New FMCG Research: Paid Search Builds Branding
Google, Mindshare, Unilever and Metrixlab have teamed up to develop a breakthrough new research study that shows which media are most effective and efficient in a marketing campaign. In particular, we have been able to show robustly for the first time (in FMCG) the impact of Search in the mix - with some remarkably positive results.
This study, carried out on Flora ‘Cooking with Schools’ campaign, backs the case that paid search can play a role in branding. It shows how search lifts brand metrics, particularly when combined with other media. It also demonstrates that a dramatic brand lift occurs after the click (with a site visit). In this time of tight ad budgets it is worth thinking about branding in the digital landscape.
This research answers the following questions: How effective is search compared to other offline media? How efficient is it compared to other offline media? Which media are most effective and efficient in a multi-media campaign? What is the additional impact of search in this media mix?
The Flora study shows that there is a significant brand lift from search, even after giving respondents a four-day gap between exposure to search and completing the survey. Additionally because search marketers pay only for the click, the lift in branding due to sponsored link exposure is unpaid. This combined with the following leap in brand metrics as a result of a site visit is something all planners should take into account when planning brand campaigns.
This research also looks at effectiveness and efficiency. Efficiency is calculated by dividing effectiveness (brand effect x reach) by spend; dividing by spend gives us a fair comparison of media efficiency. So for each media we see the incremental brand (awareness) effect per £ spent. Taking this into account we found that search is 10x more efficient than TV and 3.5x more efficient than radio in raising Top of Mind Awareness. This is not to say that TV and Radio spend should be axed because we know that search works best when combined with other media but we do argue that TV and radio campaigns should be supported by search in order to maximize brand effect of the overall campaign. This study found that search made offline media more efficient, for instance, TV and search is 3% more efficient in raising brand values than when compared to TV alone.
See the research here.
Studies like this are regularly added to the insights archive on the Google UK Advertising Toolkit.