So I've been visiting agencies in both Toronto and NYC on a research tour regarding the value of attention, and the power of an online ad impression.
One of the points I get to make is that according to this study, a good ad has the same effect on branding metrics like recall and purchase intent, regardless of what type of environment it's placed on (specifically: name brand sites, contextually relevant sites, and non contextually relevant sites).
The same can be said for a bad ad...essentially explaining that ads transcend context.
What this really means, is that brand advertisers can head out and purchase almost whatever banner inventory their hearts desire, and the branding impact of that advertiser's ad depends entirely on things OTHER than the media placement.
IS THAT NOT INSANE?
Does that not take the wind out of your planning sails?
So what's it mean if you've got 1 property under your belt?
Maybe it means that there should be 1 price for ad inventory purchased on impression.
I.E. an impression (regardless of what site it's on) is X price when it comes to branding campaigns.
I mean, that's what a DSL does, no?
If you're on-board with that the idea of common-priced impressions....then I'd love to ask what ppl think that price is?
And if the WHERE doesn't matter - then it's definitely going to have to do with HOW it's placed.
Which is what the study also found: That the TYPE of ad is really important - less on formats and size but more about complexity and richness. Specifically, that rich media works harder for brand metrics (like recall and purchase intent) than non-rich media.
So what's that mean?
In my opinion, it means publishers should be caring less about where they're putting the ads on their site lists, and more about how much the banner weighs. Pubs need a richer experience. Is it weird to anyone that when 80%+ of the internet population is on broadband, we've still got shitty little banner ads that were originally built to have sites load quickly?
Why is it, that if you're running with an ad server, your publisher still has the right to charge you a premium for rich media?
Why can't publishers just stick to selling impressions? They still clearly can't decide how to charge for those...add in trying to stabilize rich versus non rich media....
Rich banners = does not mean more expensive impressions.
It means richer media - a better experience.
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