Advertising has and will continue to be ever-evolving based on two factors: technology and economics. At a recent media trends breakfast hosted by ThinkLA, leading advertising experts shared their insights and predictions of advertising in the digital age.
Native advertising. A non-disruptive advertising method that gives consumers content that is interesting, engaging, useful and, most importantly, fits into the organic experience of a given platform (i.e. promoted tweets and Facebook-sponsored stories). In contrast to static ads in the sidebar and intrusive pop-up ads at the first click of a page, this method of advertising strives to create value for brands with content that encourages sharing with others via social media.
Shared experience. Entertainment is all about an experience you can share with others. For instance, statistics have shown that people enjoy watching TV together – even if they are watching different shows or doing other things like surfing the Internet. Through shared experiences, not only are you able to consume content but you are able to create it.
With these new methods, there is one factor that has not changed over time: content. Advertising relies on great content, which can now be found almost instantaneously through various digital platforms. Technology has changed the way we collect, produce, distribute and present content – not the value of it.