The Oscars and the Power of Display Advertising
Picture this: You're watching one of your favorite television shows when a guest star appears on screen. You know you've seen her somewhere before, but you can't place her face.
What do you do? You pull out your second screen—be it a smartphone, a tablet, or a laptop—and search the internet.
That's how people consume media these days, including awards shows like the Oscars. They might keep the show on in the background, but they spend time on their second screens, looking up information, chatting with their friends on social media, and otherwise occupying themselves.
But what does this mean for your display marketing campaign?
Build Red Carpet-Worthy Marketing Campaigns
Maybe your team won't step out of a limousine at the Oscars and walk the red carpet with camera flashes blinding you. However, that doesn't mean you can't find your place in the spotlight.
Display advertising allows you to capitalize on events that might have nothing to do with your business.
There are three key times to ramp up your display advertising, whether you're targeting the Oscars specifically or another high-profile event:
- Before: Start capturing attention in the week or two leading up to the event. Craft graphic, audio, and video content related to the event as well as your brand.
- During: You can combine display advertising with social media activity to get the most exposure. Focus on advertising content that plays into fans' excitement.
- After: Don't let the momentum fizzle out when the event ends. For several days afterward, use display advertising to remind your audience about your brand and to recap the event.
Observe the Key to Success: Preparation
Before you launch a display advertising campaign for a big event like the Oscars, you need to have a few ground rules in place. The more you know about your product, your audience, and your brand, the more likely you become to convert consumers.
This is where testing and feedback come in. Leading up to the event, test different display ads to see which ones perform best.
We recommend testing mobile display ads in particular. Since your customers might find themselves glued to the big screen in the living room, you'll want to reach them through their smaller devices.
This is also a good time to segment your audience. Which target consumers respond best to which ads? How can you effectively target specific consumers at their precise point in the sales funnel? Working with an experienced agency like Elite SEM can help you speed up this process so you're ready for the big event.
Pursue Cross-Display and Cross-Channel Efforts
Display advertising seeks fast conversions from readers. You must hook your audience's attention until readers click the banner or another advertising spot.
If you want to take full advantage of an event like the Oscars, you must target multiple platforms for your display advertising campaign. You might use traditional banner ads on websites that your target customers frequent, then produce similar auto-play videos for your Facebook campaign.
The important thing is to keep your brand message consistent. Don't stray too far off topic, and don't leave your audience wondering whether you alluded to the event or not.
Match Display Advertising to Other Marketing Efforts
Almost 90 percent of Millennials use second screens while they watch television. Even if you buy an expensive TV spot during an event like the Oscars, you can't neglect display advertising as a secondary way to hook viewers.
During commercials or other uninteresting footage, your target customers will turn to their smartphones and tablets, often in groups. This is when you make your display advertising count.
Again, keep your messaging consistent and simple. Go for the fast conversion so your audience doesn't have time to lose interest.
Review and Revise
After the event ends, your work is not yet complete. What worked? What didn't? How did your audience respond?
Use this data to inform your display advertising campaign for next year's Oscar awards or for the next big event on the horizon. You won't have to guess about what works; you'll know because you have hard data. Of course, you'll need a way to track, record, and analyze the results of your campaign.
At Elite SEM, we're masters at hooking consumers and supercharging display advertising campaigns. We love to help businesses like yours put their pins on the e-commerce map.
If you're ready to up your game and claim your own metaphorical Oscar statuette, read our case study: Gilt City Increases PPC Clicks by 16% While Reducing CPA by 20%. You'll learn how we work and what kinds of results you can expect when you partner with us.
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