• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer @mp_research, June 12, 2013

According to a recent Burst Media survey, social media prompts in digital and TV ads are effective in driving interaction with social platforms. Among respondents who recall social media prompts in advertising, digital ads (61.0%) and television ads (58.7%) are the most effective at driving interaction with a brand’s social platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. These are followed by print ads (52.4%), radio ads (41.5%) and outdoor ads (39.4%).

Mark Kaefer, marketing director, Burst Media, said “...social sharing and action prompts within advertisements... create authentic interactions that drive further engagement... display, mobile and sponsored online content campaigns... (with) social media prompts... virally and exponentially extend campaign reach through consumer status updates, likes, tweets, pins and more...”

67.6% of 18-34 year-old respondents, including 73.9% of 18-34 year-old women, say digital ads that feature prompts to social media assets are effective at inspiring them to take action. The study found that the effectiveness of social cues in advertisements varies by the medium the ad appears in.

27.2% of respondents to the survey notice brand-related social media assets in online banner ads when brands promote their own social account, and a near equal number (24.1%) of respondents say they have seen such promotion in the ads that appear on television.

Print ads are also a significant source for social visibility, says the report.

• 21.2% of respondents notice brands promoting their own social accounts in magazines and newspapers
• 11.4% notice radio ads
• 9.5% outdoor media including bus stop ads

It is important, says the report, that those ads and messages prompt an interaction with the brand. In the an example of the “hashtag enhanced” television spots that aired during this year’s Super Bowl, Twitter measured more than 300,000 mentions of the hashtags on Super Bowl Sunday alone, a 273% increase from 2012 of ad-related hashtag mentions on game day.

60.9% of respondents who recall brands promoting their social media presence in advertisements say digital ads, whether viewed on a PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone, are either very or somewhat effective in encouraging brand interaction on social media. Television ads are also cited by 58.7% of respondents who recall social cues in advertisements as very or somewhat effective prompts for social interaction with brands.

An interesting finding, says the report, is among the “social influencer” segment, respondents aged 18-34 years old. Among this segment, online ads are cited as having a greater effectiveness than television ads at driving social engagement, 67.6% versus 60.6%, respectively. This difference is most apparent with women aged 18-34 years, 73.9% of whom say digital ads that feature prompts to social media assets are effective at spurring them to take action. This compares to 59.1% who say television ads are effective.

53.8% of women who have been prompted to interact with a brand’s social assets by social cues in advertising say “to show my support for a brand that I like” as a reason for doing so, versus 44.1% of men who cite this as a reason.

The gender divide is even wider with the next most-cited reason, which is to access special offers, coupons and/or promotions, continues the report.

• 53.2% of women versus 35.5% of men cite this as a reason
• 66.7% of 35-44 year-old women cite offers/coupons as a reason to interact with a brand’s social assets

The report summarizes the key findings of the study as follows:

• The majority of web users are social: 65.4% of respondents have at least one personal social media account from providers including Facebook, Google+ and Twitter—and 58.6% use their account(s) at least once a day
• Social media users rely on smartphones and tablets: 32.3% of respondents say either a smartphone or tablet is the primary way they access their social media account(s)
• Brands are increasing their social visibility: 27.2% of respondents say they notice the promotion of a brand’s social account online, 24.1% on television, and 21.2% in print
• Digital and TV ads prompt social interaction: 60.9% of respondents say ads appearing online, on tablets or on smartphones are effective in encouraging brand interaction via social media, and 58.7% say TV ads are also effective.
• The majority of women are socially active with brands: 54.2% of women and 48.6% of men have engaged in a brand-related social sharing activity based on something seen on or in an ad.

For more information about Burst Media, and access to the complete report in PDF format, please visit here.