TV must be careful not to overuse innovative ad formats
A FreeWheel study has shown that consumers are generally receptive to innovative ad formats such as L-banners and shoppable QR codes, but they should be used sparingly.
The adtech company’s Viewer Experience Lab conducted a survey of 801 TV viewers in the US and further studied 700 US participants who watched a 30-minute programme with structured ad breaks featuring those formats.
In addition to L-banners (also known as frame ads) and shoppable ads, participants were asked about pause, native (home screen), lower-third and interactive (featuring a trivia question) ads.
Pause and native fit seamlessly
The survey participants who had seen the ad formats on TV were asked for their impression on how intrusive they were. Just below two-thirds (61%) said pause ads fit in seamlessly with content and 58% said the same of native ads, compared with a benchmark of 50% for standard mid-roll ads.
Pause and native are viewed as a win-win by the report because they do not require more or longer ad breaks.
This group felt lower-thirds and L-banners did not fit into content as seamlessly as standard mid-rolls (at 44% and 45% respectively). Nevertheless, the study suggested that these two formats are a natural fit for sport and other live content, because the viewer does not have to miss any action.
Of the viewing group, 71% said interactive ads captured their attention versus 62% who said the same of standard mid-rolls.
This group were 80% more likely to seek information online after seeing a shoppable ad compared with a standard mid-roll from the same brand.
“Viewers may not always scan or shop in the moment, but shoppable ads do make them more likely to want to research the brand afterwards,” the report’s authors observed.
The data suggests innovative ads must be used at low volumes. The viewing group were asked to rate how intrusive they felt those formats were on a scale of one to seven. At a frequency of one exposure, the average figure was 3.3, rising to 3.6 at three exposures. The data may not be conclusive, as the rating was 3.5 at five exposures.
They also rated programme engagement on a scale of one to seven and this averaged 5.6 at one exposure. This figure fell to 5.4 at three exposures and 5.3 at five exposures.
Too many innovative ads could harm viewing
According to the report: “Too many innovative ad formats in a stream may harm the viewing experience. These ad formats have value and drive viewer response, but the industry should be mindful of how they preserve these benefits.”
It is part of a wider study that included consumers in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Australia and which used static images of innovative ad formats and gathered sentiment.
The report found that native ads are the most common innovative format across the seven markets. Shoppable ads are more widespread in the US, whereas L-banners and lower-third ads are more widely used in Europe.
FreeWheel concluded: “Innovative formats like shoppable and interactive offer exciting opportunities to deepen engagement and drive action.
“These newer formats allow brands to go beyond storytelling, inviting viewers to participate, explore and even purchase directly within the ad experience. However, advertisers should be sure not to overuse them.”