Engaged viewers 'more likely to purchase'

26th June 2008

Some consumers are significantly more likely to respond to advertising than others, a new report asserts.

Viewers who readily connect with content are significantly more disposed to remember seeing an advert, to internalise the message and to share it with others, MTV Networks and Harris Interactive research shows.

According to the study, this engagement usually translates into increased purchase intent, so marketers should attempt to target these highly engaged consumers.

Cross-platform approaches are the way to attract engaged consumers, the report notes.

Advertising messages delivered on multiple platforms can be two or three times as effective as those offered on one platform, it is claimed.

The news has emerged after Google announced its Ad Planner, which assists marketing professionals with demographic targeting by highlighting websites that tend to be visited by particular social groups.

"What this research shows is that companies will need to adapt to changing innovations to drive brand loyalty. Advertising and marketing across platforms will drive consumer engagement moving forward," says Marianne Foley, senior vice-president of innovation initiatives with Harris Interactive.