DIGITAL CREATIVE EXCELLENCE

Rick Bruner VP, Product ManagementMarketing Evolution

Moderator

CPGCreative Best Practices Online

Jim ForrestSVP, Digital StrategyIpsos ASI/Ipsos OTX

Sebastian FernandezB2B Insights

Yahoo!

Research Objectives 4

Background & Overview 5

Creative Techniques for Driving Breakthrough & Persuasion 10

Key Findings 39

Contents

Research Objectives

•What’s the best way to showcase a product?

•What product scenarios & messages are most effective?

•What branding cues are most effective?

• Can online ads emotionally connect with my audience?

• Do new ad technologies translate into more effective ads?

What creative tactics are most successful in driving breakthrough & persuasion?

Background & Overview

• Data source– OTX (now part of Ipsos ASI) online ad testing system

• Experimental design methodology– Test/control pre-tests– N= 484 campaigns for CPG products– CPG categories include

• Home care • Health• Beverages • Pet products• Personal care • Beauty/cosmetics• Hair care products

Measuring What MattersIpsos ASI, the leading advertising pre-testing company globally, has established what makes for effective advertising regardless of channel

Reach(Breakthrough)

Response(Persuasion)

EffectiveAdvertising

The ad needs to get noticed and the brand

must get credit

The ad needs to trigger a change in

brand desireDrives SalesBuilds Equity

The Key Measures

•Measures whether an ad has been processed at some level by consumers

• To measure breakthrough, consumers must both recognize a debranded version of the ad AND attribute it to the correct brand

Breakthrough (the “reach” measure)

The Key Measures

• Measures a shift in consumer preference to choose the advertised product next time they purchase in the category

• To measure persuasion, consumers are asked which product/brand will they buy next time. We measure an ads effect on the specific product advertised or the overall brand preference effect (all products/line extensions for the advertised brand)

Persuasion (the “response” measure)

Store Brand

Other Brand None

Driving Breakthrough & PersuasionA review of different creative tactics and elements that help drive breakthrough and persuasion online

40 Creative Tactics Were AnalyzedProduct Tactics Technology Tactics• Product Shown

• Size of the product

• Single vs. Multi product

• % of time the product is shown in the ad

• Product image location

• Rich vs. Flash

• Size expands to show more details

• Sound/Music

• Time/frames to reveal

• Mouse over effect

• Links

Product Messages/Scenario Tactics Branding Tactics• Ad Focus

• Call to action

• New product

• Problem/solution

• Product comparison

• Type of product information

• # of messages

• # of mentions

• Content

• Brand reveal

• Coupon

• Logo location

• Character

• Size of the logo

• Use of brand colors

• Brand’s existing equity

• Celebrity spokesperson

• # of brand mentions

• % of time the logo is shown

• % of time the brand is shown

• Size of the brand name

• Company spokesperson presence

What’s the best way to showcase a product?Question 1

AnswerKeep it simple, don’t let products interfere with your message

Showing Products in Advertising Helps Drive Breakthrough…

110100

Product Not Shown Product Shown

Breakthrough+10% lift

To Drive Persuasion, Focus on Single Products

167

100

Multiple Products Single Product

Persuasion

67% lift

Persuasion improves 67% when focusing single vs. multiple products

Show the Product Throughout the Ad

350

100

Under 75% Greater Than 75%

Persuasion

250% lift

Persuasion improves over 250% when showing the product throughout the ad

Don’t Let the Product Detract from Your Message, Particularly with a Large Product Image

121100

Large Product Image Small Product Image

Persuasion

21% lift

Larger product images can take up too much of the frame & detract from your message

How do I talk about my product? What scenarios are most effective in driving persuasion?

Question 2

AnswerIt depends on where your product is in its lifecycle

Ads Showcasing New Products Generate the Strongest Lifts in Persuasion

152100

Established Product New Product

Persuasion

52% lift

133113100

While Product Comparisons Are Also Effective, Much More So When the…

No Comparison Comparison Explicit Comparison

Effects of Product Comparison on Persuasion

13% lift33% lift

Problem + Solution Scenarios Are Also Effective Drawing Consumers in, Generating Solid Lifts in Breakthrough and Persuasion

120100

113100

Problem + Solution Message Effect on Breakthrough

13% lift

Other Problem + Solution

Other Problem + Solution

20% lift

Problem + Solution Message Effect on PersuasionProblem

Solution

“Feature” Copy Works Great for New Products, But Not for Established Ones

Base: Use n=8; Feature n=73; Claim to Fame n=12; Options n=18; Benefit n=186* Very Low Base

23

43

103

117

124

149

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160

Features (New Products)When the ad talks about specific product details

(e.g. “with smooth ingredients”)

Claim to Fame*When the product or brand claims being better

(e.g. “4X better xxx”)

Options*When the ad messaging mentions different product options

(e.g. “Available in multiple flavors”)

BenefitWhen product benefits are discussed in the ad.

(e.g. “Clean you can see”)

UseWhen the ad messaging is about how to use the product

(e.g. Health ads)

Features (Established Product)When the ads talks about specific product details

(e.g. “With smoothing ingredients”)

Messaging different product options is preferable to showing multiple products in the ad

Persuasion

107100 140100

Simple Call-to-Action (CTA) Messages Are More Compelling Than Product Coupons in Generating Lifts in Persuasion

Coupon Effecton Persuasion

No Coupon

Coupon No Callto Action

Callto Action

Call to Action Effecton Persuasion

40% liftNo Sig Lift

AnswerBranding cues with existing equity (e.g. color, characters, etc.)

Shape

Font

Color

What branding cues are most effective?Question 3

Consumer Affinity for a Brand Plays a Big Role in an Ads Ability to Breakthrough

114105100

High Brand AffinityMedium Brand AffinityLow Brand Affinity

14% lift

Ad Breakthrough

Logos Drive Stronger Breakthrough When Used Correctly

111100102100

When it Comes to Logos, Size Doesn’t Matter

Logo Size Effecton Breakthrough

No Sig Lift

Small Logo Large Logo Small Logo Large Logo

Logo Size Effecton Persuasion

No Sig Lift

It’s Location, Location, LocationThe location of the logo can have a strong effect on breakthrough

The sweet spot is in

the top center

The weakest spot is at

the bottom

Brand Cues, Such as Use of Brand Color, Impact Persuasion

Use of Brand Color Effecton Persuasion

45% lift

145100

Does Not Use ofBrand Colors

UsesBrand Colors

Celebrity Spokespeople Also Drive Stronger Persuasion

163

100

No Celebrity Celebrity

Use of Celebrity Spokesperson Effect on Persuasion

63% lift

InsertCelebrity

Face

But Use of a Celebrity Spokespeople May Also Divert Attention from the Brand and Negatively Impact Breakthrough

90100

No Celebrity Celebrity

-10% lift

Use of Celebrity Spokesperson Effect on Breakthrough

AnswerYes!

Can online ads be used to emotionally connect with my audience?

Question 4

In Addition to Breakthrough & Persuasion, All Pre-tested Advertising is Measured for…

•Measures the strength of the consumer’s emotional response to the ad

• To measure emotional response, consumers are asked to answer a series of questions about the ad that have been associated with emotional response to advertising

Emotive Power™

Heath, Brandt, & Nairn (2006). Brand Relationships: Strengthened by Emotion, Weakened by Attention. Journal of Advertising Research.

Emotional Connection with Your Audience Has the Largest Impact on Persuasion

181131

100

LowEmotive Power™

AverageEmotive Power™

HighEmotive Power™

Emotive Power's Effect On Persuasion

81% lift

31% lift

Emotive Power™

Four Tactics That ImproveEmotional Response

1. Social Conscience (appeal to people’s desire to do the right thing)

2. Emotive Imagery (e.g. puppies and babies)

3. Utilize Creative Formats (video/rich media)

4. Claim to Fame (e.g. differentiated identity)

73

84

113

124

131

151

167

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160

Social Conscience*

Emotive Imagery*

Video*

Claim to Fame*

Rich Media*

Implicit Comparison*

Humor*

Emotive Power Indexed to Average

Base sizes: Video n=14; Rich Media n=39; Humor n=8; Social Conscience n=7; Claim to fame n=7; Implicit Comparison n=8; Puppies/Babies/Kids n=9)* Very Low Base

AnswerThey can, but only when advertisers learn to use the new formats

Do new ad technologies translate into more effective ads?

Question 5

192180

100

166

100

2005/6 2007/8 2009/10

RMU PersuasivenessAcross Time

2006-7 2008-10

Display PersuasivenessAcross Time

92% lift80% lift

66% lift

As Advertisers Get More Sophisticated,Campaigns Are Getting More Persuasive

Technology That Increases the Story-Telling Power Can Improve Effectiveness

Format Driving Persuasion

29% lift

7% lift

Traditional Flash Any Rich Ad Rich Ads With Video

129

107100

Other Features, Like Size Expands, Have a Positive Impact on Breakthrough as Well

109100

Size Expand Impact on Breakthrough

Does not Expand Expands

9% lift

Key Findings

• Focus on 1 product, no more

• Don’t let the size of your product image get in the way of you message

1. When showcasing your product, keep it simple

Key Findings

• For new products, introduce new product features and make those features matter

• As products mature, use advertising to differentiate your product, or to inform your audience about “new” product options

2. Different messages work at different stages of the product lifecycle

Key Findings

• When showcasing your logo, size isn’t as important as location

• Consistently using brand colors will allow equity built through past campaigns to carryover

• Take advantage of other offline cues, like celebrities/spokespeople, who are highly recognizable and can drive more persuasion for your product

3. Take advantage of existing brand cues to help drive breakthrough & persuasion

Key Findings

• Emotional connection is the most persuasive when successful

• New technology & formats improve your ability to emotionally connect with consumers, but allow for a learning curve

4. Don’t be afraid to use online to emotionally connect with your consumers

Key Findings

• The best online ads break the rules, but so do the worst. Don’t be afraid to do something different, just test it before your campaign starts.

These are guidelines, not a prescription