Media owners are missing out on a huge opportunity to interact and talk to consumers on the internet, according to Adam Freeman, head of commercial development at Guardian Unlimited.
Speaking at Admap and the World Advertising Research Centre’s Sponsorship and Marketing Conference in London yesterday, Freeman pointed out the benefits of this vast medium for engaging consumers in brand and sponsorship products.
The rapid growth in internet access and use has resulted in the online audience becoming more representative of the population, indeed broadband is now available to 96% of households in the UK, with more than six million people already subscribing to the medium (see Just 4% Of UK Homes Now Outside Broadband’s Reach).
This along with the variety of information available online has resulted in people spending more time online, with internet usage accounting for a quarter of all media time, according to data from the British Media Research Bureau (BMRB).
Freeman argued that the merits of a successful online sponsorship campaign centred around the measurability of the campaigns, with click through rates a strong indicator of an advertisement’s performance.
He pointed out that it was important for media owners not just to measure the actions of online users, but also their attitudes, giving rise to questions such as, “are customers aware of the product”, “what message do they associate with the product” and “how likely are they to consider purchasing the product”.
In order for online sponsorship to be a success, Freeman set out certain criteria, stating that interactivity, brand fit, visual appeal and knowing the audience are all intrinsic to the success of the campaign. In addition implementing an online sponsorship campaign alongside an offline one will increase the benefits, he said.
Data from analysts PricewaterhouseCoopers and the Interactive Advertising Bureau reveals that online sponsorship revenue has enjoyed substantial growth over the past couple of years, with 2003 increasing by 36% and 2004 by 29%.
Freeman concluded his presentation by pointing out to delegates that the internet is now the number two medium and that it is easy to get right, as long as you understand how your consumer uses the medium first.
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