Traditional advertising strategies just don’t work anymore; users are taking control of what they read and watch, and what they don’t want are more ads. An American startup, Loffles, is attempting to help advertisers re-connect with this disgruntled audience before it’s too late.

This little video explains what they offer:

What are we to think of the incredible cynicism of a system based on the principle of watching ads in exchange for winning something? What used to be understood (ads in the middle of a show are really annoying) now becomes explicit: if you accept this annoying task, you could win. Clever consumers understandably take advantage of this system; after all, the lure of the game and potential award are part of human nature. But, the fact that these brands are so desperate for exposure that they must resort to such techniques demonstrates that it’s time for them to take a step back and reconsider their investment strategies. Do they really think that this context for watching ads won’t affect the consumer’s perception of the brand? Does an ad have the same meaning in the New York Times as it does in the Enquirer? What’s next – advertising on porno sites?

Recognizing this weakness frankly signifies a coming to terms with the decline of traditional approaches. Although the lines between good and bad advertising, spam and informative/useful advertising remain, we as consumers can all make a definite difference between the two sides of the force…

Read more from Jean Pascal at A Nos Vies Numériques.

Tags: Advertising, Loffles, Marketing

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