Marry advertising and flirt with content

In today's age, everyone proclaims that content is king. This phrase was first coined by Bill Gates in 1996 in the context of the burgeoning internet space, which led to the creation of more websites and increased business opportunities. Indeed, in the digital world, content significantly aids brands in engaging with consumers who are already seeking specific information, products, or categories through search engines, websites, social media, and other channels.

But does this mean that content is the most crucial part of your marketing strategy? A resounding and unequivocal no. The sooner brands accept this, the sooner we can better prioritize our time, effort, and costs.

Advertising Makes You Popular, and Content Makes You Acceptable

The primary role of advertising is to make brands popular, and this isn't just a function of creative work or communications alone. This is where creativity and media come together to deliver the brand message to the masses. One without the other doesn't lead to popularity, as reach is the first step toward achieving it. Once your brand is popular, the follow-up content on social media, emails, messages, websites, blogs, and other platforms will be more easily accepted by consumers.

In the evolving media landscape and shifting consumer behavior, it’s true that the lines are merging rapidly.

Advertising Inspires, Content Engages

Content is relevant to people who are looking for information, and hence the engagement rate increases. Engagement can be defined as liking, clicking, sharing, viewing, and other actions that may lead to further consumer interaction. However, expecting consumers who aren't actively seeking information to see a piece of content and immediately fall in love with the brand is a bit far-fetched. The reverse is also true. Advertising material can capture the consumer's attention, inspire them, and make them think about the cause, product, or brand, thus priming them for further engagement with follow-up content.

Advertising Builds Your Tomorrow, Content Lives in Today

Every investment a business makes in advertising will have a compounding effect in the future. Advertising focuses on the brand narrative or story, and sometimes on the product story. These elements don't change often, and therefore, everything a brand creates through advertising will last for a considerable time, leading to better equity in the consumer's mind.

Content, on the other hand, is ephemeral in today’s dynamic environment. Consumers want different things on different days and at different phases. Therefore, brands need to plan their content calendar based on their understanding of the evolving consumer requirements.

Summing up

The marketing world has evolved over time, and content creation has become a key focus area for many businesses. While acknowledging the need for more content, I still believe that advertising must be treated as the north star for the brand. Once you get the balance right between communications and media, the journey to creating more effective content for the brand becomes easier. Otherwise, the struggle will always be for content to do the job of advertising.