• by Joe Mandese  @mp_joemandese, June 21, 2011

AOL and the IPG Media Lab just exhibited the results of a joint study testing the effectiveness of AOL's so-called "Project Devil" unit,s or what the Interactive Advertising Bureau calls "portrait" units. Not surprisingly, the research indicates they are much more effective than other online display ad units in terms of generating, "engagement, attention, emotional connection and influence."

That insight was released this morning during the Festival of Media in Cannes, France, where IPG has had an extensive presence throughout the week. It is based on the results of a six-week study conducted by IPG and AOL. "While our internal data proved what we knew to be true, that a larger more interactive, integrated, and visually beautiful ad would be more engaging for consumers, this research data is off the charts," said Jeff Levick, President, AOL Advertising.

The study utilized a variety of methods, including eye-tracking to measure the visual interaction with the advertising, facial expression analysis to record micro-expressions as a determinate of engagement, and bio-metric bracelets to collect data on skin temperature and conductance, measuring the levels of user excitement when presented with an ad's message.

The study tested brand ads from three IPG clients: Dodge, Verizon, and Zappos.