1. What’s the best part of the week to advertise?
Updated
May 2018
What’s the best part of the week to advertise?

2. Key findings: What’s the best part of the week to advertise?
Analysis of RAMetrics data shows that your choice of day does in fact have a moderate impact on ad performance. Readers find advertising that runs near the end of the week to be more memorable than advertising that runs at the beginning of the week (ad recall: 68% vs 72% for Mon – Wed vs Thu – Sat ads). Interestingly, ads near the end of the week tend to outperform ads that run at the end of the week i.e. Sunday (ad recall: 72% vs 57% for Thu – Sat vs Sun ads).
Ads running from Thu - Sat score marginally better than their Mon – Wed counterparts, however they perform significantly better than ads which run on Sunday. Not only are Thu – Sat ads more memorable, but readers also find them easier to understand (45% vs 48% vs 41%, for Mon - Wed, Thu – Sat, Sun, respectively), more interesting (31% vs 33% vs 24%,for Mon - Wed, Thu – Sat, Sun, respectively), and they provoke more of an emotional reaction (20% vs 23% vs 12%,for Mon - Wed, Thu – Sat, Sun, respectively).
When it comes to taking action, ads during the beginning of the week and at the end of the week, score similarly across some measures, such as encouraging readers to visit the advertiser (13% vs 16% vs 13% for Mon - Wed, Thu – Sat, Sun, respectively) and their purchasing intentions (10% vs 14% vs 10% for Mon - Wed, Thu – Sat, Sun, respectively). Despite marginal differences, ads that run near the end of the week are more likely encourage action.
Thu – Sat ads, when compared against ads during the remainder of the week, come out on top across all brand and action measures. This is visible when looking at the purchase funnel too, ads placed near the end of the week are better at converting readers who recognise the brand into an engaged audience (conversation rate: 86% vs 92% vs 76% for Mon - Wed, Thu – Sat, Sun, respectively) and then further down into action takers (conversation rate: 45% vs 50% vs 48 for Mon - Wed, Thu – Sat, Sun, respectively
The way people buy brands and products today is complex. Decision-making is often irrational, with device laden consumers having access to information 24/7. It can be like a pinball machine – there is a trigger that causes people to enter the decision-making process, but once in, they bounce around from one touchpoint to another, often moving backwards as well as forwards before eventually making a decision. We’re always gathering ideas about brands, things that we might like to buy one day, so passive absorption of brand associations before a journey is a powerful method of influencing purchases.
One of the key findings from our ‘How people buy’ study is that, because of the on-going seeding and absorption of brand associations, most journeys consist of an assumed front runner and the purpose of the journey is to cross-examine that through various touchpoints to ensure its purchase won’t be regretted. Newsbrands and other media shape the parameters of consumers’ consideration sets both before they have even consciously begun a journey and then once they are actively engaged. You could think of this as priming potential customers in the early stages of the purchase journey and then prompting them lower down the funnel, closer to the point of purchase.
This led us to question whether advertising on different days of the week has a greater or lesser impact across key brand metrics, including attention and recognition, engagement metrics and action metrics, reflecting different stages of the purchase journey.
Analysis of the RAMetrics database shows that there is a small difference in recall when we look at ads that appear during the beginning of the week compared with ads appearing near the end of the week (ad recall: 68% vs 72% for Mon – Wed vs Thu – Sat ads). In fact, there are few moderate differences in ad performance overall based on whether they appear at the front or back end of the week.
Of course, Thursday to Saturday are traditionally the most favoured days for ads that seek to prompt immediate action, especially for supermarkets and other retailers. Brands that advertise towards the end of the week certainly tend to be easier to understand (45% vs 48% vs 41%, for Mon - Wed, Thu – Sat, Sun, respectively), readers find them more interesting (31% vs 33% vs 24%,for Mon - Wed, Thu – Sat, Sun, respectively), and they even provoke more of an emotional reaction (20% vs 23% vs 12%, for Mon - Wed, Thu – Sat, Sun, respectively).
In addition, there is evidence that people are more likely to take actions that fit with being at the end of the buying process, such as visiting the advertiser’s website (13% vs 14% vs 10%, for Mon - Wed, Thu – Sat, Sun, respectively), visiting the advertiser (13% vs 16% vs 13%, for Mon - Wed, Thu – Sat, Sun, respectively) and actual buying (10% vs 14% vs 10%, for Mon - Wed, Thu – Sat, Sun, respectively).
However, the data for engagement measures suggests that advertising earlier in the week (when perhaps there is less competition) is just as successful in delivering brand building responses, both rational and emotional, such as finding the ads beneficial (16% vs 19% vs 14%, for Mon - Wed, Thu – Sat, Sun, respectively), appealing (29% vs 30% vs 23%, for Mon - Wed, Thu – Sat, Sun, respectively) or interesting (31% vs 33% vs 24%, for Mon - Wed, Thu – Sat, Sun, respectively). We know from Peter Field’s recently updated analysis of the IPA Databank that newsbrands are highly effective at delivering very strong business results in the long-term, not just short-term sales that can undermine profitability. This suggests that the early part of the week is perfect for communicating brand values, getting brands on to the mental shortlist and giving gentle reminders prior to the big shopping days at the end of the week.
So what about Sundays? Well the truth is that we have a bit of a conundrum. We expected ads in Sunday papers to perform strongly, as we know from other research we’ve conducted that they are read differently. People spend more time reading on a Sunday and they also keep reading the paper through the week. People are more relaxed, more open to absorbing brand associations and discovering something new. But the data disagrees.
It is quite possible that the Sunday ads tested are simply not very good, as we know that creative has by far the biggest effect on responses. Indeed, the most recalled Sunday ad is noticed by 75% of readers, so it does not seem that the day itself is unconducive to high scores. It is also possible that the online research methodology using digitised papers is at odds with the Sunday reading experience. At the moment, we simply don’t know – so there’s our next challenge!
Source: RAMetrics. Countries: England/Scotland. Mon – Wed: 100 ads, 18/08/2016 – 30/04/2018, Thu – Sat: 100 ads, 14/01/2017 – 30/04/2018, Sun: 100 ads, 10/08/2012 – 30/04/2018. Score base: Read the newspaper.

3. Days of the week - Ad recall
Ad recall: Do you recall seeing the ad? % saying yes
Source: RAMetrics. Countries: England/Scotland. Mon – Wed: 100 ads, 18/08/2016 – 30/04/2018, Thu – Sat: 100 ads, 14/01/2017 – 30/04/2018, Sun: 100 ads, 10/08/2012 – 30/04/2018. Score base: Read the newspaper.

4. Start of week vs end of week ad comparison
brand measures
attention +
recognition
engagement
action
Mon - Wed
Thu - Sat
Sun
Attention: How closely did you read/look at the ad? % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale
Branding: How difficult or easy was it to understand the source/sender of the ad? % scoring above 9 on 10 pt scale
Familiarity: How well did you previously know the advertiser? % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale
Like ad: How did you like the ad? % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale
Easy to understand: The ad is easy to understand. % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale
New Information: The ad contains news or new information. % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale
Positive: The ad makes me feel positive towards the advertiser. % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale
Appeals to me: Ad appeals to you. % Yes
Benefit: Have you benefited or will you benefit from something in the ad? % Yes
Interesting: The ad is interesting. % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale
Fresh approach: The ad has an original design. % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale
Emotional Reaction: Did you react to the advertisement emotionally? % Yes
Look for more information: Have you looked for or will you look for more information as a result of seeing the ad? % Yes
Visit a website: Have you visited or will you visit the website as a result of the ad? % Yes
Visit advertiser: Have you visited or will you visit this advertiser as a result of seeing this ad? % Yes
Have bought/will buy: Have you bought or will you buy something as a result of seeing this ad? % Yes
Recommend: Have you recommended or will you recommend the company / product due to the advertising? % scoring above 7 on 10 pt scale (Added in April 2016)
Discuss: Have you been talking about / discussing the company, offer or product as a result of seeing the advertising? % Yes (Added in April 2016)
Source: RAMetrics. Countries: England/Scotland. Mon – Wed: 100 ads, 18/08/2016 – 30/04/2018, Thu – Sat: 100 ads, 14/01/2017 – 30/04/2018, Sun: 100 ads, 10/08/2012 – 30/04/2018. Score base: Read the newspaper.

5. Although left-hand page ads are less recalled, they are better than right-hand ads at converting engagement to action
Mon - Wed
53%
86%
45%
Ad recall 68%
Brand recognition 36%
Engagement 31%
Action 14%
Thu - Sat
51%
92%
50%
Ad recall 72%
Brand recognition 37%
Engagement 34%
Action 17%
Sun
58%
76%
48%
Ad recall 57%
Brand recognition 33%
Engagement 25%
Action 12%
The way people buy brands and products today is complex. Decision-making is often irrational, with device laden consumers having access to information 24/7. It can be like a pinball machine – there is a trigger that causes people to enter the decision-making process, but once in, they bounce around from one touchpoint to another, often moving backwards as well as forwards before eventually making a decision. We’re always gathering ideas about brands, things that we might like to buy one day, so passive absorption of brand associations before a journey is a powerful method of influencing purchases.
One of the key findings from our ‘How people buy’ study is that, because of the on-going seeding and absorption of brand associations, most journeys consist of an assumed front runner and the purpose of the journey is to cross-examine that through various touchpoints to ensure its purchase won’t be regretted. Newsbrands and other media shape the parameters of consumers’ consideration sets both before they have even consciously begun a journey and then once they are actively engaged. You could think of this as priming potential customers in the early stages of the purchase journey and then prompting them lower down the funnel, closer to the point of purchase.
This led us to question whether advertising on different days of the week has a greater or lesser impact across key brand metrics, including attention and recognition, engagement metrics and action metrics, reflecting different stages of the purchase journey.
Analysis of the RAMetrics database shows that there is a small difference in recall when we look at ads that appear during the beginning of the week compared with ads appearing near the end of the week (ad recall: 68% vs 72% for Mon – Wed vs Thu – Sat ads). In fact, there are few moderate differences in ad performance overall based on whether they appear at the front or back end of the week.
Of course, Thursday to Saturday are traditionally the most favoured days for ads that seek to prompt immediate action, especially for supermarkets and other retailers. Brands that advertise towards the end of the week certainly tend to be easier to understand (45% vs 48% vs 41%, for Mon - Wed, Thu – Sat, Sun, respectively), readers find them more interesting (31% vs 33% vs 24%,for Mon - Wed, Thu – Sat, Sun, respectively), and they even provoke more of an emotional reaction (20% vs 23% vs 12%, for Mon - Wed, Thu – Sat, Sun, respectively).
In addition, there is evidence that people are more likely to take actions that fit with being at the end of the buying process, such as visiting the advertiser’s website (13% vs 14% vs 10%, for Mon - Wed, Thu – Sat, Sun, respectively), visiting the advertiser (13% vs 16% vs 13%, for Mon - Wed, Thu – Sat, Sun, respectively) and actual buying (10% vs 14% vs 10%, for Mon - Wed, Thu – Sat, Sun, respectively).
However, the data for engagement measures suggests that advertising earlier in the week (when perhaps there is less competition) is just as successful in delivering brand building responses, both rational and emotional, such as finding the ads beneficial (16% vs 19% vs 14%, for Mon - Wed, Thu – Sat, Sun, respectively), appealing (29% vs 30% vs 23%, for Mon - Wed, Thu – Sat, Sun, respectively) or interesting (31% vs 33% vs 24%, for Mon - Wed, Thu – Sat, Sun, respectively). We know from Peter Field’s recently updated analysis of the IPA Databank that newsbrands are highly effective at delivering very strong business results in the long-term, not just short-term sales that can undermine profitability. This suggests that the early part of the week is perfect for communicating brand values, getting brands on to the mental shortlist and giving gentle reminders prior to the big shopping days at the end of the week.
So what about Sundays? Well the truth is that we have a bit of a conundrum. We expected ads in Sunday papers to perform strongly, as we know from other research we’ve conducted that they are read differently. People spend more time reading on a Sunday and they also keep reading the paper through the week. People are more relaxed, more open to absorbing brand associations and discovering something new. But the data disagrees.
It is quite possible that the Sunday ads tested are simply not very good, as we know that creative has by far the biggest effect on responses. Indeed, the most recalled Sunday ad is noticed by 75% of readers, so it does not seem that the day itself is unconducive to high scores. It is also possible that the online research methodology using digitised papers is at odds with the Sunday reading experience. At the moment, we simply don’t know – so there’s our next challenge!
Source: RAMetrics. Countries: England/Scotland. Mon – Wed: 100 ads, 18/08/2016 – 30/04/2018, Thu – Sat: 100 ads, 14/01/2017 – 30/04/2018, Sun: 100 ads, 10/08/2012 – 30/04/2018. Score base: Read the newspaper.

6. Print readers spend a lot of time with their paper
Time spent reading print on the days people read
Daily newspapers
Monday – 69 minutes
Tuesday – 67 minutes
Wednesday – 66 minutes
Thursday – 67 minutes
Friday – 67 minutes
Saturday – 80 minutes
Sunday – 87 minutes
Sunday newspapers
Source: IPA Touchpoints 2017