Of course, a compelling creative unit can be both a great branding unit as well as offer a strong call to action. Some of the best branding ads do get high click-through rates. And many online campaigns aren't meant to build brand, but rather to get registrations, new customers and sales. But when it comes to straight branding, measuring click-through falls short. One of the most disheartening things about the cult of click-through is that it is hampering the growth of the online advertising industry.
Some clients think that falling click-through rates mean declining effectiveness.
And, as many of us know, trying to justify a multi-million dollar media investment based on the .5 percent of the target that is going to click is difficult, if not downright foolish. Think about it, though. But advertisers have known for a long time that outdoor advertising is effective in increasing awareness and pushing brand values. There are even ways to measure the effects of this advertising. Unfortunately for traditional advertisers, these methods are extremely costly and require pretty big leaps of faith.