Do TV Spots Work in Web Video?

The answer is yes, but online-specific creative also has its place
- Brian Morrissey

A common knock on the Web video industry is that it needs to move beyond repurposed TV spots, often shown as pre-rolls before content begins.

But new research from Dynamic Logic finds that such units perform just as well as video ads created specifically for the medium when it comes to several brand attributes.

In fact, repurposed TV ads aided brand awareness at identical levels as made-for-Web spots. In ad awareness and message association, TV spots outranked Web originals.

The story takes a turn when it comes to brand metrics lower in the purchase funnel. Original Web video ads solidly outscored repurposed TV spots in brand favorability and purchase intent/consideration.

"It was my thesis [that] made-for-Web [ads] will be more effective than [repurposed] TV ads," said Chris Bian, research analyst with Dynamic Logic's custom-solutions team. "In the end, I found it wasn't necessarily the case that repurposed was inferior. Each had their own place."

Dynamic Logic found that repurposed TV, often done as the cheapest way of running online video campaigns, works well when tactics mimic the wide-audience approach of TV. Original video works better, Bian said, when the Web's targeting capabilities are put to full use.

Dynamic Logic culled the findings from 59 campaigns and 75,000 respondents for repurposed efforts and 135 campaigns and 150,000 respondents for the made-for-Web content. It examined online video shown in streams and in banners.

Its research shows that the different types of video content affect viewers differently. Repurposed TV, for instance, is more effective after four exposures, while original Web video impacts persuasion the most on the first showing. Dynamic Logic also found that repurposed TV ads work best in stream, which is an environment much like TV, while custom performs better inside display ad units.

"It's going to come down to evaluating that brand's goals," Bian said. "Are they bent on getting people to notice the brand or have they penetrated the market and are looking to drive sales?"

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