Want to be the next Apple? Think long-term.

Businesses must think long-term if they want to build a strong, memorable brand.

In the age of ad blocking, where consumers have more control, brands once again require higher-quality, creative content to drive engagement.

Today, technology sets the pace and agencies are increasingly under pressure to deliver short-term measurable gains, sometimes at the expense of more creative campaigns.

M&C Saatchi chief strategy officer, Justin Graham, told AdNews that he thinks brand building is very much a “dying art”. But he claims that agencies, not the clients, are to blame for the collapse of the “big idea”.

While agencies have traditionally relied on the “big idea” to underpin their long-term brand strategy, it is now more common to see conversion-driven solutions, which often come at the expense of creativity.  

Age of the Ad Blocker

Consumers have sent a clear message to the advertising and media industries that they will no longer tolerate interruptive advertising. For this reason, conversion-driven marketing efforts may no longer retain the same effectiveness. It's been reported that ad blocking will be responsible for a $41.4bn loss of revenue globally over the next year.

With the rise of ad blocking technology, brands must rethink the way they connect with their audience and improve the user experience by providing relevant content that people want to read.

Airbnb’s Belong Anywhere is a long-term campaign which provides consumers with content that showcases the people and places that make the Airbnb experience truly unique.

Having a campaign that is underpinned by a big idea ensures that branded content is something that consumers want to read because it captures the very essence of why consumers love a brand.

If Steve Jobs were alive today, he might be encouraging brands to think long-term, as well as different. While short-term marketing gains have proved successful in recent years, the advent of ad blocking may herald an era in which greater creativity is required to build a lasting relationship with the consumer.

Singing Bottle provides bespoke content solutions and brand building services for tech businesses.

Find out more at www.singingbottle.com