In-content advertising deemed most efficient in branded content integration: Study

To understand the effectiveness of in-content advertising on TV audiences across GEC genres in India, Whisper Media has released a study with details insights. The findings of the study were derived together by insights and consulting company Kantar, and Singapore-based research and analytics company Orbit.

It states that in-content advertising digitally embeds the advertising communication of brands into the content at the post-production phase and is deemed to be the most cost-effective and operationally efficient process in branded content integration.

The research was undertaken across three broad parameters, including reach, viewability and recall. The reach was measured using BARC’s Yumi Analytics, while the viewability was gauged using eye tracking studies and the recall was an outcome of all parameters to understand the enhanced attention on the content.

The survey methodology was undertaken through two groups: controlled and exposed, where the former was not exposed to in-content advertising and the latter was.  

Key findings of the study:

● Increase of 10 points on an average across GECs in spontaneous brand recall, compared to non-ICA campaigns. Hindi speaking markets and Tamil GEC showcased an uplift of more than 15+ points

● Close to 90% of the consumers saw and typically spent five seconds on the brand, as per the ‘eye gaze data’

● 7 points jump noticed in the key message being recalled

● In-content embeds also pushes the intention to purchase or continue using the product by a margin of 4 points in the regional GECs

● Viewership saw a lift of close to 15% across campaigns, contrary to TV break ratings

Anil Cheriyedath, director - marketing and strategy, Whisper Media, said,” India is the largest content producer globally, and GECs remain the biggest drivers of this production where brands prefer to reach the target audience. Brand integrations have always been around in the entertainment industry, but with these studies, it shows that in-content advertising through digital embeds have also shown acceptance by brands and audiences across all GEC markets, which includes regional and Hindi speaking markets. The challenge that integrations faced in India was the measurability aspect, and with that in place through BARC’s Yumi tools, it has become easier to validate claims of showcasing effectiveness of ICA campaigns through such unique studies.”