Advertising, an engine of the economy, needs some work under the hood, says Keith Weed, former CMO of Unilever and now president of the Advertising Association of the UK, a body for advertisers, agencies and media.
For too long people have felt bombarded, or stalked, by adverts or served inappropriate or creepy content.
Trust, long in decline in advertising around the world, needs fixing, says Weed.
“We have a problem and that is how the public feel about advertising – they simply do not trust it in a way they once did,” says Weed, an influential leader of marketing and advertising, who spoke at a function in New York.
“This is significant – it matters to all of us – whether you work at an advertiser, an agency, a media owner or a tech company.
“I believe we require a system change to ensure our industry has a healthy, sustainable future. And it is a system change that goes beyond borders.”
Weed has been active since he left Unilever in April, taking a personal stake in Australian influencer marketplace Tribe, a self-serve platform for micro-influencers founded in 2015 by television and radio host Jules Lund. In November he joins the board of WPP, the world's biggest advertising group, as a non executive director.
The public’s regard for advertising has been declining for some years now.
“While we are not alone as an industry in facing an issue of declining trust, sadly advertising is bottom of the pile in our (Advertising Association) list of industries surveyed in the UK,” Weed says.
“Without trust, advertising has no future. A brand without trust is a product. Advertising without trust is noise.”
Research by CREDOS, for the Advertising Association of the UK, found that people, when pushed, generally see advertising as a good thing but with downsides.
They say it can be a source of information or entertainment. A force for social good, portraying diversity and challenging stereotypes. Or it can provide useful public health information.
But the downsides might just be starting to outweigh the positives.
A lot of the downsides centre on annoyance and irritation. About a quarter of what people think about advertising is negative, and first it is about bombardment. Digital has accelerated this feeling.
“There was a sense that advertising is everywhere and in greater quantities than before,” says Weed. “And too much repetition makes that seem worse.
“Unhealthy, junk food advertising and sensitive sectors such as payday loans, alcohol and gambling were next on people’s lists.”
“And our measures to address these problems weren’t felt to be effective enough. Intrusiveness also affects people’s opinions of advertising.
“Those moments when it infringes on privacy – either in places or ways people consider private. Or it uses personal data in a way that makes people feel uncomfortable.
“Creepy adverts that follow you around were one of the biggest gripes. Suspicious techniques were another problem. This included claims that are felt too good to be true, or terms and conditions to hide information.
“Also, that it is increasingly difficult to identify what is or isn’t an ad in a world of influencers. And there are strong concerns around the use of airbrushing and unrealistic body images ideals.”
Weeds's plan:
- Reduce advertising bombardment.
- Cut excessive frequency and retargeting of advertising.
- Protect the industry’s ability to self-regulate by supporting advertising standards authorities.
- Ensure that data privacy matters to everyone, that everyone observes the standards that are required, and that this is recognised by the public.
- Show people that advertising can drive social change.
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