US survey casts doubt on whether online ads really do aid awareness

re: US survey casts doubt on whether online ads really do aid awareness

Jack Wallington — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 11:40:29 GMT

Lo and behold: www.brandrepublic.com/.../Online-recommendations-trusted-forms-advertising

re: US survey casts doubt on whether online ads really do aid awareness

Jack Wallington — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 08:21:03 GMT

This seems like a very odd question and quite flawed. There's plenty of independent research around that proves online display advertising is effective at branding and awareness.

The biggest issue for me is the formats included, particularly the lack of other online formats and the inclusion of "search engine ads" in this question. Search engine ads are never (or at least very rarely) considered to be standalone awareness ads like the other formats, they're more a gateway to websites that help with a purchase decision. I'd seriously question how many people have made a purchase decision based on a 70 character text advert.

To include search engine ads, to me, would make it necessary to include or breakout the websites they led to like brand, comparison and review websites. Not to mention breaking out paid and natural search results. But as a comparison of "advertising" only, of course they haven't been included.

re: US survey casts doubt on whether online ads really do aid awareness

Dirk Singer — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:08:47 GMT

Yes - Comscore did exactly that with their survey. They claimed to show that brand search results went up around the same time an online ad campaign broke even though the click throughs were puny.

One of my points with the Comscore stats is that as far as I can see they haven't definitely shown that the online ads were responsible.

I mean, it stands to reason that online would have been one element of an integrated campaign and so that search uplift could just as well be due to exposure to TV etc.

re: US survey casts doubt on whether online ads really do aid awareness

Eric Zitelli — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 12:49:19 GMT

The Harris poll is interesting but a more valid test would be measured awareness before and after online banner ad exposure versus similar measures before and after offline campaigns...