1. Finance

2. Source: RAMetrics. Countries: England/Scotland.
Key Findings: Finance ads
Finance print ads have slightly lower impact (59% recall) than all ads (62%) on average and as a result, score below average across all brand and action measures.
Among recognisers, finance print ads score low on likeability and providing the reader with any new information. They are generally less appealing and much less likely to convey a personal benefit when compared against the average.
Female readers are less likely to notice finance print ads (59% vs 64% for men), and they also score significantly lower on brand familiarity (32% vs 43%). Despite this, women understand the advertising just as well as men and they are also just as likely to recommend a brand (21% vs 21%).
Millennials (18-34 year olds) score significantly higher than over 35s across all brand measures for finance print ads. Comparing against the all category averages, we find that finance print ads have higher impact than the all ads average for young people (79% vs 74% for 35+). However they score lower across engagement metrics which shows that although young people are interested in financial advertising, brands need to do more to keep them interested.
Overall, print has become more effective over time (see Print vs Digital story), however finance print ads have not improved to the same extent. We know that print works particularly well for brand building and priming, so creative opportunities are being lost as there seems to be a shortage of memorable and inspiring ideas.
Digital finance ads are more noticeable than other digital news brand ads. Their strength lies in ‘’soft’’ metrics like branding and familiarity but they are less adept at driving ‘’hard’’ metrics which are more action orientated.
From mortgages to pension plans, ISAs and phone insurance, there seems to be a never-ending list of financial products and services available to us. With two thirds of the population (TGI Clickstream Mobile 2019 Q2) admitting that they are more aware of personal finance than they used to be - whether you’re a student scraping together change for your next night out, a first-time home buyer or a retired pensioner - financial advertising is a crucial source of information.
Analysis of the RAMetrics data shows that, creatively, financial services print ads are not involving readers as strongly as they could. They are slightly less impactful and score below the all ad average for recall (59% vs 62%). Subsequently, the story is the same across all brand and action measures among the total newspaper readership.
Given that not everyone is in the market for financial products at all times, we thought we would look at how financial services print ads performed among the people who did pay them attention. Despite being well-branded, it turns out people don’t find them very likeable or informative - on average they provoke lower than average emotional reaction and didn’t really convey a personal benefit to people.
Looking at gender segmentation, female readers are a little less likely to notice print ads for financial advertising (ad recall: 59% vs 64% for men). This is not surprising as they are less familiar with the advertised brands beforehand (familiarity: 32% vs 43% for men). Both genders find the ads equally easy to understand (37% vs 37%), however women generally find the ads less engaging. When it comes to action, women are equally likely to recommend a brand.
Next, we looked at two age groups, millennials (18-34 year olds) and adults aged 35+. Interestingly, millennials score significantly higher than the over 35s across every brand measure. Not only are they more likely to be paying attention to financial services ads (ad recall: 80% vs 61% for 35+), they are more likely to recognise the brands, they are more likely to be engaged and they are more likely to take action.
We also looked at how the financial services print ads stack up against the averages for print ads across all categories, specifically for millennials. Young people are financially aware, are 53% more likely to be interested in financial advertising than the average person (TGI Clickstream Mobile 2019 Q2). Finance ads have a higher impact (ad recall: 79% vs. 74% for all categories) and are good at grabbing year olds attention but advertisers need to do more to keep them interested as they score lower across other brand measures (benefit: 22% vs. 25% for all categories, emotional response: 31% vs 32% for all categories).
We know that over the last few years, print advertising has increased in effectiveness, yet print advertising for financial services is not delivering this increased effectiveness to the same degree as other sectors. Scores are higher than a decade ago, but they are falling farther behind the best print ads.
Les Binet and Peter Field have found that the financial services sector has seen the steepest decline in effectiveness in the last decade, by analysing RAMetrics data we can see that unlike the category as a whole, newspaper print advertising is actually improving its impact for finance brands.
Looking at digital advertising, we discovered that financial services digital ads are more noticeable than other categories (ad recall: 27% vs 37% for all ads). For financial services digital ads, their strength lies in soft metrics like familiarity, but they are less adept at driving hard metrics which are more action orientated.
Source: RAMetrics. Countries: England/Scotland.

3. Finance vs all ads - print ad recall
Ad recall: Do you recall seeing the ad? % saying yes
Source: RAMetrics. Countries: England/Scotland. All ads – 1,321 ads, Finance – 30 ads from 01/01/2010 to 10/06/2019. Score base: read the newspaper.

4. Print - Finance vs all ads among all readers
brand measures
attention +
recognition
engagement
action
Finance
All
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 : 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. All ads – 1,321 ads, Finance – 30 ads from 01/01/2010 to 10/06/2019. Score base: read the newspaper.

5. Print – Finance Funnel 52% 76% 44% Ad recall 59% Brand recognition 31%
Engagement 24%
Action 11%
52%
76%
44%
Ad recall
Do you recall seeing the ad? % saying yes
Brand recognition
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
Engagement
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 : Did you react to the advertisement emotionally? % Yes
Action
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. 30 ads from 01/01/2010 – 10/06/2019, Score base: read the newspaper.

6. Print - when noticed, finance ads are well-branded but lack some emotional power
brand measures
attention +
recognition
engagement
action
Finance
All
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 : 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. All ads – 1,321 ads, Finance – 30 ads from 01/01/2010 to 10/06/2019. Score base: noticed ad

7. Finance print - men vs women recall
Ad recall: Do you recall seeing the ad? % saying yes
Source: RAMetrics. Countries: England/Scotland. Finance – 31 ads from 17/06/2009 to 25/07/2017. Score base: read the newspaper.

8. Finance print - men vs women
brand measures
attention +
recognition
engagement
action
Women
Men
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 : 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. 30 ads from 01/01/2010 – 10/06/2019, Score base: read the newspaper.

9. Finance print – 18-34s vs 35+
Ad recall: Do you recall seeing the ad? % saying yes
Source: RAMetrics. Countries: England/Scotland. 30 ads from 01/01/2010 – 10/06/2019, Score base: read the newspaper.

10. Finance print – 18-34s vs 35+ brand measures attention + recognition
engagement
action
35+
18-34s
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 : 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, Finance – 31 ads from 17/06/2009 to 25/07/2017. Score base: read the newspaper.

11. Finance vs all ads - Millennials
Ad recall: Do you recall seeing the ad? % saying yes
Source: RAMetrics. Countries: England/Scotland. All ads – 1,321 ads, Finance – 30 ads from 01/01/2010 to 10/06/2019. Score base: noticed ad

12. Finance vs all ads - Millennials
brand measures
attention +
recognition
engagement
action
Finance
All ads
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 : 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. All – 30 ads from 10/05/2017 – 25/07/2017, Finance – 31 ads from 17/06/2009 to 25/07/2017. Score base: read the newspaper.

13. attention + recognition
Finance print ads have not increased performance to the same extent as print overall
Ad recall has improved over the past decade and all other measures have increased among people noticing the ad
brand measures
recall
attention + recognition
engagement
action
Print’s effectiveness has increased over the last decade across all of RAM’s measures, through recall, recognition, engagement and action.
Ad recall: Do you recall seeing the ad? % saying yes
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. All – 505 ads, Finance – 31 ads from 09/07/2008 – 10/06/2012, All – 580 ads, Finance – 14 ads from 09/07/2015 – 10/06/2019. Score base read the newspaper.

14. Finance vs all ads - digital ad recall for finance ads is higher
NB: Low base for Finance category
Ad recall: Do you recall seeing the ad? % saying yes
Source: RAMetrics. Countries: England/Scotland. All ads – 265 ads, Finance – 19 ads from 01/02/2009 to 10/06/2019. Score base: read the digital newspaper.

15. Digital - Finance vs all ads
brand measures
attention +
recognition
engagement
action
Finance
All
NB: Low base for Finance category
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. All ads – 265 ads, Finance – 19 ads from 01/02/2009 to 10/06/2019. Score base: read the digital newspaper.