Dear Joy, can digital deliver when it comes to brand advertising?

Hello and welcome to my first article for Marketing Week. I’m Joy, IAB UK’s chief digital cheerleader and no, your eyes are not deceiving you – I am a bear who has traded the usual trajectory (a hell of a lot of salmon fishing) for the frenetic world of media. Who wouldn’t? The canapés are a lot better.

Not only do I have one of the best job titles in the business, I also have a wealth of experience to help marketers use digital advertising creatively and effectively. In our world of algorithms, AI, CTRs and programmatic planning, it’s all too easy to feel like advertising today is more about technical know-how than human connection, original ideas and brand purpose. Pair that complexity with the frenetic pace of change and it’s an overwhelming mix. Understatement.

That’s where I come in. I’m on a mission to help marketers rediscover the joy of digital by equipping you with the tools and resources to navigate this ever-changing terrain and apply the fundamental truths of effective marketing to the digital channels you have at your fingertips. A big part of that means listening to the challenges you’re facing, so for the next few months I’ll be donning my agony aunt hat and using this column to offer some seasoned advice where I can.

And there’s no slow start for me – we’re diving straight in at the deep end this month…

Well, this is a meaty question to get my canines into. We know from Marketing Week’s Language of Effectiveness study with Kantar that digital media is actually considered by marketers to be more effective than offline channels when it comes to building brands, so it’s great to hear that you’re exploring the potential here. From digital video – a channel that has seen spend surge 20% year-on-year according to IAB UK’s latest Digital Adspend data – to podcast ads and in-game activations, there are so many different options you can explore when it comes to brand ads in the digital space.

Essentials of effective advertising

That’s exciting but it can also be a lot to get your head around too, so my first piece of advice is simple: you don’t need to do everything. Start by picking one or two channels that make sense for your audience and let your creative content take the lead. You can always scale and diversify your channel mix, but by focusing on a couple to begin with, you can really nail your strategy and focus on the quality of your creative to ensure it captures attention and is additive to the environment.

Secondly, it’s important to remember that the fundamental rules of marketing apply just as much online as they do offline. We can target and track so much more online, but that doesn’t mean we should track everything, particularly when it comes to brand ads and longer-term effectiveness.

Lean on clever tech to bring your creative idea to life and ensure it reaches the right people, but don’t let it take the lead role.

Remember the essentials of effective advertising by ensuring your KPIs are clear, measurable and meaningful from the get-go; lean into your USPs; and ultimately stay true to your brand identity. This is all the more important when it comes to brand advertising versus performance-led activations. You want to create continuity across channels, so lean on clever tech to bring your creative idea to life and ensure it reaches the right people, but don’t let it take the lead role.

Thirdly – and this applies to all advertisers who are impacted by the LHF ad ban – ensure you buff up on the details of the rules around brand and product ads. The restrictions formally come into effect on 5 January 2026, but our industry has committed to uphold them from 1 October 2025 so it really is important to understand what will and won’t be allowed from this point. Find out more and access further support here.

That’s your fill of my sage advice for this month. I’ll be back soon to delve into my inbox and pick a new digital dilemma to address – share yours at joy@iabuk.com.

In the meantime, if you’re looking for a dose of digital inspiration, look no further than IAB UK’s Joy of Digital Award (all picked by yours truly) for brilliant examples of brands who are nailing it when it comes to creativity. Recent recipients include British Skin Foundation’s ‘Burnable Billboard’ that used real-time UV data and AI to demonstrate the effects of sun exposure on unprotected skin, and Tourism Ireland’s stand-up starring series that underscored the power of content to capture attention and connect with audiences.