SimonWaldman.net

NewTeeVee picks up on some research by Millward Brown which shows that recall of ads shown in TV programmes online is much higher than when shown on a TV or through a DVR. This sounds rather exciting, until you read the final bit of the release.

All platforms tested had positive impact, but the results show a higher level of engagement among the online viewers — leading to increased communications awareness, brand favorability and consideration. This is supported by the fact that online viewers were 53 percent more likely to pay attention to the ads during commercial breaks versus live TV viewers. Time-shifted viewers were 30 percent less likely to pay attention to the ads than live TV viewers. The study also shows that ad recall was four times higher among viewers of the online format versus recall of live or time-shifted viewers. This in large part reflects that the online ad format shows the same ad (and only that ad) three to six times during the course of a program. Ads on network TV are shown once, within a pod of several commercials, and there are several commercial pods during a single program.

OK - so much higher recall because, errr..they saw the ad three to six times! Amazing. Who would have thought it. Oh, well - at least it wasn’t lower recall.