Digital display campaigns boost brand awareness by 12 per cent, says IAB UK

A meta-analysis report commissioned by the IAB UK to understand the effectiveness of digital display ad campaigns has been released, showing that on average, this format boosts brand awareness by up to 12 per cent and drives purchase intent by three per cent.

The report, carried out in collaboration with Kantar Millward Brown, OnDevice Research, and Research & Analysis of Media (RAM), collated results from 675 individual campaigns carried out between 2008 and 2017.

The metrics used in the analysis measured the effectiveness for four main marketing objectives – awareness, brand perception, education and sales intent. Brand awareness was the most affected by digital display, with campaigns raising figures by up to 12 per cent. The campaigns also positively shifted brand perceptions by two per cent, educated consumers on the brand by two per cent, and drove purchase intent by three per cent.

“The overall scores were really positive, but obviously the average represent a broad range of results and some campaigns increased brand metrics by as much as 55 per cent,” said Tim Elkington, chief digital officer at the IAB UK. “This demonstrated that to get the best possible results you still need to plan and execute campaigns with care  and use compelling creative.”

The analysis also showed that digital banners and video are both effective formats when it comes to shifting brand awareness and other KPIs, and campaigns can be effective when using either single or multiple creatives.

“In todays competitive media landscape, it is even more important for advertisers to understand the different benefits that each media channel can provide,” said Dianne Newman, CEO of RAM UK & Ireland. “The IABs analysis of this data clearly highlights that digital advertising can deliver across key performance metrics.”

“In a fast-changing marketplace, the new industry narrative for digital needs to be based on real insights, not just opinion or clicks,” said Jane Ostler, global head of media for Kantars Insights division. “As more advertising spend is directed to digital, brands and agencies must be ready to maximise the incredible opportunity to get into consumers hearts and minds. All media channels therefore need to prove their value for brands, and its vital that advertisers understand how their campaigns are performing.”