Pre Roll Ads Are More Effective - Video Blog

A new study conducted by AOL shows that video pre roll ads are more effective on short form videos than on longer video content. The study, which was released as an infographic, shows that viewers are 42% more likely to make a purchase from a brand whose ad they viewed before watching short form video content. Brand recall and affinity also go up for video pre roll ads in front of short form content when compared to long form content. An article published at VentureBeat explains that, “The findings contradict the traditional logic that the standard 30-second TV commercial is the most effective in swaying an audience.”

The study also shows that “viewers are adopting traditional avoidance behaviors during ads within long-form videos.” Instead of viewing the ads on long form content, they’re using their phones, opening other websites or even walking away – in short, the same behaviors they’d use when watching television without DVR.

Here are a few more interesting points from the study:

• Ads in short-form videos are more effective than ads in long-form content. More specifically, short-form video produced a 25 percent higher brand recall and a 42 percent higher purchase intent for the featured product or service.
• Viewers are adopting traditional avoidance behaviors during ads within long-form videos. Respondents found the ads to be too frequent and interruptive; as a result, they chose to avoid them altogether (by walking away, going to other sites, multitasking with their phone). This is the same “annoyance” behavior that is demonstrated when viewing television without the use of a DVR.
• Consumers want more targeted and humorous ads in both formats. In fact, 67 percent of respondents would be willing to be answer a question to make their ads more personalized and enjoyable.
• Consumers understand the exchange of free content for advertising, but they want to make sure their time tradeoff of watching ads also benefits them. They found coupons, contests and links as the most positive forms of engagement.

Click here to view a great infographic or download the PDF