Knowledge at Hand

• Targets & Segments
• Article

Having In-Depth Research on Consumers’ Values Yields Tremendous Benefits

• ARF Knowledge at Hand, CMO Brief

In decades past, demographic characteristics were considered the strongest predictors of consumers’ values, attitudes and purchasing behavior. Over time, however, they have grown to become weak predictors and correlates. In this Knowledge at Hand report, Dr. Horst Stipp, EVP at the ARF, summarizes the latest and most impactful research to date on consumer values and how researching them carefully can help shape effective business strategies and impactful ad messages.

• Creative & Branded Content
• Article

How Best to Advertise During a Recession

• ARF Knowledge at Hand, CMO Brief

Even though the U.S. economy has some bright spots, economists warn a recession is still possible due to stubborn inflation. Advertisers want to be prepared as a result. While there is no failsafe advertising playbook to follow, as individual brands and businesses have nuanced needs and branding, there are some best practices and guidelines, which the following ARF Knowledge at Hand report gleans from some of the best research on the topic. The report covers the impact of “going dark,” the often-overlooked opportunities a recession can bring, how to maximize media spend effectiveness and how to frame appeals that are most attractive to customers during tough economic times.

• Research & Data Quality
• Article

Attention and Ad Impact: The Evolution of Attention Metrics

• ARF Knowledge at Hand, CMO Brief

The proliferation of media platforms, with increases in multi-tasking, has made finding ways to get consumers to pay attention to advertising more important than ever. In response, researchers have developed new methods to assess attention and the ARF has found that they can provide more direct and more accurate measurements. However, as these metrics are constantly evolving, there are open questions regarding their validity and reliability. Further, as researchers are using the term “attention” in different ways, clarity about what is meant by attention and how it is being measured is crucial.

• Audience & Media Measurement
• Article

The Evolution of “OTT” and “CTV”

• ARF Knowledge at Hand; CMO BRIEF

Towards the end of 2018, the ARF issued a Knowledge at Hand report and a CMO Brief each called The OTT Revolution. Since then, the OTT revolution has not only continued but it has accelerated. Moreover, the pandemic acted as a catalyst, increasing the rate of this acceleration. At the same time, the meaning of the term OTT has changed.

• Audience & Media Measurement
• Article

Optimal Frequency Planning: Research, Guidelines & Recommendations

• Knowledge at Hand; CMO Brief

Despite a significant amount of research focusing on optimal frequency and recency, going back decades, little consensus exists on how many exposures/impressions are “too many” across platforms. Indeed, a blank frequency cap is likely to lead to inefficiencies. The bottom line, there is no simple “rule of thumb” for optimal frequency planning.

• Targets & Segments
• Article

Influencer Marketing: Best Practices, Trends & Covid’s Impact

• ARF Knowledge at Hand; CMO BRIEF

Influencer marketing has grown more complex over a short period of time, and Covid has accelerated its development. Options have increased significantly while setting the right tone with consumers is perhaps more crucial than ever before. What consumers want to see is authentic relationships between brands and influencers. And the focus has shifted away from celebrities and towards niche, micro-influencers. The following Knowledge at Hand and CMO Brief cover a recent Knowledge Center report looking into the current state of influencer marketing, what the trends are, how Covid has affected this phenomenon and best practices when putting together an influencer strategy.

• Research & Data Quality
• Article

Attention and Ad Impact: New Insights from New Research

• ARF Knowledge at Hand; CMO BRIEF

One of the essential goals of advertising is to get customers’ attention. However, a lot of campaigns approach this simplistically. More “attention” does not necessarily mean an ad is more effective. Attention is a much more complex phenomenon than that. While attention is a prerequisite for ad impact, the term is ambiguous, complex and difficult to measure. Moreover, “attention” does not necessarily indicate a positive response, and a high level of attention is not always a sign of a positive ad impact.

KaH: Elements of a Successful Brand Purpose Campaign

• Posted: April 16, 2020

Defining what makes purpose-driven marketing campaigns successful has historically been more art than science. In an effort to shift the balance squarely back in favor of science, the ARF and Kantar have introduced Cracking Brand
Purpose, a study that identifies the elements that create leading purpose-driven campaigns and provides a best-in-class framework to shape, guide and evaluate future campaigns.  Read more.

KaH: The 2019 Organizational Benchmark Survey, The Advertiser Report

• Posted: March 31, 2020

Advertising and market research have seen tremendous changes in the last couple of years. As a result, ARF members have been inquiring about different aspects of these changes, from what to call their departments to what tools and techniques are considered best practices. For instance, should it be called a “research department,” “data science” or “customer experience” department? Is it better to have a centralized or decentralized structure? Do such departments provide positive ROI, according to stakeholders? And should they use R, Python, SPSS or SAS?  Read more.

KaH: Should You Cut Your Advertising Budget in a Recession?

• Posted: March 27, 2020

The coronavirus is wreaking havoc on the American and world economy. Forecasters are predicting a global recession. The stock market has whipsawed, adding to the economic jitters many are experiencing. In such trying times, brands suffer from declining sales revenue and cash shortages. Often, they consider slashing their advertising budgets as a result. But is such a move wise?

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