The document outlines best practices for effective online advertising, highlighting techniques for driving breakthrough and persuasion. Key findings suggest that simplicity in product showcasing, tailored messaging for different product life stages, and leveraging brand cues are essential for success. Additionally, emotional connection plays a critical role in persuasion, and new ad technologies can enhance effectiveness when used skillfully.

1. DIGITAL CREATIVE
EXCELLENCE
Moderator
Rick Bruner
VP, Product Management
Marketing Evolution

3. Creative Best Practices Online
CPG
Jim Forrest Sebastian Fernandez
SVP, Digital Strategy B2B Insights
Ipsos ASI/Ipsos OTX Yahoo!

4. Contents
Research Objectives 4
Background & Overview 5
Creative Techniques for Driving Breakthrough & Persuasion 10
Key Findings 39

5. Research Objectives
What creative tactics are most successful in
driving breakthrough & persuasion?
• What’s the best way to showcase a product?
• What product scenarios & messages are
most effective?
• What branding cues are most effective?
• Can online ads emotionally connect with
my audience?
• Do new ad technologies translate into more
effective ads?

6. Background & Overview
• Data source
– OTX (now part of Ipsos ASI) online ad testing system
• Experimental design methodology
– Test/control pre-tests
– N= 484 campaigns for CPG products
– CPG categories include
• Home care • Health
• Beverages • Pet products
• Personal care • Beauty/cosmetics
• Hair care products

7. Measuring What Matters
Ipsos ASI, the leading advertising pre-testing
company globally, has established what makes
for effective advertising regardless of channel
Reach Response Effective
(Breakthrough) (Persuasion) Advertising
The ad needs to get The ad needs to
noticed and the brand trigger a change in Drives Sales
must get credit brand desire Builds Equity

8. The Key Measures
Breakthrough (the “reach” measure)
• Measures whether an ad has been processed at
some level by consumers
• To measure breakthrough, consumers must both
recognize a debranded version of the ad AND
attribute it to the correct brand

9. The Key Measures
Persuasion (the “response” measure)
• Measures a shift in consumer preference to choose
the advertised product next time they purchase in
the category
• To measure persuasion, consumers are asked which product/
brand will they buy next time. We measure an ads effect on
the specific product advertised or the overall brand preference
effect (all products/line extensions for the advertised brand)
Store Other
Brand Brand None

10. Driving Breakthrough &
Persuasion
A review of different creative tactics and elements
that help drive breakthrough and persuasion online

11. 40 Creative Tactics Were Analyzed
Product Tactics Technology Tactics
• Product Shown • Rich vs. Flash
• Size of the product • Size expands to show more details
• Single vs. Multi product • Sound/Music
• % of time the product is shown in the ad • Time/frames to reveal
• Product image location • Mouse over effect
• Links
Product Messages/Scenario Tactics Branding Tactics
• Ad Focus • Type of product • Brand reveal • Celebrity spokesperson
• Call to action information • Coupon • # of brand mentions
• New product • # of messages • Logo location • % of time the logo is
• Problem/solution • # of mentions • Character shown
• Product comparison • Content • Size of the logo • % of time the brand is
shown
• Use of brand colors
• Size of the brand name
• Brand’s existing equity
• Company spokesperson
presence

12. Question 1
What’s the best way to showcase a product?
Answer
Keep it simple, don’t let
products interfere with
your message

13. Showing Products in Advertising Helps
Drive Breakthrough…
Breakthrough
+10% lift
100 110
Product Not Shown Product Shown

14. To Drive Persuasion,
Focus on Single Products
Persuasion
67% lift
167
100
Multiple Products Single Product
Persuasion improves 67% when focusing
single vs. multiple products

15. Show the Product Throughout the Ad
Persuasion
250% lift
350
100
Under 75% Greater Than 75%
Persuasion improves over 250% when
showing the product throughout the ad

16. Don’t Let the Product Detract from Your
Message, Particularly with a Large Product Image
Persuasion
21% lift
121
100
Larger product images can
take up too much of the frame
Large Product Image Small Product Image & detract from your message

17. Question 2
How do I talk about my product?
What scenarios are most effective in
driving persuasion?
Answer
It depends on where
your product is in
its lifecycle

18. Ads Showcasing New Products Generate
the Strongest Lifts in Persuasion
Persuasion
52% lift
152
100
Established Product New Product

19. While Product Comparisons Are Also
Effective, Much More So When the…
Effects of Product Comparison
on Persuasion
33% lift
13% lift
133
100 113
No Comparison Comparison Explicit
Comparison

20. Problem + Solution Scenarios Are Also Effective Drawing
Consumers in, Generating Solid Lifts in Breakthrough
and Persuasion
Problem + Solution Message Problem + Solution Message
Problem Effect on Breakthrough Effect on Persuasion
13% lift
20% lift
113
100 120
100
Solution Other Problem + Other Problem +
Solution Solution

21. “Feature” Copy Works Great for New
Products, But Not for Established Ones
Persuasion
Features (New Products)
When the ad talks about specific product details 149
(e.g. “with smooth ingredients”)
Claim to Fame*
When the product or brand claims being better 124 Messaging different
(e.g. “4X better xxx”)
product options is
Options*
When the ad messaging mentions different product options 117 preferable to
(e.g. “Available in multiple flavors”)
showing multiple
Benefit
103 products in the ad
When product benefits are discussed in the ad.
(e.g. “Clean you can see”)
Use
When the ad messaging is about how to use the product 43
(e.g. Health ads)
Features (Established Product)
When the ads talks about specific product details
23
(e.g. “With smoothing ingredients”)
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160
Base: Use n=8; Feature n=73; Claim to Fame n=12; Options n=18; Benefit n=186
* Very Low Base

22. Simple Call-to-Action (CTA) Messages Are More Compelling
Than Product Coupons in Generating Lifts in Persuasion
Coupon Effect Call to Action Effect
on Persuasion on Persuasion
No Sig Lift
40% lift
100 107 140
100
No Coupon No Call Call
Coupon to Action to Action

23. Question 3
What branding cues are most effective?
Shape
Font
Color
Answer
Branding cues with existing
equity (e.g. color, characters, etc.)

24. Consumer Affinity for a Brand Plays a Big
Role in an Ads Ability to Breakthrough
Ad Breakthrough
14% lift
114
100 105
Low Brand Affinity Medium Brand Affinity High Brand Affinity

25. Logos Drive Stronger Breakthrough
When Used Correctly

26. When it Comes to Logos,
Size Doesn’t Matter
Logo Size Effect Logo Size Effect
on Breakthrough on Persuasion
No Sig Lift
No Sig Lift
100 102
100 111
Small Logo Large Logo Small Logo Large Logo

27. It’s Location, Location, Location
The location of the logo can have a strong effect
on breakthrough
The sweet spot is in
the top center
The weakest spot is at
the bottom

28. Brand Cues, Such as Use of Brand
Color, Impact Persuasion
Use of Brand Color Effect
on Persuasion
45% lift
145
100
Does Not Use of Uses
Brand Colors Brand Colors

29. Celebrity Spokespeople Also Drive
Stronger Persuasion
Use of Celebrity Spokesperson
Effect on Persuasion
63% lift
Insert
Celebrity
Face
163
100
No Celebrity Celebrity

30. But Use of a Celebrity Spokespeople May Also Divert
Attention from the Brand and Negatively Impact
Breakthrough
Use of Celebrity Spokesperson
Effect on Breakthrough
-10% lift
100 90
No Celebrity Celebrity

31. Question 4
Can online ads be used to emotionally
connect with my audience?
Answer
Yes!

32. In Addition to Breakthrough &
Persuasion, All Pre-tested Advertising is
Measured for…
Emotive Power™
• Measures the strength of the consumer’s emotional
response to the ad
• To measure emotional response, consumers are asked
to answer a series of questions about the ad that have
been associated with emotional response to advertising
Heath, Brandt, & Nairn (2006). Brand Relationships: Strengthened by Emotion, Weakened by Attention.
Journal of Advertising Research.

33. Emotional Connection with Your Audience
Has the Largest Impact on Persuasion
Emotive Power's
Effect On Persuasion
81% lift
31% lift
181
131
100
Emotive Power™
Low Average High
Emotive Power™ Emotive Power™ Emotive Power™

34. Four Tactics That Improve
Emotional Response
Emotive Power Indexed to Average
1. Social Conscience Social Conscience* 167
(appeal to people’s desire
to do the right thing) Emotive Imagery* 151
2. Emotive Imagery Video* 131
(e.g. puppies and babies)
Claim to Fame* 124
3. Utilize Creative Formats
(video/rich media) Rich Media* 113
Implicit Comparison* 84
4. Claim to Fame
(e.g. differentiated identity)
Humor* 73
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160
Base sizes: Video n=14; Rich Media n=39; Humor n=8; Social Conscience n=7; Claim to fame n=7; Implicit Comparison n=8;
Puppies/Babies/Kids n=9)
* Very Low Base

35. Question 5
Do new ad technologies translate into
more effective ads?
Answer
They can, but only when
advertisers learn to use the
new formats

36. As Advertisers Get More Sophisticated,
Campaigns Are Getting More Persuasive
Display Persuasiveness RMU Persuasiveness
Across Time Across Time
92% lift 66% lift
80% lift
192
180 166
100 100
2005/6 2007/8 2009/10 2006-7 2008-10

37. Technology That Increases the Story-Telling
Power Can Improve Effectiveness
Format Driving Persuasion
29% lift
7% lift
129
100 107
Traditional Flash Any Rich Ad Rich Ads With Video

38. Other Features, Like Size Expands, Have a
Positive Impact on Breakthrough as Well
Size Expand Impact on Breakthrough
9% lift
100 109
Does not Expand Expands

39. Key Findings
1. When showcasing your product, keep it simple
• Focus on 1 product,
no more
• Don’t let the size of your
product image get in the
way of you message

40. Key Findings
2. Different messages work at different stages
of the product lifecycle
• For new products, introduce
new product features and
make those features matter
• As products mature, use
advertising to differentiate
your product, or to inform
your audience about “new”
product options

41. Key Findings
3. Take advantage of existing brand cues to help
drive breakthrough & persuasion
• When showcasing your logo,
size isn’t as important as
location
• Consistently using brand colors
will allow equity built through
past campaigns to carryover
• Take advantage of other offline
cues, like celebrities/
spokespeople, who are highly
recognizable and can drive
more persuasion for your product

42. Key Findings
4. Don’t be afraid to use online to emotionally
connect with your consumers
• Emotional connection is
the most persuasive
when successful
• New technology & formats
improve your ability to
emotionally connect with
consumers, but allow for
a learning curve

43. Key Findings
These are guidelines, not a prescription
• The best online ads break
the rules, but so do the
worst. Don’t be afraid
to do something different,
just test it before your
campaign starts.