NEW YORK: Audience size, consumer commitment to content and consumer perceptions of content quality are the three key drivers of multiplatform television advertising ROI , according to a new study.

The Power of Content to Drive ROI is the second phase of an analysis that Disney-ABC Television commissioned from Accenture Strategy. The first, based on Accenture’s marketing spend database, showed that multiplatform television delivered superior ROI over search, display and short-form video.

The new study incorporated additional data, including ratings, social and emotional metrics to better understand how viewers experience content.

And it found that that those shows with higher viewer evaluations (ie, consumer perceptions of content quality) or emotional connections delivered nearly two to four times the ROI of those shows with lower evaluations.

In particular, content that was perceived to have a high degree of relatability, (original, suspenseful and intelligent); edge (outrageous and funny) and smarts, (informative and inspiring) was credited with driving the greatest ROI – by as much as 2.5 to 4.0 times versus the average.

Programs that viewers made an effort or had greater intention to watch (ie, consumer commitment to content) drove up to two times the ROI – as did programs with high social media engagement.

And higher-rated programs (ie, audience size) drove two times the ROI beyond the cost index.

“It goes without saying that not all GRPs are created equal and now we can prove that,” said Cindy Davis, Executive Vice President Consumer Experience, Disney|ABC Television Group.

“Yes, higher-rated shows command a premium, but they deliver even greater ROI at that level,” she told Media Village.

The findings not only have potential implications for programmers’ future pricing approaches, but also for the choices marketers make around content-specific advertising opportunities.

“Emotional connection to content matters more than ever, and brands should consider ways to align with content to drive the greatest ROI,” said Mike Chapman, Global Lead for Media and Entertainment Strategy Practice, Accenture.

Sourced from ABC, Media Village; additional content by WARC staff