Contextual continuity is low

Putting the right ad creative in the right context can almost double viewer attention, but there’s no simple answer to the question of what is the right context or whether a successful context for one creative is necessarily right for another. 

Why it matters

Understanding context is crucial, given the imminent demise of cookies. Research by Playground XYZ, which offers a real-time stack to measure and optimise attention, found that an Under Armour ad generated more attention when placed in a dating context than in a health & fitness one. The obvious context may not be the best one for grabbing people’s attention. And there’s little guarantee that a different Under Armour ad would perform equally well in that context. It’s never “one and done”.

Takeaways

• With a 94% uplift in attention, the top-performing context “massively outperforms the average”, said Playground’s Rob Hall, speaking at MAD//Fest in London.
• The second (+40%) and third (+16%) best-performing contexts are also valuable in terms of increased attention. 
• Contextual continuity is an issue: the chances of the top context for one ad repeating for another is just 8%; across the top three contexts the likelihood is 15%.
• Optimising for attention mid-campaign can boost attention 139% for the top-performing context (69% for second, 42% for third).
• Remember that this can work both ways: putting all your money on the wrong context could mean up to 59% less attention than average.

Key quote

“If I launch a new range, if I do a new creative, if I feature a different product shot – all of those things are going to have a bearing on whether I can count on the top-performing contexts being the same” – Rob Hall, CEO, Playground XYZ.

^BEC