19.02.2018 Marketing and PR
Contextual Advertising in Print Media. PBC Measured Its Effectiveness
BARD
Print advertising, when placed in the appropriate editorial context, attracts 67% more attention than ads in other sections, according to research conducted for Polskie Badania Czytelnictwa (PBC). Contextual ads hold the reader’s gaze longer and engage them more deeply.
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The study, conducted by GFK and Kantar Millward Brown, used eye-tracking technology on 300 respondents, both regular print readers and non-readers. It analyzed ad reception in:
- daily newspapers
- and luxury women’s magazines.
The study focused on so-called long fixations, or gazes at an ad lasting more than 180 milliseconds. It also measured emotional engagement, indicated by pupil dilation.
- The number of fixations (over 180 ms) on contextual print ads is 67% higher,
- the average gaze duration on contextual ads is 30% longer than on standard ads,
- emotional engagement with contextual ads is 44% higher.
The results also showed that regular readers engage more with ad content than non-readers. However, the study’s main conclusion is the same for both groups: contextual advertising in print media is more effective, and print itself conveys a more complex marketing message.
The study also compared print advertising results with those of online ads. Both print readers and non-readers were more receptive to print ads.
Number of Fixations on Ads
- 4.1 - print ad (readers)
- 3.7 - print ad (non-readers)
- 2.9 - online ad (readers)
- 2.8 - online ad (non-readers)
- The difference of one fixation is a significant difference - emphasizes Waldemar Izdebski, president of Polskie Badania Czytelnictwa, commenting on the study results on the PBC website. - Print advertising allows readers to notice one more element of the ad.
More details about the study results are available on the Polskie Badania Czytelnictwa website.
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