DIGITAL AD EXPOSURE/AD RECALL METRICS
Although there are numerous compilations of data and studies of ad exposure levels for digital media, most are based on electronic indicators and employ disparate definitions of what, exactly, connotes ad exposure. Worse, virtually all the data reflects the findings for a particular digital venue and selected ad categories that utilize said venue, so they are not projectible on a national level. The same situation applies to recall studies. Invariably, the information published is highly promotional in nature, and the data are usually presented as percentage “lifts” over some unstated normative base, without supplying the recall results themselves.
This barrage of self-serving data results in confusion among media planners, especially those seeking to compare alternative platform mixes within digital or as part of cross media options involving traditional media. Adding to the mayhem is the promulgation of so-called standard definitions of “ad viewability” such as those proposed by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB). The IAB calls for desktop display ads to be considered “viewable” if 50% or more of their pixels are on the user’s screen for at least one second, and for desktop video ads to be rated as “viewable” if they appear on the viewer’s screen for at least two seconds.
Needless to say, many advertisers and agencies do not accept definitions that are so clearly biased in favor of the ad sellers, particularly when 10-, 15-, or even 30-second video ads are being used to convey a message to the consumer. Advertisers like Unilever, and major media buying agencies like GroupM, have insisted on paying only for video ads that are on screen for the duration of their ad length (100% viewability), since otherwise there is no comparability with standards in TV, radio and print advertising. They rightly believe that digital video commercials seen for only a few seconds have virtually no value.
Ad recall studies represent another way for advertisers and their media planners to evaluate the ad exposure variables between media. Most of those utilized by traditional media offer the claimed viewers, listeners or readers some form of reminder to stimulate their memories including, in the case of Starch magazine studies, actually showing the ads in question to the respondent. Other cuing procedures ask the respondent if s/he has seen or heard an ad for a particular product class or even a specific brand. If they answer affirmatively, they are required to show some degree of message content recall to “verify” that said exposure took place.
Similar methods have been developed for digital ads, but normative findings rarely see the light of day, since they are often quite low compared to TV and magazines. Widely-released studies sponsored by digital ad sellers or their cohorts tend to focus on media mixing, showing how using a digital ad in combination with a TV commercial raises ad awareness and intent to buy or, on how one digital ad seller’s performance exceeds that of its competitors.
We have reviewed the available studies on digital media ad visibility/exposure and ad recall, and we have found some axioms that seem to apply, despite varying methodologies. Based on our findings, we have prepared estimates on ad viewability and likely recall norms for a variety of commonly used video and display ad types. We have also included our estimates of the probable verified recall level for each type of ad after an exposure opportunity. Ultimately, although our estimates cannot account for all these factors, nor do they reflect the results of any individual ad execution or campaign, the impact of the factors we have evaluated is directionally useful, and is a good starting point for any thoughtful approach to digital media planning.
The full report is part of our ongoing Media Insights & Data Service. It presents our exclusive estimates of time-on-screen and ad recall norms for various kinds of digital video and static display ads. We also examine how buying directly from a publisher versus programmatically, using different platforms, employing rich media and emphasizing editorial compatibility affect exposure and recall.