From your experience, what does the balance between creative campaigns and performance marketing look like today, and what makes the difference in results?
Today, the line between creative and performance has almost completely disappeared. We have entered the era of so-called "Creative Performance" marketing.
On tools like Google Ads and Meta Ads, creative has become one of the most important targeting tools. If the creative is bad or "sterile" (due to strict guidelines), the algorithm will deliver a worse result, regardless of the perfect technical setup. Algorithms do the job, so to speak.
It is necessary to make it clear that "more creative solutions" does not necessarily mean expensive TV spots. Often User Generated Content (UGC), raw videos and localized, natural vocabulary bring better results than finely polished corporate visuals. So, Authenticity vs. High Production, draw your own conclusions.
What makes the difference? Agility makes the difference. The winners are those brands that are ready to test and react quickly. Performance gives us data in real time, and creative adapts based on that data. One can hardly live without the other.
Short deadlines are a big challenge. Good, or rather, somewhat different, creative usually takes time. The challenge is created by the limitations of companies in the visual display of messages due to strict adherence to Brand Guidelines where creative is reduced to a minimum. And we know how important local content, like vocabulary, is for connecting with the audience.
Where do companies most often make mistakes when trying to follow digital trends and new communication formats?
Companies often see that the competition is doing something new (e.g. opening a TikTok channel, using a new AR filter or AI-generated content) and often want the same, without asking themselves: "Is our target audience even there?" and "What is our tone of communication?". This is called FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). However, in order to come to some new things and conclusions, it is necessary to test new things, but meaningfully and in a planned manner.
It is a mistake when companies want to invest in the latest communication formats, and their basic asset is bad. It's no use having viral Reels or an innovative campaign if the website is slow, if Google Analytics is not well-configured, or if we don't measure conversions well. First the foundations, and then we move on.
They jump into trends without a clear goal. If we don't know what we want to achieve (Brand Awareness, Lead Generation, Sales), we won't know whether the trend was successful or just a waste of valuable time. The goal shouldn't be for someone, some person, most often from the company, to see what you're doing, but for it to work in line with the company's goals.
What trends and tools are currently having the greatest impact on the way brands communicate with their audience?
Artificial intelligence is no longer a buzzword, it is integrated into Meta and Google advertising. These tools are taking control of placement and budgeting. Brands now have to communicate through a multitude of different assets (titles, descriptions, images, videos), and AI, often, finds the ideal combination for the right user at the right time. So, in my opinion, artificial intelligence will definitely affect the way brands communicate with their audience. In fact, it already has, and we can only imagine what awaits us in the coming period.
Reels, Shorts and TikTok have changed the paradigm. The audience no longer wants brands to "sell" to them, they want education, entertainment and authenticity. Brands that have learned to communicate through the faces of real people (creators) instead of through graphic banners with a logo, often record better results. This is where UGS (User Generated Content) comes into play. A powerful way to get content.
Given the shutdown of third-party cookies and increasingly strict privacy laws, the number one tool is actually their own database (CRM). Brands that invest in collecting first-party data and implementing advanced analytics will be able to communicate and retarget their audience in a quality way in the future. The rest will probably suffer. So focus on first-party data. If content is King, then data is its brother or sister.
