There has not been another time in our lifetime where marketing has been so saturated and competitive. The evolution of technology, with platforms, new methods, or consumer usages changing daily, can make any marketing team member feel like they are working in finance on Wall Street. WOWZERS!
But let’s be honest, this is also a milestone period for marketers everywhere. With the amount of new tools and tactics, creative marketing has reached a point to bring dream campaigns into reality. Generative artificial intelligence tools allow small teams and brands to have the strength and capacity of a full creative agency. But, just because the tools are available. Creativity, Knowledge, and effort is needed for proper execution to test new ideas.
For inspiration and educational purposes, here are some examples of creative marketing ideas and tactics in usage.
Creative Marketing Examples
1. Storytelling in marketing: Google’s top of funnel execution
Storytelling is a powerful tool in marketing. It creates emotional connections with your audience, by using narratives to convey a message. Humans are naturally drawn to stories, it’s just how we are wired. Stories cause the brain to light up in areas other than where listening is being processed. It includes sensory perception which is where we process information from our environment via our senses. Read more on storytelling here.
An example of how an ad can be effective when doing this can be seen on Google’s Gemini ad. The ad shows a series of mini clips of people using the product Gemini (artificial intelligence), in real world scenarios. There are golfers getting tips on their swings as if they were talking to a golf pro, like a coach. Or a dad frustrated, getting help with instructions building a present, as many may have experienced before. Highlighting the products ease of use, convenience and value, relating to simple but painful frustrations by demonstrating the benefits gained.
Why are we looking at Google? You said small teams and brands. You’re right, but Google is demonstrating a great example of how to use creative advertising to generate awareness without the need of an immediate ROI. Some areas in marketing need time for the message to resonate. Especially when you have to overcome the challenges of the adoption stage in the consumer journey. Another challenge is the negative perception of artificial intelligence to humans. Something else that slows down the rate of adoption to a new product/technology. The example demonstrates how showing customers the value of the product in usage can drive the message unlike any other form of marketing. Ads like these give users the ability to visualize how they can benefit from AI, changing or improving the current feeling towards the technology.
2. Budget Problems? User Generated Content is an option.
User-Generated Content (UGC) is any content—like photos, videos, reviews, or social media posts—created by regular people rather than a brand or business. Read the full article here. With the increase of users consuming vertical video on mobile, and most platforms having a variety of vertical video placements. User generated content is a great option that is very efficient and non-intrusive. Raw style videos can outperform production style videos because it feels organic in your feed.
Whether the video is an organic post or a paid ad, the user can’t directly tell what the video is until after they have already watched it. This gives you a better opportunity to deliver your message without having them scroll through and without using deceptive marketing practices. Below is a video from a local furniture company that uses this strategy and most likely has the users watch it. Mission accomplished! (see video below)
Marketing isn’t about having the biggest budget anymore.
At the end of the day, marketing isn’t about having the biggest budget or the flashiest tools, it’s about staying curious, being bold enough to test new ideas, and understanding your audience well enough to meet them where they are. The marketers who win are the ones who experiment, not just the ones who follow the latest trends. Whether it’s Google launching an emotional storytelling campaign, or a local brand getting scrappy with user-generated content, the playbook is wide open.
If you’re not experimenting, you’re not evolving and in today’s world, that means you’re falling behind. So take the shot, test the weird idea, post the video shot on your phone, and measure what happens.
You might just land on something that changes your game.