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If somebody told our team two years ago that we’d be using puppies to promote concrete pavements, we wouldn’t have believed you. But we did, and it worked! Before showing off our furry stars, let’s first address the means used to deliver the campaign: digital advertising.
The Benefits of Digital Advertising
Marketers are finding that digital advertising is a great way to sidestep the limitations and hefty price tags that often come with traditional print, billboard, TV and radio ads. Unlike print ads, which are static and generally confined to a specific location or publication, digital ads can reach a global audience across various time zones, target (and retarget) specific audiences—or do both simultaneously. This level of precision ensures your message reaches the right people at the right time. Budgets can start small and remain flexible, and individual ad campaigns can be set with spending limits to ensure they won’t go over budget.
It's also easier to collect data from digital campaigns. By tracking ad views, clicks and even conversions (i.e., downloads, signups, purchases), you can see which content works best for which audience segments. Additionally, using tools like Google Analytics (GA4) and social media analytics allows you to track key metrics and make data-driven decisions. These insights can be used to refine campaigns and determine which ones warrant continued investment.
But in a crowded digital landscape, how can you make your ads stand out? The solution lies in knowing your audience and thinking “outside the box.”
Before you can get creative and move outside the box, you must first define that box. This involves identifying the challenges your target audience faces and how your brand can provide solutions. As you dig deeper into all the ways your organization, product or service can help make life or work easier for target audiences, you may find surprising details. Those hidden gems are often the source of creative messaging in campaigns.
Puppy Love—Connecting Dogs to Concrete
When AOE worked with clients American Concrete Pavement Association (ACPA) and the International Grooving and Grinding Association (IGGA) to promote concrete as the pavement of choice in Arizona, our team soon uncovered a little-known benefit of concrete pavement for constituents. Through interviews about pavements’ impact on the urban heat island effect in the Phoenix area, the team learned from local advocates that walking on asphalt during hot summer days was uncomfortable and sometimes dangerous. Not only was the asphalt hot enough to burn bare feet, it also burned animals’ paws! Dog-owners went so far as to purchase booties for their pups’ paws to protect them during walks.
With social media trends showing that photos of pets earned high engagement, our team decided to feature our furry friends in ads promoting concrete. After all, said one team member, who can resist a cute, fluffy dog—and who doesn’t want to protect their pets from injury?
See the carousel for examples of the Paws ad campaign, which is now being used by ACPA for targeted audiences across the nation. (Fun fact: A few of the dogs featured in the Paws ads are proud owners of ACPA Board members.)
To help get the creative messaging flowing, below are tips to find what your customers really need that your brand can deliver.
Conduct surveys and interviews. Engaging directly with your audience through surveys and interviews can provide invaluable data. Ask open-ended questions to gain insights into their pain points, preferences and needs. This direct feedback helps tailor your strategies to address specific challenges.
Analyze social media conversations. Monitoring social media platforms can reveal trends and sentiments among your audience. Use social listening tools to track discussions related to challenges, concerns and aspirations. This real-time data will give you a better understanding of the issues your target clients are discussing.
Leverage online forums and communities. Participating in industry-related online forums, such as Reddit or specialized AEC groups on LinkedIn, can expose you to the common challenges your audience faces. Observing discussions or posing questions within these communities can yield insights that inform your marketing strategy.
Use data analytics and tools. As mentioned earlier, use data analytics tools like GA4 to track user behavior on your website and digital campaigns. By examining bounce rates, time spent on pages and the topics that generate the most interest, you can gain a clearer picture of your audience's priorities and pain points.
Monitor competitors. Keeping tabs on your competitors can provide clues about the challenges their audiences are facing. Look at their content, marketing messages and engagement levels to identify gaps or common themes in the problems being addressed within the industry. You also can learn what not to do from your competition’s mistakes and missteps.
Follow social media trends and “challenges.” It’s also worth keeping an eye out for the topics and imagery currently trending on social media channels—and which popular challenges are going viral. Social media challenges motivate users to participate in certain tasks or activities. One of the earliest challenges—which many industries eventually took part in—was the Ice Bucket Challenge, which sought to increase awareness of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Like ACPA’s Paws ads, can your team meaningfully incorporate themes from what’s trending in ads and promotions?
By employing these strategies, marketers can develop a comprehensive understanding of their audience's challenges and interests, enabling them to craft more relevant and effective digital advertising campaigns. For help infusing creativity into your strategies, contact the AOE team!