Day in and day out we are inundated with promos. From banner ads on our web browsers to boosted posts on Instagram and daily promotional emails… like from that one website that you gave your email to for a special 10% off discount two years ago. I’m looking at you Revolve Clothing.

It’s estimated that the average American is exposed to between 4,000 to 10,000 ads each day. It should come as no surprise then that over the years we have developed a screening process, ignoring ads that do not pique our interest. So even though we are seeing countless ads each day, we only retain a small percentage of the ads that we see. This takes place for two reasons:

“First, the human brain cannot absorb and digest so much information. Second, super saturation of ads has resulted in a phenomenon called banner blindness. Essentially, most of us have learned to ignore any banner-like information we see on the internet.”

– Jon Simpson, Forbes Magazine

Even though these design choices have happened in the past, racism still trickles its’ way into our current lives because of it being so ingrained in our culture.

In spite of this, digital ads are still a huge driving force behind revenue for businesses. In 2018 alone internet advertising revenues in the U.S. totaled $107.5 billion, and it has only gone up from there. So now that you know what you’re up against, how do you go about setting yourself apart from the competition? I’m glad you asked – because I just so happened to compile a list of do’s and don’ts for your next digital ad campaign. Ready?

DO: Create an ad that tells consumers what sets your product apart from the competition

How do you make your product stand out from its competitors? You lean into what makes your brand and product unique.

Also Organics is a CBD company that not only sells hemp derived tinctures, but also products for pets and kids as well as topicals. All made from 100% organic, American-grown hemp. By highlighting these key differentiators in the digital ad we are able to generate interest and ultimately convert higher click through rates.

DON’T: Create an ad bogged down with text

Remember when we discussed how the average consumer sees between 4,000 to 10,000 ads each day? Right – so bearing that in mind the name of the game is brevity. A strong headline and call to action (CTA) are all you need to drive home your ads message and draw in the consumer’s attention.

Trinity Falls, a master planned community in Dallas, Texas, was running a special campaign last Fall. Instead of cramming all of the fine print and disclaimers onto the ad, we instead chose to highlight what would most interest the consumer. 

… But where do you include the necessary details surrounding the campaign? I’m glad asked! Once clicked the consumer was redirected to a resource with more information on the campaign. Allowing us to keep the ad clean and effective. See how that works?

DO: Use exciting graphics to draw in the consumer

So you have the creative angle, you have the pithy headline and strong CTA, what else do you need? Motion design! Adding motion to your digital ad is a great technique to catch the consumers attention, and In general animated digital ads perform better than static ads. However, if the motion is distracting, it can take away from your overall message and attract the consumers interest for all of the wrong reasons.

Elias Music is a full-service music agency based out of Los Angeles, California. They recently tapped us to help create an animated digital ad campaign that highlighted their different service offerings. Using simple motion graphics to animate their unique logo and a concise script we created a series of ads to showcase their services. This was effective because it showed off the brands clean aesthetic while also delivering the intended message, without overwhelming the consumer with too many special effects.

To recap: every day we are exposed to countless forgettable digital ads. But by digging into what makes your brand unique, keeping the message concise and adding subtle animation you can stand out front the crowd and create a memorable digital ad campaign.