NEW YORK—Advertising is stronger when TV and digital work together, according to a new study from Comcast Cable’s advertising sales division Effectv and MediaScience.
The “Digital Loves TV” study compared brand metrics and advertising perceptions for digital-only campaigns versus campaigns that included both digital and TV components. When TV and digital ads are coupled together they prove to be more effective.
Specifically, the study found that viewers spent three times more with ads on TV and digital compared to digital alone. Brand recall was also better, more than doubling when a digital ad for a brand also had a TV ad. In addition, customers were 15% more likely to purchase the product when ads aired on TV and digital compared to just digital.
There was also an impact on how TV can provide a better perception of a brand’s digital ads. In the study, when a digital ad was preceded by a TV ad, the researchers observed a 12% lift in brand attitude, as well as being perceived as “less intrusive” and “less annoying.” TV created what the report described as a halo effect.
TV helps consumers connect to all brands, but there is a greater lift in key metrics for unknown brands, the report finds. Participants stated that seeing a TV ad “legitimized” an unknown brand, where a lone digital ad could leave them skeptical.
Overall, the report found that 94% of viewers watched the TV ads compared to 78% in the digital environment.
“This study demonstrates TV advertising’s impact on consumer awareness and attitude toward both established and lesser-known brands,” said John Bauer, executive director of data, Insights and Innovation, at Effectv. “TV is a trusted source of information, and pairing TV with digital video more effectively builds brand strength than digital alone.”
The full “Digital Loves TV” report is available online.
