The study, released earlier this month, was undertaken by Oxford University’s Saïd Business School, and global research agency, Kantar Millward Brown, and examined 235 global campaigns across 110 different brands. Looking closely at social media advertising, particularly Facebook and Instagram campaigns, the research indicated that advertising effectiveness can drive long-term brand impact, specifying an emphasis on brand awareness and associations.

Examining data consisting of 80% video and 20% display, results showed that brand effectiveness reached considerable impact when communicated through accessible language, tapping into human emotion and spurning functional, featureless phrases. In addition to improving brand awareness, the study also showed that the impact was threefold, impacting advertising and product awareness also.

Yet the research also pointed to a greater cut through for mobile display advertising. Through a further meta-analysis of Kantar Millward Brown’s digital effectiveness database, Marketnorms, 8,000 global cross-channel campaigns were analysed. The results showed that mobile display effectiveness shows an average lift across brand metrics, rising 3.8% and reaching similar levels to desktop advertising.

Principally undertaken by Saïd Business School’s Andrew Stephen, L’Oréal Professor of Marketing and Felipe Thomaz, Associate Professor of Marketing, the research also showed that while brands’ willingness to spend on advertising has increased, greater pressure for marketing spend to deliver results has piled pressure on marketing strategies. Social media advertising offers a further outlet for marketers, yet results can still be hard to achieve.

Stephen says, “These findings are hugely important for businesses in understanding how they communicate on social media, with those who interact in a human and emotive manner able to capture greater awareness of their brands and products. The research also delivers insight on where advertisers should focus their efforts. With brand impact now delivered equally through desktop and mobile, advertisers must consider more carefully their media mix in order to reach consumers across these channels.”