
If you lay down your META or Google targeted ad sets like blankets of loveliness across the web– regardless of your product, service or event – your content will function like gifts of art to your viewers, not funnel-shove manipulations. This approach fosters longer-term sustained growth and cultivates better communities.1
Another way to think of this approach to advertising is that your ads are a thing you produce, not a means to an end. Ads are visual gifts to your audience– as are your newsletters, your website, and your social posts too. Let’s face it, what we see affects our mood, and our moods affects the world. So why not advertise with intention, knowing that even selling the right things the right way can achieve success far greater than just selling stuff.
The artful approach is in contrast to a common practice of producing ad content to evoke a response, or convert a sale. I see this approach akin to standing in a manipulative place that assumes people are not consciously choosing how to spend their money, but could/should be pushed into fulfilling someone else’s commercial agenda. It’s yucky. Manipulation is not good.
And guess who else is continually affected by your ads? Your team. Public ads are also tools to enhance work culture if you treat them that way.
It needs to be stated: the problem
To complicate things, digital advertising has become a big mess in this day of fake profiles, AI “help,” and excessive (often poorly integrated) digital platforms pushing their own profits over harmonious communities, healthy economies, or even just greater salesz for the advertiser. Because the myriad of companies that need to win your advertising dollars to appease stakeholders, enormous resources are spent selling you on their tools, with training to use them their way. This is to ensure their longevity and profits, but not always yours.
Furthermore, by following advertising companies’ out-of-box instructions, you (and by extension) your audience fall into “object” status. This stance can actually push away quality people who value freedom, education, agency and community over things like pushing more commerce.
And, here’s the rub: since advertising is expected, and it can inform people of quality items and experiences they may like to enjoy, you kind of need to do some. So here, I’ll share what I’ve learned over a 20+ year successful marketing career with fabulous stats to boot, so you can avoid the pitfalls and engage with your burgeoning audience with a bit of grace.
If you want to grow your base of “raving fans,” focus on artful impressions and authentic funnels.
Impressions are Evergreen
To advertise for positive impressions, use a matrix of ads managed to move through a top-heavy funnel position over time. Place only strong photos and visuals that could strike the viewer as works of art in and of themselves.
Create a few ad sets, each with multiple ads, to targeted audiences2. This top-of-funnel approach should focus on evergreen content and can be run year round for low cost.
Why? Beauty attracts, and the variety of scenes associates viewers with attainment of your experience or product. It is sometimes referred to as “brand awareness,” and is also seen by your biggest fans and staff. For this reason, evergreen/general education ads should never be skipped.


Think of this kind of early/evergreen ad as laying groundwork for the positive/creative flow of energy between you and potential new fans, perpetually.
These ads can also function as a lead generator, with the call to action being to do something like join an email list3. Please keep in mind, your goal here is “giving” not “getting.” Your goal is blanketing beauty across the web, not demands.
Why a Philosophy of Art in Advertising?
My philosophy of advertising means laying a beautiful tapestry of visuals across the web. This approach is deeply intentional and done with respect for viewers, not funnel-shoving for the sake of commerce. This method of advertising intentionally educates the viewer how they too can enjoy what’s to come and gives them the knowledge how to succeed in your brand’s environment. It’s free education, in a way, another public good.
Events – special advertising tips for gatherings
It’s important to remember as well, that large scale events are systems of community behavior. In order for the entire system to function well and be safe, enjoyable, and a positive, all folks must understand what is expected on a feeling level, and appreciated behaviors. They also must know what to expect, even if not ‘perfect.’ This is different than pushing people into buying with fear-based messages or evoking alarm, or false claims, which reveal a disrespect for the audience.
My approach has always focused on facilitating the growth of genuine community, extending invitations to join the community, sharing philosophy of product, and making ads reveal beauty, love, and how the current content intersects with community values. Then exactly the right folks show up.
Build a Better Funnel: time & themes

Think of top of diagram as prior to event/ongoing. Bottom of diagram is also near the end (selling out or event closing).
Tip: cast a wide blanket of beauty and positive messages including sentiment on how to participate to desired new audience throughout campaigns. Lower in funnel/later in time, display past happy customer behaviors and emotions.
Lower still/showtime feature current news, up to the minute reflections of best things (can include organic and/or boosted posts).
Bottom of funnel, pointed ‘show up’ messages typically when about to sell out or close. But only if REAL. Do not evoke fear by design.
What about the holy grail, “Conversions”?

Because AI bot entities, foreign fake bot identities, and people sitting around clicking and ‘engaging’ (but not leaving their mom’s basements) can skew conversions, focusing on them often makes businesses lose the greater forest for the trees. IE the largest platforms are training YOU to manipulate your customers for their sake. Conversion ads can feel exciting from the perspective of the advertiser, but they are disrespectful of the autonomy and agency of the viewer. Avoid treating your audience this way.
Instead: build an authentic funnel, and gather around you intentional folks with agency, and do great things.
Need Marketing?
I currently have 2 slots open for monthly advertising programs. Yeah, I need to support my art & philosophy habit. Let me know if you’d like a quote.
- Advertising is not the same as ‘branding’ which may be falling by the wayside in the way we’ve traditionally understood it anyway. This is in part because of the advent of AI –but more on that in a future piece. ↩︎
- Audiences is key. While all audiences are targeted by demographics and interests, it is also important to have a few differenct potential audiences for testing. For instance, always set one audience ‘slightly beyond’ your typical customer, either by age, geographic region, or education level. This is how you grow a more diverse customer base. ↩︎
- Do NOT rely on a pop-up for your lead generator. Seriously, you know this. You hate them too. ↩︎