The way advertisers develop campaigns is constantly changing.
Gone are the days of a handful of advertising executives sitting in a room and coming up with ideas in a vacuum. With the rise of social media and changing consumer expectations, the hierarchical approach to marketing is being restructured in a way that pushes creatives ever more toward democratization. This move toward democratization was a key finding of the research report “From Ads to Zeitgeist” published by Amazon Ads.
For the report, Amazon Ads reached out to experts and consumers through interviews and focus groups and conducted an online survey of 21,600 multigenerational adult consumers in the Americas, Asia and Europe.
According to the study, there is a desire for more collaboration between brands, creators and the people who consume their content. In fact, 54% of survey respondents agree that brands actively involve their customers in the process of creating new products. The evolution is also a symbiotic one. Digital channels have made brands and artists more accessible to the public than ever before. For some, this means building a relationship with consumers in unprecedented ways. Those willing to collaborate and evolve with consumers see opportunities to develop ideas and create in a way that highlights both consumer interest and the creator’s message.
This type of collaboration proves that internet cultures can take songs, movies, video games and advertising to new heights. This means greater exposure for brands, but it also means something for consumers. According to the From Ads to Zeitgeist study, consumers see advertising as a way to express their creativity. 62% of survey respondents agree that advertising inspires creativity in themselves, just as many believe that advertising should be more immersive and encourage creative interactions, and 63% believe that brands create shared experiences for people.
The Sims recently took the concept further in partnership with Amazon Ads Brand Innovation Lab. The “Not Creative” campaign focused on a three-part docuseries that followed a Gen Z adult content creator on her quest to find her creative spark. Three other content creators, all of whom had previously used The Sims to ignite their own sparks, worked with the content creator to show how they found their way out of their own creative blocks through interviews, hands-on activities, and, of course, playing The Sims. The immersive approach put viewers inside the real-life puzzle of one person’s creative impasse and drew on authentic connection.
It’s important to make that connection authentically. “There’s a real difference between brands that are real players in the culture and brands that are trying to jump on a cultural bandwagon to be seen,” notes Kate McCagg, director of the Brand Innovation Lab.
A sense of connection is also crucial in advertising. While democratizing creativity is important, a sense of belonging and community is also important for consumers. “Brands can encourage genuine self-expression by helping consumers be themselves and connect with like-minded people in return,” the report says. In fact, 72% of respondents said advertising is a key way brands communicate consumer values.
“This is what makes us human: having common interests, being able to share and discuss things,” notes a consumer from Spain who participated in one of the focus groups. “Brands play a big role in this. We show our shared values through the brands we buy.” In addition, a respondent from Germany shares: “Today, everything can feel very distant. More than ever, it is important to show that you belong to a group. Brands can really help with this: creating something that people can belong to.”
Over two-thirds of consumers surveyed for the report said brands deliver experiences that large segments of the audience enjoy together. Younger adults in Generation Z (ages 18-26) and Millennials (ages 27-42) are the most regularly online, and 84% of survey respondents watch content from streaming services, including Prime Video, each month. Twitch’s community alone counts 7 million unique streamers each month, enabling audience interaction and community at scale.
Streamers who partner with brands understand the responsibility that comes with choosing brands and sponsorships that resonate with their audience. The results are also visible in real time: successful streams require interaction. The most successful streams go beyond the usual host-viewer relationship and result in unique experiences co-created by the streamer, their community members, and the brand sponsoring the broadcast.
“While reach is always important, we’re finding that it matters more how engaged viewers are on Twitch,” says Sarah Iooss, head of US agency development and Twitch at Amazon Ads. “Are they chatting and asking questions? Audiences really value the relationships they have with streamers, view them as experts and respect their opinions. For a brand, engaging such viewers is invaluable as it offers a real opportunity to make an impression and have a lasting impact on communities.”
The importance of engaging, encouraging and inviting consumer input is proving to be a pillar of the future of advertising. With an ever-expanding online landscape, brands need to listen to the consumers who live day in and day out in the niche culture they inhabit. It is these consumers and specific communities that best capture the cultural zeitgeist.
“Collaborating with content creators who live and breathe these creative spaces can be a game-changer for brands,” says Carly Zipp, Global Director of Brand Marketing at Amazon Ads. “They have such a deep understanding of their audience’s preferences, and that’s invaluable.”
Check out the full From Ads to Zeitgeist report to gain more insights from the research and learn how brands can join the conversation.
