AdReaction: Video Creative in a Digital World Examines Video Use By Multiscreen Users in 42 Countries and Explores Opportunities for Marketers
Multiscreen users spend the same amount of time viewing video on TV as they do on digital platforms, yet remain less receptive to digital ads, found AdReaction: Video Creative in a Digital World (AdReaction Video), a new report from Millward Brown that examines video use and creative response across screens and the impact for marketers. The study, released today, analyzes multiscreen use and behavior among more than 13,500 consumers across 42 countries and also includes learning from parallel copy testing conducted across TV, online video and mobile video ads. The findings help marketers understand how, where and why people view video, when consumers are open to advertising and which creative approaches work best on each screen.
The study found that globally, among multiscreen users ages 16-45, videos are viewed for more than three hours daily (204 minutes on average). The greatest amount of time spent daily was in Nigeria with 4.5 hours, with Hungarians reporting the least amount of time spent at 2.5 hours a day. While half of this video viewing (102 minutes) is on TV, one-third is now conducted via mobile devices (45 minutes smartphone, 20 minutes tablet), and the remainder (37 minutes) is viewed on laptops or PCs. While digital presents a significant advertising opportunity for marketers, receptivity to digital video ads is much lower (19 percent favorable) than for live TV ads (29 percent favorable).
“While video is now available on myriad screens, applying TV thinking to digital content and placement is simply not acceptable, and consumers expect more from online advertisers,” said Duncan Southgate, Millward Brown’s Global Brand Director for Digital. “By exploring behaviors and preferences related to screens and advertising, AdReaction Video provides a roadmap to help marketers build effective media plans and creative approaches that target the right people in the right context with the right content.”
AdReaction Video identified a number of opportunities for marketers to drive video creative effectiveness and success:
People are receptive to targeting, but don’t want to be stalked. AdReaction Video found that consumers are most receptive to video ads targeted based on their interests (41 percent receptive) or preferred brands (40 percent receptive) and least receptive to ads based on their web browsing history (25 percent receptive). Even though web browsing behavior may drive interest-based targeting, this implies that sensitive application of targeting is likely to work best.
Context matters. With negativity toward video ads on smartphones at 49 percent, advertisers need to earn the right for attention. Twenty-nine percent of consumers globally said they were less likely to skip, and pay more attention to, online video ads that offer rewards, and they were most receptive to skippable and click-to-play ad formats that provide control over what they see.
Content is still king. AdReaction Video findings indicate the need to consider digital early in the creative process, with an eye toward optimization across screens. And while skippable formats are a creative challenge, they are worth the focus; aim for early impact.
Additional key findings from AdReaction include:
Digital’s share of total video minutes is higher (56 percent) among 16-24 year olds and lower (43 percent) among 35-45 year olds.
Consumers feel that they have more control over digital ads than TV ads, with the majority believing the laptop gives them the most control (63 percent). This explains their irritation by online ad formats which fail to respect this control.
Skippable pre-rolls (34 percent favorability) and skippable mobile pre-rolls (31 percent) are viewed much more favorably than mobile app pop-ups (14 percent) and non-skippable pre-rolls (15 percent). The most popular ad format is mobile app reward videos (49 percent favorable).
Consumers are slightly more receptive to viewing video ads while at home (28 percent) vs. while at work (21 percent).