Study shows context boosts ad attention and viewability
Analysis of ad campaigns placed within premium online platforms such as the Wall Street Journal has revealed a general uplift in attention and viewability rates compared with non-premium platforms.
The results of the World Media Group study, independently carried out by SaaS analytics and measurement company Moat, will go some way in settling an argument that suggests programmatic advertising – which generally chooses audiences over context – is neglecting what was once an essential part of the media plan.
In the online world, programmatic systems are increasingly used to buy a targeted audience irrespective of the context in which the ad is viewed. Speak to many in the business and they argue that it’s damaging both publishers and brands.
It’s a two-way problem, that when taken to its worst extremes has seen premium publishers grow frustrated that inappropriate ads are featuring alongside their content – and quality brands being featured alongside compromising content.
As one anecdote doing the rounds puts it: If a posh brand like Rolex was to follow the audience-buying logic in the real-world, it would target City-boy traders in the urinals of the boozer. Clearly something the brand would never consider.
The results of the WMG analysis – whose brands include The Washington Post, Bloomberg Media, The Economist, Newsweek, The New York Times, TIME and The Wall Street Journal, amongst others – revealed that ad campaigns across the WMG inventory outperformed every single benchmark for that time period.
Attention and viewability rates saw lifts of up to 92% in some instances.
“The analysis results have validated the link between well written, properly researched journalism and the ‘halo effect’ brands experience when their ads are seen alongside it,” said Matt McAllester, global editor-in-chief of Newsweek.
The analysis identifies a significant performance uplift for WMG inventory across all forms of digital advertising compared to Moat’s Q3 benchmarks. However, the greatest effect is seen for desktop video and mobile advertising.
Desktop videos seen on WMG inventory achieve viewability rates 21% higher than average against the industry standard for viewability (50% viewable for 2 seconds).
Compared to the (US) agency standard, it achieved a 92% uplift. Consumer attention to videos seen on WMG titles was also high, with completion rates coming in 86% higher compared to the Moat Q3 benchmarks on one measure.
For mobile display, the WMG mobile inventory also fares very highly. Compared to Moat’s Q3 benchmarks, it achieved viewability rates 40% higher, engaged consumers for 12% longer and encouraged 43% more interactions, the report claims.
Emma Winchurch-Beale, international sales director at The Washington Post and president at the World Media Group, said: “Marc Pritchard of P&G has put campaign effectiveness into the spotlight this year, with his headline-grabbing comments about only accepting industry-standard-validated viewability for media transacting.
“Advertisers should push for viewability rates that are even higher than this and should be confident their ads appear in trusted environments. We believe our analysis shows that premium media brands offer this and drive greater value for advertisers.”