The Long and the Short (form) of it
A decade on from Les Binet and Peter Field’s seminal paper, The Long and the Short of It, most marketers know they must balance the Long and the Short, but what about the Form of it all? Marketers are aware of the what and the why of long- and short-term marketing goals, but they’re still lacking guidance on the how.
How do they build creative to maximize effectiveness across the funnel?
Especially in an ever-changing digital landscape, where short form video dominates, attention must be earned, and creative fatigue is a perpetual issue for advertisers.
System1 sought to provide the most comprehensive answer to these questions to date, combining deep creative analysis with in-market results. We used System1’s Test Your Ad Social to analyze the creative response to 887 global short-form video ads from 92,000+ TikTok users, matching these to 350+ separate brand and conversion lift studies with data provided from TikTok to reveal the real impact of short-form creative quality on brand-building and conversion. We’ve also explored the impact of high ad frequency to understand the real dynamics of creative fatigue and how to combat it.
This paper challenges those outdated assumptions with new empirical evidence for why entertainment isn’t just a vehicle for attention but a strategic imperative for marketers looking to maximize creative effectiveness in a short-form digital landscape. One which empowers brands, especially challengers and contenders, to convert demand effectively without sacrificing long-term brand building, all while fighting the effects of creative fatigue.
Entertainment, and the attention and sentiment it drives, builds brands and combats creative fatigue.
In a digital world where many ads are skippable and must increasingly earn their place in the hearts and minds of consumers, the most entertaining ads do exactly that, driving 39% higher Memory lift, 2x more Brand Awareness and 2.8x the Brand Image lift. This is because consumers feel good and watch ads for longer when they put on a show. The most entertaining ads gain 54% more attention (6s VTR) and drive 40% more positive sentiment (System1 Star Rating), which ultimately multiplies their brand building power. And that power is further amplified by frequency; they’re 2x as effective at holding initial positive sentiment at high frequency.
To further fight fatigue, while still effectively building brand, refresh the same creative idea with entertaining variety. As laid out in System1’s Compound Creativity report, brands that stick with consistent creative ideas unlock compound business effects over time. When you iterate on that idea in fresh, entertaining ways each time you get all the benefits of entertainment and of consistency.
The most entertaining ads can do it all.
For decades, marketers have operated under a perceived trade-off: that emotional, entertaining ads build brand over time, while more rational, direct-response creative is required to drive immediate sales. But this research challenges that binary view.
Advertisers no longer have to choose between entertaining their audiences or selling to them, the most entertaining short-form ads build brand and they convert. Salesmanship sells, but often at the expense of brand, making ads less memorable, driving lower awareness and brand image gains. Entertainment, by contrast, delivers on both fronts. Selling doesn’t have to be transactional, it can put on a show, and when it does, brands and consumers win. And remember, what ever you do, don’t be dull. Ads which leaving consumers feeling nothing at all (neutrality) are 27% less effective at driving conversions. The enemy of conversion isn’t dislike, it’s indifference.
Distinctive Creator Ads represent an enormous opportunity for advertisers.
Many brands are leveraging creators to integrate their messaging and products into content that has the power to reach millions. The good news is that creators provide a huge opportunity, but there’s a caveat. Integrating the brand early is key.
The research found that TikTok users pay creator ads 39% more attention than they do traditional brand ads (TVC edits). Yet, they’re able to correctly identify which brand the creator ad is for at roughly half the rate of traditional brand ads.
But distinctive creator led ads deliver the best of both worlds: they harness the increased attention creators garner, without sacrificing early brand recognition.
These ads successfully integrate branding in a way which not only feels natural but at its best, integral to the story being conveyed and in turn are able to deliver enormous Brand Awareness and Brand Image gains in comparison to brand traditional and brand native ads.
Branding done right isn’t a tax on attention, it’s a dividend.
Contrary to popular belief, early branding on digital ads doesn’t automatically lead to declines in attention. Consumers are savvier than ever and expect advertising to include branding as long as it feels natural vs forced. Ads which deliver the highest levels of early brand recognition drive 88% higher Memory lift, 92% higher Brand Awareness lift and 85% higher Brand Image lift, compared to those with the lowest levels.
A logo isn’t a hook. But other distinctive assets are.
Logos are the most powerful asset for driving recognition but have one of the highest costs in terms of attention. After years of brands simply putting their logo in the first 2 seconds of digital ads, consumers have likely been conditioned to swipe past these and the ensuing attention decline results in lower brand awareness gains. Leveraging brand assets which hook attention and drive 2-second brand recognition is key. For example, this could be logos in context, which are integrated into the scene of the ad.
Create with Confidence
There’s much more to discover in the full report from System1 and TikTok, The Long and the Short (form) of it. Don’t miss the Entertainment Index, exploring showmanship and salesmanship creative features and their impact on attention and sentiment, and a closer look at the cost of ‘dull’ ads that fail to emotionally engage audiences. Access all the insights to ensure that your digital creative achieves attention, brand recognition and positive sentiment, as well as drives lasting brand effects.
Want to test your digital creative before launch to predict and improve its commercial impact? System1’s Test Your Ad Social is a tool for testing digital creative, helping marketers Create with Confidence by measuring the short- and long-term impact of the work based on audience’s emotional responses to the work. Discover Test Your Ad here or contact our team to set up a demo.