Where are the long-term creative strategies?

While it’s important to service existing customers, the successful businesses of yesterday, today, and tomorrow all have at least one thing in common: the ability to attract future customers. This ability forms the sustainable business model. For a company and its brand to continue growing, it must invest in attracting potential customers and reinforcing its relevance to existing ones.

However, we are at an interesting juncture in our marketing journey. Our creative efforts are increasingly directed towards complex combinations of data, tech, media, content, etc., to generate immediate sales. This well-documented shift towards short-termism is not only being driven by a plethora of start-ups need to acquire their first customers, and the willingness of PE and VC funds to invest in them, but also due to availability of new sets of metrics and the almost addictive nature of trying to change them.

The recent DMA ‘Value of Measurement’ report provides a valuable benchmark of where we are today; Some of its findings are alarming in that they highlight how short-term performance is at best plateauing or at worst declining for many as a natural consequence of optimisation maturity, while perhaps the most concerning aspect is the lack of metrics supporting the long-term impact of marketing, a gap identified by the DMA Awards.

Long-term brand building requires as much creative effort as short-term sales, albeit with different ingredients and emphasis. Practitioners must explore new levels of creativity to achieve sector-leading results.

Two examples of work that defies this over-reliance on short-term, rampantly changing creativity are recent DMA Awards winners.

Work by charity Fumble and Dove coupled robust strategy and long-term creative excellence, reinforcing their impact with real results to prove they were the best in the industry. Their impact was measured not in vanity metrics but in the brand development they drove.

RAPP's work with Fumble, "Don’t Google it. Fumble it", which won Bronze in Charity at the 2023 DMA Awards, exemplifies the effectiveness of long-term creativity through deep audience resonance.

Leveraging social media, AI, and digital platforms, RAPP engaged boys and young men in sex education by recognizing the power of emojis. By bypassing censorship filters and fostering open dialogue, the agency crafted a series of emoji-based assets that precisely targeted the audience, demonstrating empathy for their preferred communication style.

By turning a marketing campaign into a platform for ongoing conversation, RAPP set a new standard for how creative agencies can engage and educate their audiences meaningfully. This work exemplifies how creativity and relevance drive impactful, award-winning marketing in the modern age.

Ogilvy’s work with Dove also shows us the power of meaningful marketing that continues to highlight real, diverse beauty, promoting not just products but a movement – this approach won Gold in Brand Building at the 2023 DMA Awards.

From ‘Reverse Selfie’ to ‘Toxic Influence’, their Campaign for Real Beauty has resonated with customers old and new for many years and still produces award-winning creativity combined with outstanding results.

Both these examples are previous DMA Awards winners because of their robust strategy and long-term creative excellence, evidenced by real results. Their impact was measured not in vanity metrics but in the brand development they drove.

Creativity is what makes marketing and marketing communications special – it turns simple insights into strategies and messages into stories that touch our hearts, while long-term planning keeps a brand relevant and trusted. Together, they create brands that not only appeal to customers but also endure through changing times, making a real difference in the marketplace.

In today’s data-driven digital world, we have perfected one-to-one marketing for both acquisition and loyalty. But while short-term metrics are essential, we must also renew our commitment to long-term strategies. By celebrating and investing in creative skills that drive both immediate and lasting results, we can ensure our brands remain relevant and trusted in an ever-changing marketplace.

If you have a case study that combines creativity with long-term impact, consider submitting it for this year’s DMA Awards. With categories like Copywriting, Creative Solution, Design or Art Direction, and Film, Video, or Moving Image, there's an opportunity to showcase your work and inspire others in the industry.

The future of marketing lies in balancing short-term gains with long-term vision, fostering brands that not only capture attention but also endure and thrive.

This piece was written by members of the DMA’s Creative Council. You can apply to join the community here – contact the team for more details.