Some of the findings include:
- Full-page newspaper ads are noticed by readers 39% more often than quarter-page ads - Readers notice color ads more frequently - Photos boosted notice of an ad by 20% - Ads displaying product in use were noted 25% more often - Ads on the left-hand page earn the same scores as those on the right - newspaper readers are practical and ads with prices were noted more than 80% more frequently.
A by-product of the study is a presentation on Eight Principles of Effective Newspaper Advertising, available from Starch advertising analysts, which gives advertisers suggestions about what works in newspaper advertising, what does not, and why.