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10 Feb
Table of Contents
Introduction
Advertising is one of the most important ways a brand can connect with its customers. However, not all advertising is created equally. The best advertising has the customers at its heart. In this week’s insight report, we explore the effectiveness of advertising, how consumers feel towards advertising and the brands that are most successful at advertising in Ireland. This research was gathered on 6th January 2021 over 48 hours. 1878 responses were collected from 18-55 year olds in the Republic of Ireland.
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Consumer Preferences
38.6% of our panel agree that advertising is everywhere now and annoys them a lot, 16.13% strongly agree with the statement. Only 2.77% of respondents strongly disagree. The majority of respondents believe that brands should focus on quality over quantity in terms of advertising, with 30.99% strongly agreeing with the sentiment. This indicates that consumers want less advertising. Nearly half of the panel agree or strongly agree that advertising should be personalised and targeted to their needs. However, a quarter of respondents neither agree nor disagree with the statement “I enjoy when advertising is personalised and targeted to my needs so that I only see advertising that is relevant to me”.
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The Focus
Brands that focus on social issues in their advertising are considered more effective by 42.44% of our respondents. 2 out of our 5 respondents agree, with a further 25% strongly agreeing, that for brands to be successful today they must incorporate diversity into their advertising. This suggests that consumers want advertising to be focused more on social issues and diversity than just simply the products and services that a brand can offer consumers.
Forms of Advertising
The majority of consumers, over three quarters, believe that advertising on social media is the most effective form of advertising. A little over half of our panel also believe that online/display ads, such as paid search and website ads, are very effective too. The lowest ranked form of advertising was direct mail / post, with only 7.93% of respondents listing it as one of the three most effective forms of advertising. Interestingly, email marketing was the second lowest form of advertising, with only 12.67% of respondents listing it as effective.
Most Memorable Ads
We asked our panel about the most memorable ads during Christmas 2020. Unsurprisingly, Coca-Cola is reigning supreme with over half of respondents remembering it’s Christmas ad. Aldi is coming in as close second, with 52.93% of respondents remembering it too. Supervalu and McDonald’s were also among the most memorable. The most memorable ads also reflect what brands consumers believe are best at advertising in Ireland. The leading brands include Aldi, Guinness, Lidl, Coca Cola, Supervalu, McDonalds and Tesco.
Traits of Great Advertising
The most effective traits of great advertising, according to consumers, are:
- It’s original / unique – 66.08% of respondents listed this as one of the three most effective traits
- It’s creative – 64.43% of respondents listed this as one of the three most effective traits
- A clear message / purpose – 50.38% of respondents listed this as one of the three most effective traits
Only 24% of respondents thought an ad being ethical was an effective trait of great advertising. Similarly only 26% thought that an ad being targeted or personalised is what makes a great advertisement.
We also asked what do you believe brands can do to differentiate their advertising. Below are just some of the responses.
Make it more interactive for the target market, allowing customers to engage with the brand in some way - this is an easy way to stand out.
Focus on supporting local communities, particularly at the moment, localised efforts from brands would show a real impact I could get behind.
Less is more - use your own tone, and don't conform to other brands or the latest trend, it comes across as fickle. Authenticity & simplicity often shine through
Key Takeaways
- Importance of Mobile: If penetration is what you strive for, the growing impact of paid search ads, website placements and social media has made maximising the number of touch points with a consumer’s everyday online journey essential to establish triggers.
- Quality over Quantity: If authentic, memorable experiences is your goal, then brands must leverage ‘moments’ that last. Connecting with consumers when attention spans are at their lowest is a tricky feat, and ‘concise creativity’ will prevail. Authenticity is perhaps the hardest brand association to capture amongst younger consumers.
- The Winners: Unsurprisingly, the winners in a completely unique ‘Covid Christmas’ campaign for advertisers were Aldi, Coca-Cola, & Supervalu thanks to their emotive, endearing ads that warmed their respective audiences. This feeling of ‘community’ is perhaps what carried Lidl into the top-three most recognised brands for advertising, as their effort to support local communities and charitable endeavours have packed a punch.
