Broadcast TV plus BVOD generates twice the sales impact of TV with social video

Groundbreaking research from Dr. Karen Nelson-Field, Professor of Media Innovation at University of Adelaide, reveals that brands which advertise on both broadcast TV and Broadcaster Video On Demand get more than twice the sales impact compared with brands that combine their broadcast TV ads with ads on social video platforms.

The new “Cross-Platform” tranche of Professor Nelson-Field’s ongoing Benchmark Series, commissioned by ThinkTV, is designed to help advertisers and their agencies get the best out of their video advertising activities by showing how they can increase their effectiveness.

Professor Nelson-Field said that many brands are unknowingly diluting the sales impact of their media investment when they combine TV with Facebook and YouTube. The new results show that those brands would be better served seeking incremental reach through Broadcaster Video On Demand (BVOD) because of its superior effectiveness and viewability, she said.

Findings from the study show that ads watched on TV and BVOD generate a sales impact score (STAS) of 172, compared to 135 for TV and Facebook and 130 for TV and YouTube. Any STAS score above 100 indicates that advertising had a positive impact on sales so the findings demonstrate that TV and BVOD combined generates more than two times the sales impact of TV in combination with video display from social media.

KEY FINDINGS:
• TV + BVOD has 2X greater sales impact than TV + Facebook
• TV + BVOD has 2.4X greater sales impact than TV + YouTube

Professor Nelson-Field said: “The Benchmark Series research has already proven that video ads in a TV content feed generate greater attention and sales impact than video ads shown on YouTube and Facebook, regardless of the type of device on which they are viewed.

“With strong growth in video advertising in the last two years it is important to dig deep and find out how marketers can get optimal results when they buy multiple video-based media to support their campaigns. The results clearly show that TV’s superior attention, coverage and viewability, regardless of screen, makes TV plus BVOD the most effective combination for brands.”

Kim Portrate, Chief Executive, of ThinkTV, said: “We know that marketers don’t begin their media strategy with video, they simply want to reach and engage the attention of their target audience. TV is the engine room that drives most campaigns because it delivers both. What we now know is that Broadcast TV’s fast reach and scale combined with BVOD’s online audiences is the best route to chase the incremental reach that will truly deliver sales growth.

“Professor Nelson-Field’s findings show BVOD and Broadcast TV are effective for the same reasons. They generate more attention because they take up 100% of the screen and are 100% viewable with no scrolling. This matters. So combining TV with BVOD, not surprisingly, creates the greatest multi-platform campaign sales impact of all.”

Ms Portrate added: “In 2018, more than 500 major advertisers added BVOD to their campaigns as BVOD viewing leapt by 63%. Both trends are set to continue in 2019 as viewers watch TV’s premium content when and where they want and more advertisers turn to BVOD for effective targeted campaigns to convert mid-funnel prospects as a complement to their existing top of the funnel mass-reaching TV campaigns.”

Methodology:
Professor Nelson-Field used bespoke A.I. machine-learning technology and eye-tracking software to remove human bias in her team’s data gathering for the Benchmark Series, which is explained here.

Using bespoke A.I. machine-learning technology and eye-tracking software, 2,583 Australians were exposed to 18,219 advertisements under natural viewing conditions in the home. Respondents were then tasked to go shopping in an online shopping mall, where they were able to consider up to 38,745 different brands including the ones they were exposed to in the study’s advertising. Called ‘Discrete Choice Modelling’, this approach is widely used and is academically validated as the most accurate way to reveal consumers’ actual choice of brand as opposed to mere intention to buy. For more on methodology see the explainer video.

* How is STAS measured?
STAS is the acronym for Short-Term Advertising Strength. STAS is calculated by determining the proportion of category buyers who bought a specific brand having not been exposed to that brand’s advertising, and comparing this to the proportion of category buyers who were exposed to advertising and went on to buy the brand. A STAS score of 100 indicates no advertising impact, in that those who were exposed to the advertising were just as likely to purchase as those who were not. A score above 100 indicates that the advertising had an impact on sales.