Defining Creativity in Media: What Matters Most to Advertisers and Agencies

In July 2024, The Myers Report conducted a survey in collaboration with the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A’s), and leading media agencies. This survey aimed to explore the role of creativity and innovation in the advertising and media planning decisions of professionals with significant influence on media investment. The 538 respondents were pre-qualified from a broader study, having identified creativity and innovation as critical considerations in their planning and buying decisions. They represent advertisers, brand marketers, and various types of agencies.

Key Findings

• Top Priorities Across Groups:
  • The highest-ranked aspect for creativity and innovation was “Customizable targeting to reach my primary audience,” valued by 51% of all respondents.
  • “Innovative advertising units” (40%) and “Innovative analytics/measurement options” (32%) were also highly prioritized.
• Notable Differences by Role:
  • Full Service/Creative/Promotion/PR professionals tend to prioritize traditional creative approaches, with a lower inclination (29%) toward “Innovative advertising units” compared to other groups.
  • National Media Planning professionals demonstrate a stronger preference for customizable targeting (50%) and content sponsorships (28%), indicating a strategic focus on targeted engagement and partnerships.
  • Local/Regional Media Planning shows unique interest in “Addressable advertising/advanced TV opportunities” (39%), a priority less emphasized by other roles, possibly reflecting the value placed on hyper-localized targeting capabilities.
  • Data/Insights or Analytics Specialists place high importance on “Social media/SEO/promotional/marketing investment” (50%) and “Contextual adjacencies to content portfolio” (33%), suggesting that data-driven approaches and relevance to content are key priorities in their creative exploration.
• Broad Agreement and Divergence:
  • While there is a general consensus across advertiser and agency groups on the importance of innovation and creativity aspects, specific preferences illustrate differences. For example, brand marketers place more emphasis on “Branded content/product placement” (38%) than agencies (28%), possibly due to brand alignment strategies.
  • Conversely, agency respondents are more inclined to value “Innovative technological capabilities/enhancements” (32%) than brand marketers (22%).

In-depth Analysis by Category

1. Customizable Targeting:
   • Leading category with significant agreement across advertisers (46%) and agency professionals (51%), underscoring the industry’s shift toward precision targeting and personalized consumer engagement.
2. Innovative Advertising Units:
   • Despite high interest overall, only 25% of National Media Planning participants valued this compared to the broader agency average (40%), indicating potential skepticism within specific media planning segments regarding the value of newer advertising formats.
3. Social Media/SEO/Promotional Marketing:
   • Analytics specialists exhibited the highest interest (50%), aligning with their data-driven approach, whereas only 17% of Full-Service Agency professionals ranked it as a priority, reflecting a possible divergence in traditional vs. digital-first strategies.
4. Addressable and Advanced TV Opportunities:
   • Local/Regional Media Planning professionals showed a strong preference (39%), which may reflect regional advertisers’ focus on maximizing reach within localized markets.
5. Branded Content and Product Placement:
   • Higher interest among brand marketers (38%) than agency counterparts (28%), potentially due to direct brand strategy considerations in creating memorable brand associations.
6. Blockchain and Crypto Payment Integration:
   • Notably low priority across all groups, with only 1% of respondents selecting it as a focus area, indicating that blockchain has yet to become a prominent creative tool within mainstream media and advertising.

Conclusions

This study highlights a shared interest among both brand marketers and agency professionals in customizing audience targeting and leveraging innovative advertising units and measurement options. However, differences in the prioritization of specific aspects, such as social media investments and content sponsorships, underscore the diverse strategic priorities within various agency roles.

Agencies focusing on local media planning show a clear preference for advanced targeting technologies, while analytics specialists emphasize data-driven approaches to creativity, highlighting the ongoing shift toward integrating analytics and innovation in media planning.

Recommendations

1. Increase Collaborative Innovations: Encouraging collaboration between Full Service and Media Planning professionals could bridge the gaps in innovation preferences, especially in areas such as content sponsorship and branded content, aligning creative strategy with precise targeting.
2. Focus on Customization: With customizable targeting ranking as the top priority, agencies should continue investing in technology that enables precise audience segmentation, enhancing client ROI.
3. Data-Driven Creativity: Given the high value placed on analytics and social media by data specialists, further integration of data analysis in creative strategy can lead to more targeted and effective campaigns.
4. Localized Targeting Solutions: For local/regional media agencies, emphasis on addressable TV opportunities and advanced targeting solutions should continue, supporting regional advertisers in maximizing their impact.

This report reflects the findings of The Myers Report, underscoring the critical role of creativity and innovation in media planning and buying decisions. The insights offer actionable guidance for media publishers seeking to enhance their strategic approach to creative opportunities. For more information visit www.MyersReports.com and contact Jack Myers at Jack@mediavillage.org.