Advertising vs content marketing – which works best?

Key Findings: advertising vs content marketing Advertising creates higher impact among newsbrand readers than content marketing across both print and digital. The difference is most pronounced for print. Among the total readership, advertising is better branded, engages more and encourages higher levels of action The only measure where content marketing outperforms advertising is prompting people to discuss the brand or advertiser/sponsor (print only) When we look at those who do engage with content marketing, although they are a smaller group, we see that this activity generates twice the level of word of mouth discussion. It also scores relatively higher than advertising on most action measures and brand measures such as “attention”, “interesting”, “new information”, “positive” feeling towards brand and a clear sense of personal “benefit” Print content marketing impacts a higher percentage of the audience than digital content (as with ads) but scores are similar for those who do engage Consider using ads for maximum reach, awareness and broad brand building, with content marketing for engaging strongly with a more defined target and generating talkability Source: RAMetrics

Print ad vs print content marketing - impact Ad recall: Do you recall seeing the ad? % saying yes Content reading: Did you read this content? % saying yes Source: RAMetrics. Countries: Print ad - England/Scotland, print content marketing - England/Scotland/Ireland. Print: 30 ads from 30/04/2017 to 10/07/2017, Print content marketing: 27 from 05/05/2016 to 10/07/2017. Score base: read the newspaper.

Print ad vs print content marketing - scores for total readership brand measures attention + recognition engagement action Print ad Print content marketing Attention: How closely did you read/look at the ad/content? % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale Branding: How difficult or easy was it to understand the source/sender of the ad/How easy was it to identify the company/organisation that sponsored this content? % scoring above 9 on 10 pt scale Familiarity: How well did you previously know the advertiser/How well did you previously know the company/organisation behind the content? % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale Like ad: How did you like the ad/How much did you like this particular content? % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale Easy to understand: The ad/content is easy to understand. % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale New Information: The ad/content contains news or new information. % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale Positive: The ad/content makes me feel positive towards the advertiser/company/organisation behind the content. % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale Appeals to me: Ad/content appeals to you. % Yes Benefit: Have you benefited or will you benefit from something in the ad/in this content? % Yes Interesting: The ad/content is interesting. % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale Emotional Reaction: Did you react to the advertisement emotionally?/I reacted emotionally to the content % Yes Look for more information: Have you looked for or will you look for more information as a result of seeing the ad/this content? % Yes Visit advertiser: Have/will you visit this advertiser/website as a result of seeing this ad? /Have you visited or will you visit the company's store or website as a result of seeing this content? % Yes Have bought/will buy: Have you bought or will you buy something as a result of seeing this ad/this content? % Yes Discuss: Have you been talking about / discussing the company, offer or product as a result of seeing the advertising/I have discussed or plan to discuss the content with friends? % Yes Source: RAMetrics. Countries: Print ad - England/Scotland, print content marketing - England/Scotland/Ireland. Print ads: 30 from 30/04/2017 to 10/07/2017, Print content marketing: 27 from 05/05/2016 to 10/07/2017. Score base: read the newspaper.

Print ad vs print content marketing - scores for people who noticed activity brand measures attention + recognition engagement action Print ad Print content marketing Attention: How closely did you read/look at the ad/content? % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale Branding: How difficult or easy was it to understand the source/sender of the ad/How easy was it to identify the company/organisation that sponsored this content? % scoring above 9 on 10 pt scale Familiarity: How well did you previously know the advertiser/How well did you previously know the company/organisation behind the content? % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale Like ad: How did you like the ad/How much did you like this particular content? % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale Easy to understand: The ad/content is easy to understand. % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale New Information: The ad/content contains news or new information. % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale Positive: The ad/content makes me feel positive towards the advertiser/company/organisation behind the content. % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale Appeals to me: Ad/content appeals to you. % Yes Benefit: Have you benefited or will you benefit from something in the ad/in this content? % Yes Interesting: The ad/content is interesting. % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale Emotional Reaction: Did you react to the advertisement emotionally?/I reacted emotionally to the content % Yes Look for more information: Have you looked for or will you look for more information as a result of seeing the ad/this content? % Yes Visit advertiser: Have/will you visit this advertiser/website as a result of seeing this ad? /Have you visited or will you visit the company's store or website as a result of seeing this content? % Yes Have bought/will buy: Have you bought or will you buy something as a result of seeing this ad/this content? % Yes Discuss: Have you been talking about / discussing the company, offer or product as a result of seeing the advertising/I have discussed or plan to discuss the content with friends? % Yes Source: RAMetrics. Countries: Print ad - England/Scotland, print content marketing - England/Scotland/Ireland. Print ads: 30 from 30/04/2017 to 10/07/2017, Print content marketing: 27 from 05/05/2016 to 10/07/2017. Score base: recalled the ad/read the content marketing.

Digital ad vs digital content marketing - impact Ad recall: Do you recall seeing the ad? % saying yes Content reading: Did you read this content? % saying yes Source: RAMetrics. Countries: Digital ad - England/Scotland, digital content marketing - England/Ireland/Norway/Sweden. Digital ads: 30 from 10/02/2016 to 10/07/2017, Digital content marketing: 36 from 07/04/2016 to 10/07/2017. Score base: read the digital newsbrand

Digital ad vs digital content marketing – scores for total readership brand measures attention + recognition engagement action Digital ad Digital content marketing Attention: How closely did you read/look at the ad/content? % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale Branding: How difficult or easy was it to understand the source/sender of the ad/How easy was it to identify the company/organisation that sponsored this content? % scoring above 9 on 10 pt scale Familiarity: How well did you previously know the advertiser/How well did you previously know the company/organisation behind the content? % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale Like ad: How did you like the ad/How much did you like this particular content? % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale Easy to understand: The ad/content is easy to understand. % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale New Information: The ad/content contains news or new information. % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale Positive: The ad/content makes me feel positive towards the advertiser/company/organisation behind the content. % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale Appeals to me: Ad/content appeals to you. % Yes Benefit: Have you benefited or will you benefit from something in the ad/in this content? % Yes Interesting: The ad/content is interesting. % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale Emotional Reaction: Did you react to the advertisement emotionally?/I reacted emotionally to the content % Yes Look for more information: Have you looked for or will you look for more information as a result of seeing the ad/this content? % Yes Visit advertiser: Have/will you visit this advertiser/website as a result of seeing this ad? /Have you visited or will you visit the company's store or website as a result of seeing this content? % Yes Have bought/will buy: Have you bought or will you buy something as a result of seeing this ad/this content? % Yes Discuss: Have you been talking about / discussing the company, offer or product as a result of seeing the advertising/I have discussed or plan to discuss the content with friends? % Yes Source: RAMetrics. Countries: Digital ad - England/Scotland, digital content marketing - England/Ireland/Norway/Sweden. Digital ads: 30 from 10/02/2016 to 10/07/2017, Digital content marketing: 36 from 07/04/2016 to 10/07/2017. Score base: read the digital newsbrand

Digital ad vs digital content marketing - scores for people who noticed activity brand measures attention + recognition engagement action Digital ad Digital content marketing Attention: How closely did you read/look at the ad/content? % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale Branding: How difficult or easy was it to understand the source/sender of the ad/How easy was it to identify the company/organisation that sponsored this content? % scoring above 9 on 10 pt scale Familiarity: How well did you previously know the advertiser/How well did you previously know the company/organisation behind the content? % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale Like ad: How did you like the ad/How much did you like this particular content? % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale Easy to understand: The ad/content is easy to understand. % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale New Information: The ad/content contains news or new information. % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale Positive: The ad/content makes me feel positive towards the advertiser/company/organisation behind the content. % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale Appeals to me: Ad/content appeals to you. % Yes Benefit: Have you benefited or will you benefit from something in the ad/in this content? % Yes Interesting: The ad/content is interesting. % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale Emotional Reaction: Did you react to the advertisement emotionally?/I reacted emotionally to the content % Yes Look for more information: Have you looked for or will you look for more information as a result of seeing the ad/this content? % Yes Visit advertiser: Have/will you visit this advertiser/website as a result of seeing this ad? /Have you visited or will you visit the company's store or website as a result of seeing this content? % Yes Have bought/will buy: Have you bought or will you buy something as a result of seeing this ad/this content? % Yes Discuss: Have you been talking about / discussing the company, offer or product as a result of seeing the advertising/I have discussed or plan to discuss the content with friends? % Yes Source: RAMetrics. Countries: Digital ad - England/Scotland, digital content marketing - England/Ireland/Norway/Sweden. Digital ads: 30 from 10/02/2016 to 10/07/2017, Digital content marketing: 36 from 07/04/2016 to 10/07/2017. Score base: noticed ad/content

specific content marketing metrics Print vs digital content marketing - scores for total readership brand measures attention + recognition engagement action specific content marketing metrics Print content marketing Digital content marketing Attention: How closely did you read the content? % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale Branding: How easy was it to identify the company/organisation that sponsored this content? % scoring above 9 on 10 pt scale Familiarity: How well did you previously know the company/organisation behind the content? % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale Like ad: How much did you like this particular content? % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale Easy to understand: The content is easy to understand. % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale New Information: The content contains new information. % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale Positive: The content makes me feel positive towards the company/organisation behind the content. % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale Appeals to me: The content appeals to me. % Yes Benefit: Have you benefited or will you benefit from something in the ad/in this content? % Yes Interesting: The content is interesting. % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale Emotional Reaction: I reacted emotionally to the content % Yes Well written: The content is well written % Yes Important: The subject of the content is important % Yes Objective: The content is objective % Yes Entertaining: The content is entertaining % Yes Read again: I would like to receive similar content again % Yes Look for more information: Have you looked for or will you look for more information as a result of seeing this content? % Yes Visit advertiser: Have you visited or will you visit the company's store or website as a result of seeing this content? % Yes Have bought/will buy: Have you bought or will you buy something (product or service) from this advertiser as a result of this content? % Yes Discuss: I have discussed or plan to discuss the content with friends? % Yes Source: RAMetrics. Countries: Print content marketing - England/Scotland/Ireland. digital content marketing - England/Ireland/Norway/Sweden. Print content marketing: 27 from 05/05/2016 to 10/07/2017. Digital content marketing: 36 from 07/04/2016 to 10/07/2017. Score base: read the newspaper.

specific content marketing metrics Print vs digital content marketing - scores for people who noticed activity brand measures attention + recognition engagement action specific content marketing metrics Print content marketing Digital content marketing Attention: How closely did you read the content? % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale Branding: How easy was it to identify the company/organisation that sponsored this content? % scoring above 9 on 10 pt scale Familiarity: How well did you previously know the company/organisation behind the content? % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale Like ad: How much did you like this particular content? % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale Easy to understand: The content is easy to understand. % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale New Information: The content contains new information. % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale Positive: The content makes me feel positive towards the company/organisation behind the content. % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale Appeals to me: The content appeals to me. % Yes Benefit: Have you benefited or will you benefit from something in the ad/in this content? % Yes Interesting: The content is interesting. % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale Emotional Reaction: I reacted emotionally to the content % Yes Well written: The content is well written % Yes Important: The subject of the content is important % Yes Objective: The content is objective % Yes Entertaining: The content is entertaining % Yes Read again: I would like to receive similar content again % Yes Look for more information: Have you looked for or will you look for more information as a result of seeing this content? % Yes Visit advertiser: Have you visited or will you visit the company's store or website as a result of seeing this content? % Yes Have bought/will buy: Have you bought or will you buy something (product or service) from this advertiser as a result of this content? % Yes Discuss: I have discussed or plan to discuss the content with friends? % Yes Source: RAMetrics. Countries: Print content marketing - England/Scotland/Ireland. digital content marketing - England/Ireland/Norway/Sweden. Print content marketing: 27 from 05/05/2016 to 10/07/2017. Digital content marketing: 36 from 07/04/2016 to 10/07/2017. Score base: noticed ad/content