Technology / March 06, 2013 / By Erin Martin

TV Ads and Online Ads are Better Together

The combination of digital advertising and television commercials is particularly potent according to a recent report commissioned by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and conducted by Nielsen research, “A Comprehensive Picture of Digital Video and TV Advertising: Viewing, Budget Share Shift and Effectiveness.”

The study showed that reallocating 5% - 15% of advertising budgets from TV-only to include Digital Media results in increased performance and allows advertisers to increase their reach. For example, the study showed that on average, shifting 15% of media spend to digital results in a 4% increase in advertiser reach across verticals. This provides both incremental and effective reach. Reallocating dollars to online also is able to build higher quality, more effective reach at a lower cost, dropping from an average of $67,600 to a $63,000 spend.

But doesn’t shifting media spend to digital result in duplicated reach? Yes, and that is a good thing. General ad recall and brand recall of ads on TV is improved through duplication online, particularly if the audience is exposed online prior to TV. This is called the Digital Multiplier Effect. Duplicated reach lifts brand impact of TV ads by double digits. This phenomenon works across viewer demographics and across types of video content (long form, short form and banner ads). Over half of viewers recall the ad, roughly one-third recall the brand or message and 20% like the ads online versus TV.

Shifting a portion of your media spend to digital has become a necessity. According to the Nielsen study, online video advertising results in higher performance, increased reach, lower cost and a higher impact. Run an online video ad campaign ahead of your TV ad campaign for best results.

A link to the complete study can be found at the IAB website: http://www.iab.net/dvtvstudy.