Adam Wade takes a dip into the muddy waters of advertising effectiveness in a digital world...bring your towels...

Since the release of the IAB’s most recent Ad Effectiveness study last year agencies in Australia have re-awoken to the power of third party measurement studies to evaluate campaign success. The aim of driving further spend from traditional media into the digital space by offering bespoke research studies of this kind is a sound one.  Using methods and metrics that clients have typically used to evaluate offline media gives them confidence in the digital results and the insights themselves are often compelling (sometimes surprising) reading.

It’s also been an opportunity to redefine campaign KPIs for digital media.  While clicks, reach and the like remain an absolute necessity in evaluating campaign success, new measurement was needed to determine the impact of digital media on objectives that have not been so accountable.  Examples such as digitals ability to drive footfall and ultimately conversion in-store for FMCG clients (research that was carried out in the UK back in 2006) and lifts in brand awareness for products that are indirectly advertised to consumers (such as some pharmaceutical products) are required. 

Ad Effectiveness studies of this kind are nothing new.  A quick Google search shows that the IABs first study in this market was as far back as 2001. However the recent wave of studies, which from discussions with publishers are becoming increasingly requested by digital planners, are uncovering trends which advertisers can use to their advantage.

One such trend is time targeting. The ability to target creative by time of day is not new either but recent research has enabled us to understand how to use the technology to most effectively reach consumers with the right messaging.  For example another IAB sponsored study in the UK (report published in April 09) showed that consumers pay more attention to advertising on the web after 6pm (awareness of ads increases by almost 52%) whilst lunch times, which has been seen as a key time to buy media, actually has one of the lowest ad awareness levels (an average of 11% paid attention to ads between 12 – 2pm).  This suggests that consumers are in a different mindset at lunch and a different message is required. 

The research also noticed that awareness levels changed by age group suggesting planners should add a demographic targeting filter on top of time targeting where possible to maximise campaign efficiencies.  Recent campaigns where this has been implemented have seen increases in response rates across clients in the finance and retail verticals.

The next step is to integrate brand research more seamlessly across media channels – and even across digital channels.  This is being carried out by various providers perhaps most notably by Google which showed how lifts in brand awareness from digital display impacted search conversions, but more research is required.

Nielsen are currently the main provider of the ad effectiveness reports although other players have come into the Australian market in recent months which highlights the important role that digital is playing.  This leads to clients re-evaluating their perception of online media and its role as part of an integrated campaign platform.

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