Although I’m an ad major, I don’t entirely despise ad blockers. Why? AdBlocking entered the market and advertisers flocked and fled. Others see this as an inhibitor, however, I see it as a challenge. It’s like playing chess, the opposing team said, “checkmate,” while grinning and thinking they’ve won. As a matter of fact, I'm going to debunk the statement that the advertising industry is doomed. I sincerely wish my opponents the best of luck in their ad-blocking entrepreneurial endeavors, nonetheless, you don't frighten me.
In actuality, ad blocking simply awoke us with a refreshing splash of water to announce it’s time for us to create stuff that matters. If we created things that mattered, there would be no need for consumers to go to great lengths to use ad-blocking programs. Here’s an opportunity for us to think of new and creative ways to reach our consumers, instead of being #basic, cliché and part of the clutter. Earn back their trust and surprise them.
How? Promise and demand from your brand that you can do better and will strive to connect with the consumer. You want to be an enthrallment in their life, not a bother that pops up randomly. What sparked my sudden displeasure with the ad industry? We’ve become lazy, and I know I’m not alone. I recently finished a good read, “Hey Whipple, Squeeze This,” by Luke Sullivan. He had a lot of advice and comments about the industry and how to create great ads – a whole 386-pages worth. Not to mention he was pretty amusing, too. If you’re thinking this is a sponsored article, you’re wrong. With all the backlash directed towards my generation for being lazy and looking up answers online, I just want to prove that some people actually read the books their professors assign and even so, enjoy them!
Sullivan is an inspiration for young people hoping to begin their careers in advertising by instructing us readers to “learn all the rules in this book. Then break them. Break them all.” What happened to breaking the rules? Why do all the ads blend together? These are questions that aren’t being asked quite nearly enough in the ad world today.
Now, I’m not saying I have all the answers, but I’m acknowledging the problem. The second step after denial is identification, right? If there’s anything I learned, about life and this whole ad blocking business, it’s to “just keep swimming” and know “there’s always another way.” So thanks, Dory, for the encouragement we need.
