Interspersing high-impact ad formats with standard ad formats could be the best way to maximise return on investment (ROI) on digital campaigns, according to research from Inskin Media and Lumen Research.

The study found that high-impact formats increase the likelihood of standard display advertising being noticed by 27 per cent, while increasing visual engagement time by 39 per cent, via the ‘amplification effect’. Regression models also showed that amplification retention rate was 75 per cent per day, meaning that net attention lift to the standard format caused by the high impact format will weaken over time.

Using the above data, three different flighting scenarios were modelled during the study. The first scenario found that when campaigns were front-loaded with high-impact formats there was an initial sharp spike in attention on amplified mid page units (MPUs) which followed. Though, it then began to decline slowly. Despite this, the cumulative boost in visual engagement drove a 57 per cent overall increase in attention for the amplified MPUs across the month-long campaign.

The second scenario saw the same volume of high-impact formats delivered at regular intervals throughout the campaign. Attention levels on the amplified MPUs rose straight after being exposed to the high-impact format, then faded gradually until the next high-impact format was served. This generated an overall attention boost of 41 per cent over the month and, from the third week onward, it delivered more attention than the front-loaded approach.

The final scenario increased the number of high-impact formats used weekly by double. This resulted in an 87 per cent boost in overall attention to amplified MPUs.

“The results show that for short burst campaigns, front-loading with high-impact ads drives the most amplification of standard ads. For longer-term campaigns, regular exposure to high-impact ads drives more amplification over time and increasing their frequency drives even greater amplification effects,” said Dominic Tillson, head of insight at Inskin Media.

“What this means is that with intelligent planning around the needs of each campaign, media planners can drive greater attention at no extra cost, which in turn increases conversions and brand recall, ultimately benefiting overall brand building and campaign performance.”