The Lucky Ones

Not every ad is meant for every customer, and perhaps this is why I find myself talking to the TV, asking for a creative rationale behind an ad that I’m not fond of: I simply am not in the target audience for that ad. On the other hand, I’ve watched ads that elicit tears or even conjure up enormous belly-laughs. These are advertisements that were meant for me. These advertisements were created by a group of individuals who set a target audience with demographics that match my demographics. And these are the products and services that I use or could potentially buy. When thinking about advertising, of course, it is paramount to think of the messaging, and make sure the verbiage is perfect, and guarantee the creative is beautiful and eye catching. But even when all these items form into perfect alignment, the message will not be received if it is being delivered to the wrong set of individuals. Creating a target audience with specific demographics and elements is equally as important as the branding message. When we think about ads, we are considering who will be consuming our media. Different ads will be shown through different vehicles to men who are about to propose than to women who are browsing for the perfect rings. Of course, this seems elementary on the surface, but it is monumental to couple a strong message with phenomenal creative and deliver that advertisement to the exact right group of individuals. Without keeping the target audience in mind, it is wasted energy, time and money on a message that was delivered to a group of individuals who cannot resonate.