Key Findings From the BrightRoll 2015 Advertising Agency Survey
Survey Goals: The BrightRoll research team is committed to understanding what matters most to the world s premier advertising agencies. Year-over-year, our team mines for insight into trends and topics that deserve more attention. How do agencies allocate their media budgets? How have agency RFPs changed over time? What metrics they most frequently use to measure success? It is our goal to uncover interesting, relevant, and valuable insights that video advertisers may use to grow their business.
Methodology: Working with all of the top global media agencies, BrightRoll has access to unique industry data and perspectives. Over the last three years, the BrightRoll research team has conducted an annual survey of US advertising agencies. The regular deployment of this survey has allowed us to build a unique database that showcases trends in agency behavior over time. Our survey allowed for a three-week collection period for responses, with two email reminders. We incentivized participation with a drawing to win an Apple ipad. In December of 2014, we collected 120 responses to this survey, aggregated the data, and compared it to the results of previous years. The BrightRoll research team sifted through the results and selected six of the most interesting takeaways to share.
Key Findings: Agencies report that: Digital video is becoming mainstream. Online video advertising is effective. Confidence in programmatic is growing. Completed views, conversions, and brand lift are the metrics that matter most. Targeting tops the list of digital video benefits. Mobile and tablet spending are poised for growth.
Digital video is becoming mainstream.
We asked agencies: What portion of your RFPs include a video ad component? In 2011, 25.6% said a majority; in 2014, that number grew to 48.3%. That s an increase of 88.6% in only three years. What percent of your digital RFPs included a video ad component in the last 12 months? 25.6% 30.2% 38.1% 48.3% Source: BrightRoll 2015 Agency Survey, Dec 2014 2011 2012 2013 2014 Majority
Online video advertising is effective.
We believe that digital video is effective, but we were surprised by this response: 72% of agency respondents said they believed online video advertising is as effective or more effective than TV. 18% 10% 31% In your experience, how effective is online video advertising when compared to the following alternatives? Online video is more effective than TV Online video is about the same as TV Online video is less effective than TV I don t know 41% Source: BrightRoll 2015 Agency Survey, Dec 2014
Confidence in programmatic is growing.
Agency respondents show confidence in programmatic. 4X more respondents plan to dedicate a majority of digital video budgets to programmatic in the next twelve months. 63% What percent of your overall digital video budget do you expect to be programmatic in the next 12 months? 43% 32% 35% 6% 22% Minority Around Half Majority 2013 2014 Source: BrightRoll 2015 Agency Survey, Dec 2014
Completed views, conversions, and brand lift are the metrics that matter most.
Click-thru is relevant, but its importance is declining. Agency respondents ranked completed views, conversions, and brand lift as the three metrics that mattered most. What is the most important success metric for your digital video campaign? Completed views - Conversion - Brand lift - Viewability - CTR (Click-thru-rate) - Inventory quality - GRP/TRP (gross/targeted rating point) - Validated impressions - Sales impact - 7% 6% 5% 4% 10% 20% 18% 17% 14% Source: BrightRoll 2015 Agency Survey, Dec 2014
Targeting tops the list of digital video benefits.
Over half of agency respondents report that targeting capability is the most valuable aspect of digital video. That s more than reach, price, format, creative reuse, and other benefits combined. 2% 8% 20% 8% 7% 56% Which aspect of digital video advertising do your clients view as most valuable? Targeting capabilities Reach Other Price relative to TV Ad unit format Ability to reuse creative Source: BrightRoll 2015 Agency Survey, Dec 2014
Mobile and tablet spending are poised for growth.
60% of agency respondents agree that mobile video is where they expect the largest increase in digital media spend. 79% of agency respondents are likely to dedicate budget to tablet video a 17% YOY increase. Which ad category do you expect to see the largest overall increase in digital media spending this year? How likely are you to devote a portion of your video ad budget to the following? 60% 48% 27% 13% 13% 12% 27% 52% 68% 79% Video - mobile Video - desktop TV (programmatic) Social media Search advertising Display - desktop Display - mobile 2012 2013 2014 Results: Very likely/likely: tablet Source: BrightRoll 2015 Agency Survey, Dec 2014
Summary of Findings: Agencies report that: Digital video is becoming mainstream. Online video advertising is effective. Confidence in programmatic is growing. Completed views, conversions, and brand lift are the metrics that matter most. Targeting tops the list of digital video benefits. Mobile and tablet spending are poised for growth.
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