Consumers say video advertising adds ‘halo effect’ to brands

Online video is winning brands credibility and kudos with consumers, according to new research from Specific Media, with brand interest levels and positive associations being built as a result.

The in-depth study examines consumer perspectives into online video advertising and finds that relevant original programming boosts purchase intent by 25%, brand favourability by 13% and brand association by 12%.

Additionally, there is a 23% uplift in purchase intent when comparing consumers exposed to relevant online video advertising, with those who are not.

The findings form the latest installment of data from Specific Media’s VITAMIN research study (Video Testing and Measurement Insights), conducted in association with Decipher.

The insight team at Specific Media believes the growth of online video viewing as a mainstream activity is the key driver behind this new degree of influence. Significantly, the results suggest the need for marketers to move away from the click as an effective measure of online advertising performance.

Chris Worrell, Director of Insight – Europe at Specific Media, says: “2012 will be the year that online video advertising comes of age. We are now reaching a critical mass, both in terms of brands treating it seriously and consumers accepting and embracing it as the norm.

“However, the value and quality of video content needs to keep pace with the speed that the platform is evolving. Marketers need to move beyond the click as a measurement of success, towards the softer, brand-led metrics that more established advertising platforms use. We need to measure the impact video advertising has on the brand, against relevant target audiences.”

The latest installment of the Specific Media VITAMIN research study is based on focus groups with four key consumer segments: Young Men, Young Women, ABC1 Adults and Full Time Mums.

Other key insights emerging during the focus group sessions include:

• Consumers feel much more in control of their viewing than ever before, now that they are not as tied to rigid broadcast schedules;
• The ever-increasing array of devices on the market is accelerating adoption of new non-linear viewing habits;
• Content length is critical – the explosion in content means every piece of online video has to work harder than ever to attract and keep consumer attention.

Worrell continues: “Innovative formats are engaging for consumers who enjoy the involvement, however inevitably, the swathe of online developments has significantly disrupted traditional consumption patterns. There is a fine balance between engagement and disruption, and Specific Media believes that staying on the right side of this line will be a key challenge for brands and advertisers in the year ahead.”

This latest installment comes two months after the launch of Specific Media VITAMIN at IAB Video Engage in November. Initial findings revealed that short form content is just as effective as long form, (if not more so), when measuring key advertising effectiveness metrics, including recall and favourability. Short form video content and TV catch up had similar results, with short form video delivering slightly higher recall levels.

The first wave of research also showed that original content – relating to and featuring advertisers’ brands – had the highest brand recall levels and brand favourability amongst consumers.