Creative ads are great. But creative ads that consistently reinforce your campaign messaging? Even better. 

What makes Buddy Media’s banner ads effective?

1. Create consistency with visual elements and ad placement.

Buddy Media’s 728x90 and 300x250 ad units were both above the fold and have the same tagline and theme. This cohesive approach grabs attention because users are accustomed to seeing distracting, loud banner ads. So seeing two ads that look the same creates an anchor that offers a unified message. 

2. Surprise users with unexpected creative elements that are relevant to your campaign message.

So up until now, it’s still a simple banner ad. What’s so special? 

When I accidentally moused over the banner ad, the tagline lit up and moved around as if it were being shocked with electricity. This definitely surprised – and dare I say, delighted – me. I kept moving my mouse on-and-off of the ad just to trigger the lightning effect. I even showed my co-worker next to me. She said that I was racking up engagement counts for the brand, which is true.

After hovering:

3. Use the same tagline and icon throughout a long-running campaign to solidify the message.

Buddy Media has consistently used the same copy and image of a cord and plug since last fall and probably before that. I first noticed the campaign last fall when Buddy Media bought the full front page cover of Ad Age.

The cord and plug icon was a great choice for the campaign because it is literal rather than abstract. It conjures images of electricity, a surge of energy, connectedness, which ties directly back to the tagline “Power Your Connections.”

Using different styles of artwork, but the same tagline and icon, allows the brand to build brand messaging over time while playfully offering a refresh on the concept. 

4. Bridge online and offline marketing.

Buddy Media has supported the campaign with marketing that is creative but still relates to the core campaign concept. This should not be underestimated because there are many interesting, shocking, or funny campaigns, but not all of them support brand goals. Buddy Media’s campaign does. 

In January, they did an Illustrator Contest to invite artists to start social conversations through art, and currently the brand is hosting a World Tour to showcase industry speakers and networking events regarding social media. 

The campaign concept was broad enough to evolve to incorporate offline marketing such as events, but still concrete enough to resonate with the overall brand value proposition of social media in the online world.

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Photo credit: Buddymedia.com; MWM Graphics, http://mwmgraphics.blogspot.com/2011/10/power-your-connections.html