Grams to Pounds: Advertising on Instagram

Last month, photo-sharing platform Instagram announced that active user numbers in the UK had hit 14 million. Amongst all those #tbt, #foodporn and #nofilter shots lies a lucrative marketing opportunity for brands, so it's no surprise that many are seeking a bigger slice of the action.

While ads have been appearing sporadically in UK users' feeds since September last year, courtesy of a handful of carefully curated brands including Rimmel and Waitrose, the drip-drip approach is set to become a steady flow over the coming months. Having opened up advertising opportunities to businesses of all sizes, Instagram is looking to boost monetisation by offering the same targeting options available on its owner, Facebook, along with new, advertiser-only tools such as the newly-launched carousel [below], a series of scrollable images. 

shots talks to Alastair Cotterill, creative lead at Instagram's Creative Shop in EMEA, about the implications for brands looking to break into the space.     

The ‘curated’ aspect of Instagram is a big part of its appeal as a social network. Is there a worry that increasing numbers of ads popping up in users’ feeds will drive down its popularity?

Not at all. In fact, Instagram is one of the fastest growing communities online today with 300 million active monthly users. Brands are an important part of the community - they have been among the most creative contributors since the beginning. Brands that make the most of Instagram are the ones that really understand our community, and create beautiful, inspiring content that fits in seamlessly with the photos and videos that are being created organically. 

How do you keep a balance between preserving the creative environment and helping brands delivering their core business objectives?

I believe the two work hand in hand because we see the strongest business results when brands really focus on their creative approach to the platform. Success, like always, comes down to landing brand messages through great ideas and well-crafted execution. Instagram is no different, except brands need to land this in a way that feels like it really fits and belongs on the platform.

You've spoken about the importance of brands using the space in a “respectful” and “considerate” manner - what else should they be aware of?

Instagram is associated with themes of beauty, art and creativity – people often talk about the platform as the art gallery of the future. People come to Instagram to be inspired and delighted, they come willing to have their perceptions changed and their imagination challenged. A recent study found that Instagram helps people discover things they’d otherwise never consider. That's why Instagram is such a powerful place for brands as creative content is hosted in an environment of curiosity and discovery.

From a strategic point of view, what are the main differences between advertising on Facebook and advertising on Instagram?

Both platforms play significant but different roles on people’s phones and in people’s lives. Facebook has the ability for brands to connect with people in a personal context where they discover content through the lens of their friends and family. Instagram has the ability for brands to connect with people in an inspiring and visual context where they discover content from inspiring community members and brands they often don't know. 

Given the huge marketing potential of Youtube vloggers, how will we see brands leveraging influential Instagrammers?

We’ve already seen great collaborations between Instagrammers and brands, such as a campaign we recently worked on with adidas Originals. They were looking to build awareness of their #SuperColor range and we came up with a really simple idea of matching the range with colour accents across London. We then partnered with @ecolephoto to shoot the work in a really authentic way. He instinctively knows how to shoot for the platform and often takes photographs around London in a style that fits with the brand. 

We see lots of great work from Instagrammers when brands treat them in the same way as they would traditional photographers and content creators; brands need to commission Instagrammers for their work and let them be creative, rather than just trying to use them to tap into their audience. 

A big question is how – with the rapidly-growing number of brands advertising on Instagram – quality control can be maintained in line with the app’s artistic, stylish ethos. How much of a concern is that for your team?  

Ultimately, when a brand is advertising, it is telling its story – and to tell a good story, everything should start and end with your audience. Only by understanding people – their interests, desires, expectations and emotions – and combining this with the creation of beautiful, engaging imagery, will you succeed in cutting through. Advertisers have an incentive to deliver content that people want to see, otherwise it just won’t work on Instagram.  

What restrictions are there on the kind of ads brands can post?

Instagram ads can currently take three formats – still image, video, and our recently launched carousel format. All ads are marked with a ‘sponsored’ banner in the top right hand corner to indicate they are sponsored posts. Within these formats there are some restrictions against profanity etc. but creatively they are pretty broad canvases that we love people playing with and creating on.

Globally, what has been the most creative/innovative use of Instagram for advertising or marketing purposes that you’ve seen so far, both official and unofficial?

We’ve seen so much great work from all across the globe and are constantly inspired by what we see. Just recently we worked on a campaign for Kibon in Brazil [below] that turned their range of ice-creams into playful yet impeccably crafted scenes that look like works of art. I also love the video work that Hermes does on Instagram; its beautifully crafted films transport you to different fantasy worlds but tie together to form an experience of the Hermes brand.