The document provides lessons learned for achieving digital success based on testing over 1,000 digital campaigns. It outlines key lessons which include: engaging consumers by being relevant and bold; focusing on visual branding; exploiting the dynamic nature of the medium through storytelling and video; keeping messaging simple; making calls to action obvious; leveraging synergy across channels; and understanding that low reach digital ads can still be effective. The lessons are derived from Ipsos' proprietary digital research and aim to provide marketers with relevant measures of digital campaign performance.

1. The Road to Digital Success
Some lessons learned to help demystify success when
it comes to your digital brand communications
Jim Forrest, Senior Vice President, Ipsos Open Thinking Exchange
REFLECTIONS
Inspiration for Action

2. Page 1 The Road to Digital Success
The Road to Digital Success Lesson 1 – As with all media,
engage the consumer
Some lessons learned to help demystify There is a lot of compelling online content to contend
success when it comes to your digital with and to capture consumer attention online be obvious,
brand communications relevant, and bold.
Wired Magazine recently published that “The Web is Dead”
(http://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/08/ff_webrip/). But Lesson 2 – Focus on visual branding
how can the web already be dead when we are only just This is a visual media – in many cases processed at a glance.
starting to understand it? Wired Magazine followed up the Consumers’ eyes move quickly throughout the page so brand
headline, “The Web is Dead, with “Long Live the Internet.
” ” icons and other clear easily noted branding elements are
The article’s point is a good one – what we do online is important.
always changing and continues to change.
The truth about the online space is that people are engaging
with the medium in different and evolving ways, breaking the
traditional rules established in the analogue environment.
This ever-changing landscape is certainly one of the reasons
why marketers and researchers are enthralled with “digital.”
The possibilities to engage, even to start a two-way
conversation with, the consumer seem endless. This may
be why “digital” is the only space where advertising spend Source: “From a Heart beat to a Mouse Click” presented at the 2009 MRS
is growing. Conference by OTX & Google, an example of eye tracking results demon-
strating that the eye moves around the page, but settles on the visually
Despite its growth in importance, “digital” is still a complex, engaging article in the top left hand corner
even confusing, medium for marketers. Because the space
moves so quickly, there is a risk that by the time a marketer Lesson 3 – This is a dynamic medium –
learns something relevant, it has become obsolete. A key exploit that, tell a story
challenge to learn, ironically, has been measurement. Isn’t
Take advantage of the storytelling power of video, when
online the “most measured media”? But, the metrics that are
possible. And remember that these ads don’t disappear
everywhere that marketers get, like click-through, interaction
when the flash or video has ended – so leave something
and engagement rates, and unique visitors, do not equal the
compelling to linger there at the end.
insights that marketers want. The surprising truth is that
marketers are still struggling to evaluate the basic success
of their digital campaigns.
Marketers need “relevant measures” that can be directly
associated to an in-market response toward the brand. They
are looking to understand the answers to key questions,
such as:
1. What is the interaction between digital ads and digital
content?
2. How do digital ads compare to other touchpoints in my Source: CPG Digital Creative Best Practices, 2010. Ipsos Open Thinking
Exchange in conjunction with Yahoo!
campaign, and how do they build together?
3. Will my digital campaign create the appropriate response?
Lesson 4 – Simplicity is key. How you say
And of course, marketers need this insight immediately. it is as important as what you say
So, what do we know about the most effective digital adver- Use visuals that support your messaging – this is not a direct
tising? After testing and studying over a thousand digital response medium anymore.
campaigns and advertisements we have compiled a list of
key learnings:
Ipsos ASI – The Advertising Research Specialists

3. Page 2 The Road to Digital Success
Lesson 5 – If you want the consumer Lesson 7 – Just because digital
to interact, let them know communications are ‘low reach’ doesn’t
Make it obvious, because you only have a few seconds mean they’re ineffective
before consumers move in and out of your ad. Digital can suffer from low reach, but because it has the abil-
ity to target and create unique and engaging experiences,
it can also provide a very strong and positive response to
the brand.
Lesson 6 – Synergy is real
Digital does not live in isolation, and exposure to the cam- Source: Quantitative Analysis based on Brand Graph 360 cases conducted
paign in other channels like television or print could increase globally to date.
the effectiveness of your digital campaign. It can also There is no doubt that commercial messaging in the digital
decrease its effectiveness if the creative is not synergistic. world will continue to rapidly evolve in both scale and com-
plexity – offering both challenges and opportunities in equal
measure. Accordingly the “rulebook” for both determining
and measuring success will need to evolve at a similar pace
– utilizing the best of existing thinking aligned with fresh
ideas and new methodologies. The principles outlined here
not only provide a sound base for maximizing the effective-
ness of current activities but can also act as a springboard
for the next generation of ideas.
Background
Source: Quantitative Analysis based on Next 360 cases conducted globally
to date. This learning is derived from proprietary research conducted
using Ipsos’ Next Connect Digital and Brand Graph Digital
approaches and methodologies. This suite of digital research
products were designed to provide marketers with the
“relevant measures” they seek. Next Connect Digital is a
digital pre-testing platform that effectively tests digital ads
in situ. Brand Graph Digital is a digital evaluation tool that
leverages Live|Stream – an advanced routing technology
developed by the Ipsos Open Thinking Exchange. Both of
these two approaches are now available in the U.S., and will
be rolling out globally in the months to come.
Ipsos ASI – The Advertising Research Specialists

4. About Ipsos ASI
Ipsos ASI offers marketers state-of-the-art advertising research built on more than 40 years of experience using measures
predictive of in-market performance. We offer a full-range of solutions across all media – at any stage in the creative
process – from equity assessment to strategic development, advertising testing, and tracking. Our research is backed by
a dedicated team of advertising research specialists whose mission is to deliver the answers that will add value to your
business anywhere in the world.
About Ipsos
Ipsos ASI is a member of the Ipsos Group, a leading global survey-based research company. Ipsos member companies offer
expertise in advertising, customer loyalty, marketing, media, and public affairs research, as well as forecasting, modeling,
and consulting. With offices in 66 countries, the Paris-based company was founded in 1975.
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