Written by Marcus Roth, Senior Director of Email Marketing, Automation, and Content at Simplicity Lone Beacon.
There used to be a certain way logos and headlines needed to look. In the days of magazine ads and written direct response marketing campaigns, an ad’s concept was on-the-nose and described the product or service directly. But over the years, advertising, which includes visual design—namely logos—along with headline writing, have morphed into something a little simpler yet poetic. This three-part article series seeks to illustrate the change in tone and form from traditional advertising to modern advertising. Part two will attempt to answer the “Why?” behind this change and part three will cover practical tips for a new copywriter on how to generate interesting, modern, ideas.
First off, if you look at how brands used to advertise, the difference between traditional and modern becomes clear. Brands are going to great lengths to simplify and remove the dimensionality to all of their logos and branding.
But you don’t need to take my word on it. Simply look at all the brands around you and compare their logos from the 80s and 90s to today. Logos are stripped down and simple, and as a result they appeal more to the general public because that appeals more when viewing on their web device. Brands need to meet the consumer where they are… and in 2024, they are on the web, first and foremost. Here are just a handful of examples:
This observed phenomenon can be further seen in written advertisements today, but given the phenomenon is written and not visual, it is expressed differently.
Brands are constantly “on the side” of the consumer and attempting to feel and act like the consumer. Social media marketing is still marketing, after all, but because everyone on social media is uniquely personalized and humanized (with a profile) the marketing needs to feel personalized and human right back. In real life, human’s don’t interact with companies, they interact with human representatives of those companies. On Social, the profile might be branded as a company but we all want the interaction to feel human. Again, don’t take my word for it – here is the concept manifest:
Advisors may be able to apply this concept to their social media posts. One route would be for principal advisors to post as themselves on social media and represent their company that way; this would align with the above message. But there is another route as well…
Wendy’s famously operates an X (formerly Twitter) account that is not afraid to insult competitors, celebrities, or their followers with a little playful trash talk.
This is a successful marketing strategy because they know who is generally eating their food and playful trash talk with a close friend or relative is incredibly common. It’s familiar, and it’s where the consumer is at. So, to seem more human, Wendy’s operates their X account to hold a mirror up to their audience as part of their brand strategy. An advisor may be able to leverage this strategy for themselves, but more on that in part 3 of this series!
In addition to the natural and relatable personas brands adopt, the medium of advertising has dramatically shifted towards digital platforms, reflecting a change not only in aesthetic but also in the method of message delivery. Digital platforms enable a more direct and interactive form of communication. This shift is evident in the rise of influencer marketing, where brands collaborate with social media personalities to tap into their follower bases. Unlike traditional ads, influencer endorsements are subtly woven into regular content, making the promotion feel less intrusive and more like a recommendation from a trusted friend.
In TV commercial marketing, things evolved as well in a similar way. Take the first TV ad ran in the UK:
It’s very matter-of-fact, professional, and direct, and the copywriting is spoken out exactly the way you might guess a commercial from 1955 would.
The GEICO gecko acts incredibly naturally (for a human) and a touch awkwardly in some scenarios in an attempt to get the viewer to see themselves as the gecko or ally with the gecko. This type of characterization is relatable and engaging, making the advertisement memorable
Modern advertisements also utilize storytelling to a much greater extent than traditional ads. This approach draws the audience in, creating an emotional connection with the brand. Advertisers have realized that a well-told story can make their product more memorable and appealing. Consider Apple’s “Shot on iPhone” campaign as another example. This campaign effectively utilizes user-generated content to promote the iPhone’s camera capabilities. Instead of traditional advertisements, Apple showcases real photos and videos taken by iPhone users around the world. The campaign taps into the powerful narrative of everyday creativity, allowing customers themselves to demonstrate the product’s quality in real-world scenarios. This strategy not only reinforces the technical capabilities of the iPhone but also builds an emotional connection by highlighting personal and relatable experiences captured through its lens. It’s a clever use of authenticity and community-driven content, which resonates well with a modern audience that values genuineness and individual expression.
The evolution of advertising from traditional to modern reflects a shift towards simplicity, relatability, and emotional engagement. By stripping down logos and utilizing personalized, humanized approaches in campaigns, brands—including financial ones—are better able to connect with today’s web-centric consumers. As we continue to explore these changes in parts two and three, we’ll delve deeper into the reasons behind these shifts and offer practical advice for creating compelling, modern advertisements.
About the Author: Marcus Roth is Simplicity Lone Beacon’s Senior Director of Email, Data, Automation & Content. Marcus has a unique experience in B2B and B2C start-up companies ranging from enterprise-level market research of Artificial Intelligence to self-defense eCommerce products. His experience in AI market research brought him, and his research, to INTERPOL, The United Nations, and Harvard University.
