RTB House

RTB House is a global company that provides state-of-the-art marketing technologies for top brands worldwide.

Warsaw, Poland
Founded: 2012
More
Less

This promoted content is produced by a publishing partner of Open Mic. A paid-for membership product for partners of The Drum to self-publish their news, opinions and insights on thedrum.com - Find out more

Top 6 creative advertising trends and predictions for 2023

by Kaja Pryczkowska

January 4, 2023

As the world becomes increasingly connected and we continue to move towards a more digital-focused society, advertising methods used to reach consumers continue to evolve. In this article, we'll look at some of the top creative advertising trends, from playable creatives to interactive video ads that will help you reach your target audience in a new and exciting way and keep your business ahead of the curve in 2023. Let's take a look.

1) Playable ads

Playable ads can be a great way to create brand awareness, drive engagement, and generate higher-intent app installs. Unlike traditional ads, they are a unique blend of interactivity and gamification that help brands maximize ROI by engaging users in real time and they are particularly effective at capturing high-quality users because they allow users to play for a short while before deciding to install the app.

Previously the domain of gaming, playable ads are now transferring to other industries where they have been very successful. One of the first companies to ‘play’ with playable ads was Burger King, back in 2017, who built a simple, addictive game and integrated it into its mobile app. Statistics from Gamewheel, the platform used to create the game, showed that after only 14 days, over 300,000 games had been played, with a click-through rate of 40.25%. More recently, Lendi, an Australian online home loan platform, collaborated with Meta and “developed a playable refinance calculator, achieving a 20-point increase in incremental leads.”

The best playable ads are ones that tell a story and are often a blend of gameplay, tutorials, and call-to-actions (CTA). Tutorials should be short, and CTAs prompt the user to do something. Puzzle mini-games are another fun, easy way to reach a broader audience and help brands perform A/B testing.

2) Interactive video ads

Several new trends and formats are shaping the future of video ads, none more so than interactive video ads. They're a powerful tool that can help improve brand awareness and drive brand recall, increase conversion rates or the chances of a second engagement, and create a more interactive and memorable experience for viewers.

They can include features such as interactive buttons, clickable hotspots, advanced gamification and fade-in text. However, the best ads are also designed with the end-user in mind, i.e., those that enable the user to become more involved in the story and select their own unique experiences.

The first-party viewing data from a consumer's device can help inform interactive buttons and overlays. For example, if a user has already visited a product's website, a "buy now" button may be a better choice than "more information" or "view more".

Another type of interactive video are shoppable video ads that appear when a user is watching a video about a product. The ads can also offer incentives, rewards, in-app incentives that encourage users to buy.

3) Rich banner-types creatives

Unlike traditional banner ads, rich banner-type creatives are animated using HTML5 to create an interactive experience that can expand, float, rotate, and even move with scrolling. Chat banners, for example, are inspired by chatbots and let the user interact with the banner by imitating the natural human conversations

The use of rich banners allows for greater flexibility and creativity within the ad industry as creatives include video and audio, games, movement and other interactive elements which can engage the user and help improve the brand’s visibility and relevance. They can also be integrated into different ad formats and streamlined with various technologies.

Rich banners-type creatives are cost-effective and can be:

  • Customized for different campaigns and audiences
  • Tested with A/B testing and multivariate testing
  • Adjusted in real time

Rich banners-type creatives are easy to build and great for branding or prospecting campaigns because they can engage users a way better than static ads.

4) Programmatic audio ads

Streaming audio content has grown significantly in recent years, and, as a result, brands are looking to incorporate programmatic audio ads into their marketing strategies.

Audio’s ability to captivate and hold audience attention makes it a valuable marketing channel for brands looking to build awareness and drive engagement because it helps establish a strong, emotional bond with listeners.

Programmatic audio ads can help connect brands to their target audience at the right time and in a highly engaging way using real-time bidding and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. The right voice, ad slot, and duration can all play a part in a memorable and effective impression.

Audience targeting options allow brands to target specific genres, moods and moments, and, combined with the ability to target mobile and cross-device parameters, brands can make smarter decisions about their target audience. Technology can be used to create a synchronized audio campaign that can drive an increase in conversions, with ads being placed before or during a playlist.

5) Increased usage of augmented reality in display ads

Augmented reality (AR) is a technology that uses a smartphone camera to overlay graphics to allow users to interact with digital content in the real world. AR usage in display ads is growing in popularity in many industry sectors because it’s a new way to engage with potential customers in a more immersive and fun way than traditional ads. It can also help establish stronger emotional connections to a brand.

However, using AR can be a time-consuming process, so to use it to its full potential, brands need to know how it works so they can choose the best immersion for their need and learn the various ways to embed the technology. Because AR ads can be designed to fit the needs of a specific demographic, brands also need to know their target audience, the triggers that lead to buying, and how their customers browse and shop. For example, a makeup brand can create an ad that allows potential customers to try different shades of makeup.

6) Further development of CTV and OTT

With a lower entry threshold than for ads on standard TV, the popularity of OTT and CTV is increasing. They offer brands a powerful way to target specific audiences across different devices and platforms and then show ads in relevant placements allowing for a more personalized user experience.

Statista estimates the number of consumers who use OTT and CTV ads will reach nearly 4 billion by 2026. These users are usually highly engaged who choose the content they watch, and also tend to watch videos on a variety of devices.

There is also a strong trend of abandoning traditional TV in favour of streaming platforms.

Statistics from Zippia reveal that US cable providers have lost 25 million subscribers since 2012 while streaming platform revenue increased by 340% from 2015 to 2020. Findings also show that the 18-29 age bracket are the largest group without cable, at 34%.

With the increasing number of Smart TV devices in households, increased usage of OTT and CTV is inevitable. According to Strategy Analytics, at the end of 2020, 34% of global households owned a smart TV and by 2026 this number is estimated to exceed 50%.

Summary

It is vital for brands to stay up-to-date with current trends and explore new options and technologies to keep their customers interested and stand out from the competition.

Brands should seek the help of a trusted partner that develop and utilize innovative products and solutions, such as RTB House.

Tags

AI
Deep learning
Digital Advertising
Online Marketing