AI was dominating the conversation at the Future of Brands event in London on Wednesday, but for Advertising Association (AA) president Andria Vidler, that’s not what brand marketers should be worried about.
Speaking on stage during an interview with The Media Leader’s content director, James Longhurst, and ahead of the AA’s centenary reception next week, Vidler argued that bombardment is the industry’s biggest challenge today, driving consumer mistrust.
She explained that the AA is tackling this by looking at active attention rather than reach to determine how long people stay with ads. It has also put a weekly cap on how much advertisers should retarget their campaigns, which Vidler said was sensible not only to avoid wasting money that won’t drive results, but also to prevent “pissing off” consumers.
She believes that if all advertisers behaved like that, then it would have “a very positive impact”.
Longhurst followed up with questions on influencers, a channel that has been affected by an onslaught of ads.
While the public tends to lack trust in influencers, they do value the individuals they follow, and Vidler argued that there is a quality element people are adjusting to.
She said: “I’m confident that it’s something that is here to stay, but it will evolve and it will earn its rights to having that authority.”
While bombardment is causing issues of trust, so will AI. This was indicated at the AA’s latest LEAD conference, which revealed that 85% of the audience believed AI would lead people to trust advertising less.
Vidler recognised this, but recommended that advertisers don’t fear AI and instead lean into it.
“We use AI already. I mean, it’s automation, it’s just automation on steroids.”
100 years of advertising
When reflecting on the last 100 years of advertising, Vidler was adamant that advertising is a discipline for every business.
“Great advertising still fuels growth, and I think that’s a truth that we can’t run away from,” she said, noting that great ads stand the test of time.
“When they are great pieces of entertainment… Then people carry on loving them for years and years and years.”
She referenced brands such as P&G, Lotus cars, and tobacco companies like Lucky Strike that had a huge impact in the 20th century. She then acknowledged the importance of briefs for creating standout ads.
“The tighter the brief is, the more likely you’ll get great, memorable work that is rooted in the brand truth.”
She noted that it’s the brand’s responsibility to get the brief right, adding: “The better the brief, the better the ad.”
Ultimately, Vidler advised that for brands to get back trust from consumers, they must be true to what their brand can offer: “Don’t over promise, don’t oversell. Those are truths that have always existed.”
Vidler’s final advice for brands wanting to stand the test of time: “Stick to your brand truth. Lean into problems, don’t run away from problems.
“The world will constantly change. Don’t try to prevent change from happening.
“Lean into it, understand how your brand can be relevant. Continually focus on your consumer, and then you’ll stay relevant.”
