This is part of an article that actually was about advertising in general. But, it presented the results of an interest study of how image banners affect people.
This is the first study of such a plan that caught my eye. It has interesting figures on the necessary and sufficient frequency of the show to achieve the effect during the image campaign using banner advertising.
In addition, there are interesting thoughts on how to properly make banners for the image campaign.
... Not a word about advertising - Aluvalia and her colleagues put the task of attention to their subjects: study the text on one of the sites, and then answer questions about its content. In fact, the experimenters were interested in the reaction of people to the advertising of the little-known Pretec digital cameras.
Scientists placed banners on the site so that one group of users faced with Pretec 20 times during the assignment, the other - 5 times, and the third, control, could see only random advertisements.
Focused on the task, the test subjects did not pay the slightest attention to the fact that they knew the Pretec brand; the same percentage of users admitted to all three groups. But the question “How do you feel about Pretec cameras?” Did people respond differently.
(Read more ...)
Those who have never seen advertising of rare cameras, put this mark on the average score of 3.9 points on a 10-point scale, those who saw it 5 times, 4.7, and those who watched it twenty times, 5.1. .
“We have shown that calm traditional banners, which do not blink, do not shout“ PUSH rather! ”, Increase susceptibility to the product, - proudly Aluvalia. “The most important thing is that the user is not even aware of their impact.” Then this user will go to the store, and if he does not deeply reflect on his choice, the effect of what he sees may be decisive.
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Although “just being in the field of view” lies on an unconscious plane, it is possible to get rid of the impact with an easy effort of thought. This deliverance was the testing of two hypotheses of psychologists. After the new groups of users unwittingly admired the Pretec banner under the same conditions, the experimenters confused them with meaningless warnings.
One group was told that background music could affect the ease of recalling information (not a word about banners). Others were told that music could affect their feelings for the world around them, and others warned that music could influence their decisions.
Slow melodies that were heard by the subjects were, of course, innocent. But after the first two questions, sympathy for Pretec fell to the level of a control group that did not see banners. And only the third question could not cool the warm feelings of the participants towards the fictional brand from the advertisement, which they didn’t even pay attention to.
“We have demonstrated that users do not have a“ cold ”learning process, in which repetition simply facilitates the processing of information and makes it more accessible. The effect was two-step: the re-presentation of information facilitates its processing, and the ease of processing creates a pleasant feeling of something familiar, ”explains the details of Aluwalia. The question “What could have influenced the decision?” Appeals only to the conscious process and bypasses the unconscious part, and the question “Why do you feel such feelings?” Hurts the unconscious, the researcher explains. Music as a completely extraneous stimulus was only a pretext for a person to pay attention to his thoughts and feelings.
CONSCIOUS BUYER
“Our work gives customers a tool for a more rational choice and reveals the mechanisms of advertising. Yes, and the advertising industry, it will also be useful, "- says Singh.
According to the authors, their research brings a theoretical base for FMCG banner advertising. “In order to influence the choice of such goods as chewing gum, bottled water, toothpaste - when a buyer by and large is like taking, - it is not necessary to draw attention to banners.
On the contrary, banners should not cause an active reaction, otherwise the effect will not be the same, explains Aluvalia. “This allows advertising to reach an audience that does not read the paper press or watch TV.” Researchers estimate that 5-10 hits is the optimal amount for a subconscious effect. Behind this threshold, the quantity almost does not develop into quality, but the risk of annoying the user with advertising increases.
Now Aluwalia constantly checks his own feelings before shopping and, sometimes, catches induced sensations. “I am a conscious buyer. But I constantly observe this effect in other people, especially in my mother.
Sometimes you ask her why she suddenly bought some new product - she assures that it is a great thing, although I have never tried it before, ”says the assistant professor.
The way to get rid of banner delusion came just in time. In April, Google decided to buy the largest banner ad network DoubleClick for an outstanding amount of $ 3.1 billion.
By tracking user activity in contextual advertising, email and search queries, Google will be able to reach such an audience and target banners as accurately as no other company. And if suspiciously inconspicuous ads appear in the subtle corners of a web page, you know what to do with this. "
Source :: Smart Money Magazine (paper version)