June 2002   

Rich Media Campaigns Twice as Effective at Lifting Brand Message Association

Dynamic Logic has recently released research from its MarketNorms database which shows that online ad campaigns using "rich media" are generally twice as effective as traditional GIF/JPG campaigns in their ability to lift a key branding metric: Message Association.

Message Association is the ability of a consumer to link a specific brand (Nike) with a specific message (Just Do It). Message Association is one of the traditional advertising metrics Dynamic Logic has used to gauge the effectiveness of thousands of online ad units, including rich media, flash/html, and standard gif/jpg's. While ALL formats can have some impact in certain cases, the richer media generally works better on a per impression basis. The big question is: how much better…

Results from DL's MarketNorms database show that the average lift in Message Association for gif/jpg's is 21%, whereas flash/html is 37%, and rich media comes in at 44% on average. The findings are drawn from results for over 320 online advertising campaigns and a sample size of 338,184.

The rich media classification includes a variety of newer technology formats, including: Unicast Superstitials, dHTML (Eyeblaster, MSN's NGAP, Shoshkalees, Eyewonder, Klipmart), Enhanced Flash (PointRoll), among others.

Tips for Advertisers:

• Weigh the cost of rich media impressions against the increases in effectiveness. Gif/jpeg's still work but rich media may be more cost-effective in the end.

Tips for Publishers:

• Be open to rich media techniques but don't throw out the gif/jpeg - these old standbys may still provide a critical component to maintaining frequency of exposure.

* Sample for this report based on 338,184 interviews. The Control and Exposed groups are recruited simultaneously to remove any potential impact of alternate channel marketing efforts. Exposure data were recorded when the creative appeared on the web properties used in the actual campaign. Lift is defined as the relative difference between the branding level of the Control and Exposed groups. All differences are statistically significant at 99%.

It's not just about buttons and banners anymore

Risa Goldberg
Sr. Market Research Manager
ESPN.com

Two years ago rich media was just a buzzword, now it's a reality. Publishers are now offering rich media to their clients who are looking for a creative way to sell their products or services. Historically, those advertisers used traditional media to articulate the features and benefits of their brand. After presenting clients with rich media studies, their immediate feedback suggests that these findings give them strong incentive to advertise online using rich media as their ad vehicle. Consequently half of ESPN.com's campaigns utilize rich media. Rich media provides a comprehensive palette for an advertiser to interact with and communicate their brand message to an audience.

There are many different forms of rich media that help publishers prove online advertising is effective. Rich media assists in the ability of publishers to acquire and retain large advertisers and ultimately larger campaigns. Rich media is best especially when selling the product requires a "show and tell" element, such as cell phones. For example, Nextel was one of the first advertisers on ESPN.com to exclusively use rich media. Due to the success of the first campaign and many others since, Nextel has been a consistent advertiser on ESPN.com.

Many argue rich media is too expensive relative to standard gifs, but research shows that while gifs are still effective, rich media is more effective in both branding and direct response. The study above found rich media ads are twice as effective in lifting message association while a recent Doubleclick study showed the click-through rate of rich media ads are six times higher than standard ads. Rich Media captures the attention of the consumer with ads that are new and different compared to banner ads. For rich media to become more widely accepted many advertisers must begin to realize the advantages of effectiveness far outweigh that of cost.

You get what you pay for.

Should We Be That Surprised?

Adam Gerber
VP, Director Media Strategy
The Digital Edge

Imagine a TV ad that used static imagery and a simple voice over. No motion, no music.

How about a black and white print ad - drawn.

Or an outdoor board with lots of text. No visual.

Brand advertisers rarely would consider such approaches today. We've accumulated volumes of research findings supporting best-practices for brand advertising success. As a result, our creative departments strive to maximize impact and communication by leveraging all possible characteristics of particular platforms.

Research findings indicating that rich media offers a substantial increase in brand communication ability on the web should not surprise us. It's intuitive, makes sense, and should help justify a continued reinvention of online advertising. The fact that over 300,000 survey respondents across a variety of advertising categories were the basis for the finding only helps to legitimize the results.

Just as TV, Print, and Outdoor creative approaches evolved over time to address better learning, standardization, and technology-driven enhancements, so too must the online medium. That will require a commitment by publishers to adapt broadly accepted solutions, and by advertisers to continue to push the envelope.

At the end of the day, advertisers must use learning as part of an overall communication plan development process. Simplicity can make sense - either because objectives of a campaign do not require enhanced communication, or because the added cost for production and placement of rich media do not make the approach feasible.

But I wouldn't be surprised to see a lot more rich media on my screen over the year to come.

Would you?