If you’ve spent a considerable amount of time on the internet (as we all have lately), you’ve surely come across various display ads. One feature of these ads that has likely stood out to millions of viewers is their design. It only takes simple observation to note that not all display ads are created alike in terms of aesthetic value, content, and much more.

Off late, most ads on the internet that seem to take center stage are those that are neither visually appealing nor very informative. Calling these ads ugly may be a stretch so let’s contend with calling them plain or simplistic. So if these ads are lacking in appeal, why do brands insist on having them displayed on our screens now and again?

The answer to this may not be as simple as the design and layout of these ads. However, let’s not get into that now. First, let’s examine what the other type of ads is that we’ve alluded to in the title of this article. Standing in direct contrast to plain display ads are those that are beautifully designed and contain more than adequate information on the product or service they’re promoting.

These beautiful ads are often those that are produced by large brands as they’re costlier and more time-consuming than simple display ads. Now, coming back to why some companies choose to display ads that are plain and simple when these appear unappealing, one reason could be budget constraints.

The plain ads that you see online generally consist of nothing more than a simple background featuring only one color (usually white) and contain an image of the product they’re meant to promote. As you can imagine, it doesn’t take a wealth of knowledge or experience to create ads such as these. We’d go so far as to say that any teenager with a laptop and internet connection won’t find it too challenging to create a plain display ad that’s lacking in imagination.

Therefore, smaller companies that can’t afford to have a large advertising budget choose to use such ads to promote their products or services. If we think about it, we can somewhat see their point. After all, even if an ad is not fancy or aesthetically beautiful, it still makes people aware of their product and establishes their presence online when correctly placed. In other words, why would you need expensive software to advertise a product when using a simple layout that can let audiences know what you’re selling anyway?

Besides, if using plain ads doesn’t affect a company’s conversion rates – or better still, raises them – it can’t hurt to save money and put it to better use than splurging on advertising. Another reason why small brands opt for simple ads is the fact that they’re relatable. The average consumer is not looking to spend thousands of dollars on products online so if they come across a simple ad, it will likely lead them to believe that the product it’s promoting is affordable and worth purchasing.

On the other hand, beautiful, well-crafted ads are created with the help of the best software and design experts in the industry. Naturally, crafting these ads is not easy on the pocket, and only those brands that can afford to spend a considerable amount of money on advertising opt for these. For such brands, it’s more to do with brand image than advertising the product in question.

For instance, if you saw Louis Vuitton using the same kind of layout for its ads as your local clothing retailer, what would you think of the brand? Wouldn’t you wonder why it’s being stingy and using plain ads? Wouldn’t that reflect badly on the brand and chip away some of its reputation as a producer of luxury goods? This is exactly why highly-reputed brands are careful to use well-designed ads – to keep up their image.

This sort of thing doesn’t matter much to a small brand that’s focusing either on breaking even or on making enough profits to sustain it. The Google Display Ads used by these brands are effective at relaying only that much content or information to audiences as is required to guide them to make a purchase.

Therefore, we can conclude that neither type of ad that we’ve discussed in this article is ineffective if you use the right parameters to judge them. A good Google Display Ad conveys what the brand is trying to convey to its intended audience – nothing more, and certainly nothing less.