NBC says web ads clobber TV

Source: http://www.imediaconnection.com

March 06, 2008

By Michael Estrin

Advertising in programs streamed online has a better rate of recall and is preferred by users to similar ads served on TV, according to new research from NBC.

The study surveyed users of NBC Rewind, a web-based platform that lets people watch NBC shows online. According to the study, which polled about 5,000 users, ads streamed online were perceived as being less disruptive. Ads with interactive elements tended to deliver a higher rate of brand recall. 

“NBC.com’s loyal users actively navigate and curate their own experience in NBC Rewind, so there is a high level of engagement,” Peter Naylor, SVP for digital media sales at NBCU, told TV Week. “These research results show that when the right message is tailored to the right medium, this engaged audience really responds and our advertisers win.”

While NBC said its shows, which include “Deal or No Deal” and “American Gladiators” have garnered 40.9 million overall video streams, anecdotal evidence suggests most Americans are using the internet for short-form video. That market, which is largely dominated by YouTube, has grown dramatically in the past few months, but it has so far failed to find a workable ad model. 

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