NEW YORK, Dec. 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- VidMob, the leading platform for Intelligent Creative, released new research that shows how the direction of a model’s eye gaze in the first few seconds of a video ad can significantly impact performance metrics, but can differ greatly based on context. The study is the first of its kind as VidMob applied proprietary AI technology to detect the specific direction of eye gaze and its relationship to ad engagement. The findings are based on an analysis of 1.1 million digital ads that ran on Facebook, Snapchat and Google between January 2018 - December 2020, and show that variation in eye gaze can influence click through rates, view rates and Return on Ad Spend (ROAS).
“The data show how audiences respond differently to particular creative elements, and that a brand must implement a creative analytics strategy to understand how these elements can be used to positively influence their campaign outcomes,” said Beth Gostanian, VP of Product at VidMob. “ In order to deliver the highest return on their ad spend, Brands and advertisers need to tap into their own creative data to improve the effectiveness of their ads.”
Highlights of the research include:
- Direct gazes were associated with higher click rates when brands were looking to purposefully engage viewers in the dialogue, like educational and gaming content
- Indirect gazes were seen to lift click and view rates for sports, lifestyle, and medical content
- Pairing direct gazes with positive facial expressions had a beneficial impact on app install campaign performance.
A global mobile gaming brand included in this study found that featuring in-game characters with direct eye gaze in the opening frame of a video ad on Facebook yielded a 10% decline in cost per install (CPI). If those same characters looked straight to camera and had happy facial expressions, the CPI decreased 35% further, outperforming their historical campaign average by $6.
Similarly, a large financial services brand discovered that when talent looked directly at the camera, it increased 3-second view rates for educational content by a staggering 59%. Meanwhile, indirect gazes, associated with casual lifestyle imagery, as opposed to interview-style narratives, were associated with a 44% lift in click through rates for ads about specific products or services such as investment funds, credit cards, and loans.
“The impact of eye contact on advertising performance is just one example of the impact creative has on overall advertising performance,” added Gostanian. “Advertising and creative teams can and should use an intelligent creative process to analyze and understand the creative elements that will drive performance, improve the ad experience and yield better business results.”
Get the full report here.
About the Study
VidMob analyzed creatives in key verticals where model gaze produces the highest differences in campaign performance: CPG, retail and entertainment. The study analyzed the gaze of models that appear in the first 2 or 3 seconds on 1.1 million video assets across 2.1 trillion impressions on Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and YouTube.
About VidMob
VidMob is the world’s leading platform for Intelligent Creative that provides an end-to-end solution to help brands improve their marketing results by unifying creative and data. VidMob is the only company in the world to receive a certified creative marketing partner badge from every major social and digital platform. A portion of every dollar VidMob receives is used to fund pro bono creative services for non-profits through its 501(c)(3) VidMob Gives. Learn more about VidMob at www.vidmob.com and VidMob Gives at vidmob.gives.
Media Contact
press@vidmob.com
