NEW YORK: TV commercials repurposed as online ads perform less well on many metrics than videos especially developed for the online space, research from Dynamic Logic has indicated.

According to the Millward Brown-owned agency, online-only ads are more effective in influencing purchasing decisions than TV ads viewed online.

The research shows that online-only ads had an impact on the choices of 2.8% of 18 to 34-year-olds, while the same was true for just 1.1% of those viewing a repurposed TV ad.

Online-only videos performed especially well in entertainment, movies and news sites - categories which already incorporate a heavy video element.

With budgets under pressure in the global economic slowdown, deciding whether or not to spend extra on a dedicated online video element has become a key concern of advertisers.

Chris Bian from Dynamic Logic's custom solutions team, said: "This research solidifies what many marketers have suspected but shied away from: producing quality branded content has the ability to develop a more intimate relationship with consumers and is proven to be more effective than repurposing TV ads online."

But Dynamic Logic also said that the TV commercials outperform online ads in other, more general metrics.

For example, repurposed spots tend to generate higher levels of brand awareness.

On the persuasion metric, custom video impacts more people after a single view - a finding the report put down to the "original nature" of such content - while repurposed ads perform better after four or more views.

Bian added: "As marketers continue to embrace the fact that the online environment is different from TV, it is more important than ever to copy test ads to determine which creative will generate the biggest impact online."

Data sourced from Dynamic Logic; additional content by Warc staff