1. Image-based ads outperform price-based ads on almost every measure

2. Key Findings: price-based ads vs image-based ads
Image-based ads are more likely to be recalled
Image-based ads outperform price-based ads on almost all measures – including action measures
Stronger emotional connection with image-based ads
higher brand positivity, ad appeal, perceived originality and emotional response
BUT rational response is also more powerful
more new information, easier to understand
Image-based ads trigger more actions
website and advertiser visits, buying, recommendation and word of mouth
Print newsbrands fulfil a number of roles in the consumer buying journey, as we discovered in our How people buy research. Brand advertising can help shape perceptions before the journey even starts, as well as create awareness, challenge assumptions and convey a sense of stature and importance. More tactical communications – which include most price-based ads – aim to shortcut the decision-making process and provoke immediate action.
It is therefore often assumed that image-based advertising will most affect consumer perceptions of the brand itself, with a bias towards more emotional impact, while price-based advertising will be most effective at prompting action.
Using the RAMetrics database, we investigated which measures were most responsive to these different types of ad.
Firstly, it is clear that image-based ads are more instantly memorable: on average, 64% of readers recall seeing an image-based ad compared with 57% of readers noticing price-based ads.
In fact, the analysis shows that image-based ads outperform price-based ads on almost every measure.
People are more likely to pay attention to image-based ads We might expect readers to take more notice of the details in price-based ads, but 26% of readers pay close attention to image-based ads compared to just 19% for price ads
Brand familiarity is stronger for image-based ads Perhaps because of greater branding consistency in image-based campaigns, readers are more readily able to identify brand knowledge (43% of readers vs 32% for price ads)
Image-based ads generate more positive feelings about the brand Brand positivity is 11% points higher than for price-based ads. This is not unexpected, as consumers tend to react more emotionally to image-based ads (+8% points) and find them more personally appealing (+9% points)
Image based ads feel more fresh and original Outscoring price-based ads by 12% points
Importantly, rational response is also more powerful for image-based ads More new information (+8), easier to understand (+6)
Image-based ads trigger more actions While the objectives of price-based ads might have skewed more towards prompting consumer action, the analysis shows that the more emotionally involving image-based ads actually drive more actions, whether that is web traffic, store/outlet visits, buying behaviour or word of mouth recommendation and discussion
These results give us an insight into how readers respond to newspaper ads and what they deem to be important. This is definitely not to say that price-based ads don’t work, as among people who notice the ads the average score across the action measures is 19%. However, the findings definitely give us some food for thought. If the creativity of price-based ads was improved, so impact, involvement and personal identification was stronger, would this result in more effective communications?
Source: RAMetrics. Countries: England/Scotland. Price based – 31 ads from 27/10/2016 to 03/04/2017, image based – 30 ads from 06/10/2016 to 03/04/2017. Score base: read the newspaper.

3. Price-based vs image-based - Ad recall
Ad recall: Do you recall seeing the ad? % saying yes
Image-based ads stand out more for newspaper readers.
Source: RAMetrics. Countries: England/Scotland. Price based – 31 ads from 27/10/2016 to 03/04/2017, image based – 30 ads from 06/10/2016 to 03/04/2017. Score base: read the newspaper.

4. Price-based vs image-based ad comparison
brand measures
attention +
recognition
engagement
action
image
price
Image-based ads outperform price-based ads on almost all measures.
People are more likely to pay attention to image-based ads We might expect readers to take more notice of the details in price-based ads, but 26% of readers pay close attention to image-based ads compared to just 19% for price ads
Brand familiarity is stronger for image-based ads Perhaps because of greater branding consistency in image-based campaigns, readers are more readily able to identify brand knowledge (43% of readers vs 32% for price ads)
Image-based ads generate more positive feelings about the brand Brand positivity is 11% points higher than for price-based ads. This is not unexpected, as consumers tend to react more emotionally to image-based ads (+8% points) and find them more personally appealing (+9% points)
Image based ads feel more fresh and original Outscoring price-based ads by 12% points
Importantly, rational response is also more powerful for image-based ads More new information (+8), easier to understand (+6)
Image-based ads trigger more actions While the objectives of price-based ads might have skewed more towards prompting consumer action, the analysis shows that the more emotionally involving image-based ads actually drive more actions, whether that is web traffic, store/outlet visits, buying behaviour or word of mouth recommendation and discussion
These results give us an insight into how readers respond to newspaper ads and what they deem to be important. This is definitely not to say that price-based ads don’t work, as among people who notice the ads the average score across the action measures is 19%. However, the findings definitely give us some food for thought. If the creativity of price-based ads was improved, so impact, involvement and personal identification was stronger, would this result in more effective communications?
Research Questions
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. Price based – 31 ads from 27/10/2016 to 03/04/2017, image based – 30 ads from 06/10/2016 to 03/04/2017. Score base: read the newspaper.