• by Ross Fadner , December 14, 2003

It's a basic assumption of online advertising, but research scheduled to be released today provides new proof that interactive ads are far more effective than non-interactive ones. Interactive ads outperform non-interactive ads in making users more aware of a brand and more likely to purchase or use the brand, according to the MarketNorms report from online researcher Dynamic Logic.

The report, which MediaDailyNews got a first look at, supports the notion that interactive ads create a richer user experience by making them significantly more involved with the ad. Becasue interactive ads provide a direct dialogue between the consumer and the brand, the study finds they are able to generate greater awareness and purchase intent.

Dynamic Logic's Christina Goodman, who compiled the data, defines an interactive ad as "More than just clickthrough. Any ad where you have to proactively do something, draw something or move something; a game is interactive. It could be rich media or non rich media."

The data was compiled from Dynamic Logic's MarketNorms database of more than one million completed surveys and more than 10,000 tested creatives. MarketNorms is an analytical tool that allows advertisers, agencies and publishers to compare effectiveness by vertical, ad format and audience. In this instance the data was compiled by audience, those exposed to interactive ads versus those exposed to non-interactive ads. These audience specifications were mutually exclusive--in other words, users were exposed to either/or and not both interactive and non-interactive ads.

Irrespective of size, interactive ads still show a greater increase in awareness and persuasion over non-interactive ads, more indication that online consumers are not only aware of online ads, but prefer to be in control of which ads reach them, just as today's online consumer prefers being in control over his or her own media consumption.

In addition to the compilation, Dynamic Logic provides tips for online advertisers based on the findings:

* Use interactive ads to help increase purchase intent among consumers who already have high brand awareness.

* Use interactive ads to entice the most targeted audiences to get them closer to conversion

* Do not use interactive ads as the only messaging. Using both interactive and traditional online ad formats together is more effective than using each individually.

* Make sure the message and brand in the ad is clear without interactivity. Just because something is interactive does not necessarily mean that people will have the time or inclination to play with it.

Interactive Vs. Non-Interactive: Average Difference Indices

Aided Brand Awareness                    4.8                   4.0      
Raised Online Ad Awareness              11.7                   9.8 
Message
Association                     10.4                   5.3 
Brand "Favorability"                     4.2                   1.9 
Purchase Intent                          4.5                   1.6

Source: Dynamic Logic's MarketNorms.