The world of digital advertising has evolved dramatically in a very short time span. Gone are the days we used to debate whether display advertising had brand awareness value. Gone are the days we used to speak of digital only strategies (more often than not, digital now forms a vital part of all strategies). Gone are the days we just measured using Click Through Rates (CTR).
So what is premium digital media, why is it important and why does it work?
The definition of premium digital media is the purchase of advertisements, sponsorships, or customised packages across contextually relevant sites that carry professionally produced and credible content, and which attract a well-defined set of viewers that can be reached in a rich and contextually relevant environment – a process that ultimately builds brand equity.
And it’s the brand equity that is key. Many brand advertisers are no longer only looking for fast, bulk, click-based results. They are looking for solid brand results which can be delivered by smart, innovative and industry leading publishers.
So what should advertisers expect in premium environments?
- Effective advertisements offered in low clutter spaces
- Customised, and bespoke opportunities that deliver quality, engaged audiences
- High-value inventory that offers increased impact
- Trusted placements and trusted engagement activity on trusted platforms
- Highly engaged, highly relevant content placed within ad technology that offers advanced functionality
To see these kind of results, advertisers need to deal with people. Dealing with people means flexibility and creative ideas; it means analytics and innovation; science and art. It also means that advertisers and marketers do not need to be digital experts – they can turn to the expertise and skills of people who work with the platforms daily.
Lorne Brown, the CEO at Operative in New York, sums up the value of premium very well: “It’s sold by direct sales people, not machines. People sell ideas, and people get creative. There’s no programmatic substitute for enabling someone’s brand. Premium inventory is creative, it’s innovative, it gives a brand something they can’t get anywhere else”.
Premium inventory is creative, it’s innovative, it gives a brand something they can’t get anywhere else”.
Marketers need to understand all sides of the advertising coin. Automation definitely has its advantages, both from a convenience perspective and when you want to find inventory that drives click through rates at a usually lower cost. Brand advertising however requires a deeper understanding of the strategy and objectives of a campaign and works best in contextually relevant and trusted content environments.
To get the best brand building results means building a relationship of trust and creativity with premium media partners. They can deliver high quality campaigns that come with flexibility, a common understanding and commercial mind-set of what needs to be achieved.
This year, in the U.S., digital is expected to overtake TV to become the biggest media category. While the majority of statistics online are based on U.S. data, South Africa is certainly following the international trends as seen in PwC’s latest Entertainment and Media Outlook. According to PwC, “internet access will generate more consumer spend than any other media product or service in the next five years”. Premium digital advertising amplifies every other advertising channel. So deploy what works best for your brand.
Mark Botha is sales director, The SpaceStation.
