GIFs In Advertising And Marketing

If you've seen an animated image online, chances are you've seen a GIF. That stands for Graphics Interchange Format & was invented way back in 1987 - almost 30 years ago. So, How do you pronounce "GIF"? Many pronounce the word with a hard 'G', like in the word 'go', however, the creators of the format pronounce it 'Jif' - how confusing... In today's blog, we'll be talking about the use of GIFs in advertising as well as social posting.

Sadly, the real world hasn't got newspapers like those from the Harry Potter films. While it would be cool for the reader to see animated images on their paper, it's would also be a big step for the newspapers companies themselves, who could have moving images to catch the readers attention.

While it's unlikely that we'll see animated images on physical newspapers anytime soon (although with advancements in flexible displays you never know) we already have portable tablets and online newspapers which perform a similar task.

 

 

demon days advertisement GIF.

Source: Giphy.

 

There's no doubt that movement grabs the attention of the audience, surely the moving album cover pictured right caught your attention? This begs the question, "Why isn't everyone using movement, video and animation in their visual marketing?"

 

Part of the problem is cost. If a professional looking, still advert is expensive to create, then a moving image is even more pricey! What's more, a still advert has many more applications than a video ad. A still image can be put online, in a magazine or printed just about anywhere (including promotional merchandise), while a video can be played on TV, on the internet or maybe a video billboard... It's often more logical to invest in grabbing the viewers attention with colour rather than movement.

 

 

The other issue could be that visual formats like the GIF can be seen as annoying/spammy, see the Geocities page below. Though the 1990s showcased some pretty tacky uses for GIFs, design has come a long way and most internet users are more aware of aesthetics in the 21st century.

 

 

A spammy geocities page.

Source: Geocities. Screen Capture by Gizmodo.

 

 

Of course many are using the format today, GIFs have become popular on internet blogs as well as popular news sites. At Total Merchandise, we hope to see more engaging moving images online in the future, but what about you? Let us know on our Facebook or Twitter!

 

Written by

Total Merchandise | Editoral Team

Our editorial team is drawn from a pool of experienced promotional merchandise product team members, account managers, marketers and other contributors. With such a wide range of skills and experience, they write about many aspects of promotional merchandise, wider marketing and business matters, as well as company news updates.

Connect with Total Merchandise on LinkedIn Connect with Total Merchandise on LinkedIn

Total Merchandise
The TM Edit: Top 10 Novelty Gifts That Your Customers Will Love

The TM Edit: Top 10 Novelty Gifts That Your Customers Will Love

Are you looking for something unique to add some fun to your promotional activity? Well, we're here to help - look no further than our range of novelty giveaways for th

Get Ahead of The Competition with Best-Selling Sports Merchandise

Get Ahead of The Competition with Best-Selling Sports Merchandise

With 84% of Brits having watched some sort of sport on the BBC alone last summer, it's fair to say that we're a nation of sports fans. Whether it was the FA Cup final, W

Our Best Selling Promotional Items: Umbrellas

Our Best Selling Promotional Items: Umbrellas

Promotional Umbrellas have long been one of our most popular promotional items. They are a great giveaway opportunity that offers a large imprint area with high visibility and c

Best Summer Giveaways For 2025: Ideas For Any Business & Marketing Campaign

Best Summer Giveaways For 2025: Ideas For Any Business & Marketing Campaign

Summer 2025 is fast approaching, with the season officially kicking off on 21st June. And with that in mind, what better time to start considering the best summer giveaways to t

TM Edit: The Best Pride Promotional Products For Your Business In 2025

TM Edit: The Best Pride Promotional Products For Your Business In 2025

Pride month is almost upon us, and whether you run an LGBTQ+ organisation or are perhaps planning a corporate event to show your support of the occasion, we're here to help.

Promotional Merchandise Statistics: What’s Working in 2025?

Promotional Merchandise Statistics: What’s Working in 2025?

As digital marketing channels become more saturated, branded merchandise continues to stand out by offering something tangible and lasting. Whether given away at events, sent in