A new scroll stopper
Why visual diversity is so important
Hello! Welcome to your weekly dose of INSPO ✨
If you’ve ever looked at someone else’s Instagram feed you’ll see just how much attention the algorithm pays to the details of what we show an interest in.
One person’s feed can be wildly different to another’s, even if they share similar interests and demographic traits.
That’s why visual creative diversity is so important.
Visually different ads, even if they communicate the same message, can speak to completely different audiences allowing you to speak to more people.
Ad breakdown
I’ve noticed something recently.
As our social feeds become saturated with UGC content that’s filmed to camera with no real consideration for lighting and can often feel a bit ‘shopping channel’, ads that are shot with almost cinematic art direction are actually starting to feel like a bit of a respite.
The cinematic trend has been around in organic content for a while now so it’s really no surprise that we’re starting to see it trickle into paid too.
I’ve actually seen a few ads like this working for clients recently and this one from ON caught my attention on Instagram last week.
Here’s why I think it works…
👉 It’s beautifully shot with natural light — stops the scroll for the right people
👉 Shot in a setting that feels relatable yet still aspirational
👉 The copy combined with the early product feature gives you a pretty clear idea what the ad is for
👉 The natural conversation means it takes a while to realise it’s even an ad you’re watching
👉 Their conversation and what they’re doing is highly relatable for anyone who runs, and positions the trainers as something people who workout in cool gyms and have fitness trackers wear
👉 The ‘soft wins’ message is relatable for a certain audience and again is done in a cinematic way rather than in a highly bra
There is a real art to pairing to-the-point messaging with beautiful art direction.
And I think the brands that get good at it could see some huge benefits.
How to make this format work for your brand
They key here (which is the same for any good ad) is to deeply understand your audience. Is their group within your target audience that appreciates cinematic style? For some brands it just might not be the right direction but I don’t think there’s many out there that shouldn’t test it.
🪩 Once you know who you’re speaking to, get clear on the setting, the props, the people in the shot, how the product is being used and who’s in shot.
🪩 Film it on a proper camera or you could try a filter on a good phone shot
🪩 Script a casual conversation OR find people who can talk naturally about a topic
🪩 Keep text to a minimum. Subtitle conversations with some cinematic typography at the end.
Whether it’s a morning skincare routine, ordering a food delivery or signing up to a B2B service, turning it cinematic could work wonders.
And the more you can tap into a specific moment this audience knows well the better.
Give this a go and let me know how you get on, can’t wait to see them 💪🏼
Thanks for reading,
Katherine 🪩
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