Daniel Correa de Alma
To the question of whether print ads have died, alma Creative Director Daniel Correa answers “no,” though he acknowledges that they are in a state of decay, and that this trend will only continue thanks to the digital revolution. What has happened is that “print ads have evolved” thanks to what is now known as posting online, “which is the digital successor of print.” But still needed are big ideas, condensing an idea into an image, and telling a story with a picture, Correa said during Lions Edit Virtual, an event that centers on creativity, communications and brands while bringing the best of the Cannes Lions Festival to a local level.“Unlike other media, with digital you only have a few seconds (three seconds) to attract attention, so it’s even more important nowadays for an advertisement to be outstanding.” He said that as we move forward, brands will focus more and more on the digital use of the print ad. “So while print ads might be dying, their essence is more alive than ever,” he said.He mentioned four points that will make an ad truly brilliant: relevance and the elements of surprise, craftsmanship and simplicity.“If you are sufficiently relevant, it’s possible that people will concentrate their attention on your advertisement,” Correa said, adding that these days one doesn’t just try to sell a product or service, but also seeks to be part of the pop culture conversation, “which is much more powerful than a press ad – it goes a lot further than that.” Another point is the “wow” factor, an expression meaning “I sure never expected anything like that.” He said that “if the wow factor can be introduced, people will not only be attracted by the advertisement but will pay full attention to what it says.” As for craftsmanship, he said it must be spectacular because it has to impress all who see it. “You have to make them see something that makes them want to see it again.”In the end he said that now we scarcely read articles, just the headlines. Our attention span has dwindled, and that even applies to watching videos. Correa recommended that if a press ad manages to simplify content to the max, “it will be much easier for people to see it, understand it and share it.”
