Digital ads: Tell the Right Story. Don’t Irritate People.

I see a lot of digital ads. Most are skipped. Some are tolerated. A few—very few—are remembered.

That tells me something important: people don’t hate advertising; they hate being disturbed without reason.

Today’s digital ads often behave like uninvited guests. They barge in mid-scroll, raise their voice instantly, and start selling before earning the right to speak. Naturally, the thumb moves on.

But every now and then, an ad does something different—and that’s what impresses me.

It begins with an observation, not an offer. It sounds like it understands life, not just consumer behaviour. It settles in instead of shouting for attention.

Even if I skip it midway, something stays. A line. A feeling. A sense of familiarity. That’s impact.

What irritates me, on the other hand, is easy to spot. Ads that scream urgency in the first two seconds. Hooks that feel like tricks. Forced humour. Artificial cheer. Being told what to feel or buy before I’ve even decided whether I want to listen.

Here’s the simplest rule I’ve learnt over the years:

Tell the right story. Don’t irritate people.

In practice, it’s not complicated.

What works

• One clear idea, not many

• Language that sounds human, not clever

• Respect for the viewer’s intelligence

• An understanding that people may skip—and that’s okay

• Emotion that arrives naturally, not on command

What doesn’t

• Noise mistaken for energy

• Urgency without meaning

• Copying what everyone else is doing

• Selling before connecting

• Forgetting that you’re a guest in someone’s time and space

At Enox, we look at digital ads as moments of communication, not interruptions. An ad doesn’t need to be watched fully to work—it needs to leave something behind when it’s skipped.

Because in a world full of impressions, being remembered quietly is far more powerful than being noticed loudly.

Tell the right story. Don’t irritate people.

That’s not a trend. That’s just good manners.