“Evergreen” content, or content that stays fresh long after it is originally published, is an important part of any brand’s advertising strategy. Unlike text or logos, video ads are already at a disadvantage in terms of staying fresh because of how rapidly video technology is changing. This is even more of a reason to produce timeless advertisements, so they’re not forgotten soon after they go live.
Creating timeless ads can improve brand awareness and memorability over time. Think about an ad that has stuck with you for a long time. Chances are, it did not focus on a trend from years ago; it had a timeless experience or message. What’s more, many timeless ads can be reused or refreshed without feeling stale or dated. This stretches your marketing dollars further.
Tips for creating timeless ads
As a whole, video tends to be trendy, so it might feel difficult to come up with timeless concepts for your advertisements. However, there are ways to do it! Use these tips when producing evergreen video ads.
• Avoid trends and fads:
Step number one when creating a timeless ad campaign is to avoid referencing current trends—especially those that are fading fast—or things that are designed to change. The popular images, songs, people and ideas of today won’t necessarily be popular tomorrow, so focusing on these things will instantly date your ad once they fall off your customers’ radar.
• Use customer pain points:
Rather than focus on trends, use your video ads to target something consistent, like the problems and pain points your brand aims to alleviate. What you can do for customers is something that will not change (for the most part). Use this angle to your advantage to create ads that are relevant now and years down the line.
• Appeal to emotions and the human experience:
While the surface-level challenges we face might change from day to day, we all share a few common experiences at our core. Ideas like family or loneliness are almost universal and won’t ever go away. These human experiences, as well as our emotions, are timeless concepts that anyone can resonate with at any time. Tap into these ideas to make a lasting connection with the audience.
• Use animation:
Generally speaking, animation is capable of standing the test of time more thoroughly than live-action video for a few reasons. First, changes in video quality are more noticeable with live-action film than with animation. Animated videos utilize a timeless visual style that feels fresh years after their creation. Second, live-action ads usually incorporate things like technology that viewers will notice is dated.
More than just looking fresh, timeless ads should feel fresh to the viewer. The key to maximizing your ad’s sticking power is using a combination of timeless imagery and storytelling.
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Spin Creative is a video production company and creative agency helping marketers create winning video and creative strategies that engage, inspire and activate targeted audiences. Spin is headquartered in Seattle with offices in San Francisco and London, serving brands around the globe.
