire.
However, that does not mean that most advertising is a failure. Provided it makes people think of the advertised brand when a relevant need comes along then the advertising has done its job. If it also inspires people, so much the better. For more thinking on the importance of making a good impression, check out my post, "Do brand attitudes really matter?"
So, what do you think? Is "impression" a better word than "message"? Please share your thoughts.