Context can significantly impact ad memorability

Ad context increases memorability up to 40%, according to new biometric research from Integral Ad Science and Neuro-Insight. 

Why it matters

As the digital advertising industry prepares for a cookieless future, it will move away from existing audience targeting methods and adopt contextual targeting tools. With these, IAS argues, “advertisers have a significant opportunity to be intentional” and to drive greater campaign outcomes. 

Key findings  

• Endemically matched ads drive higher memorability: These drove a 23% lift in activation within the part of the brain responsible for memory of practical details, which includes key messages, calls to action, and branding elements. These ads also boosted global memory by 27%, or the memorability of broad themes, overarching narratives, or audio and visual elements.
• Informational ads perform best when matched with an article’s key message: These drove a 36% lift in detail memory compared to when there was no match. (This can be especially relevant for campaigns that focus on a clear call to action that brands want consumers to respond to.) 
• Ads focused on an emotional response are best paired with content themes: Emotive ads drove 40% higher global memory within thematically-matched articles compared to when there was no match. 
• Consumers recognise ads as part of their online experience: 63% viewed ads as part of their online reading, not disruptive or a distraction. Only 36% of participants said they scrolled past an ad without reading it.

Background 

The study examined brain activity as consumers evaluated content across three types of contextual matching.  It monitored 60 US consumers during a 30-minute mobile experience using Neuro-Insight’s Steady State Topography (SST) to track and record brain activity in real-time.