{"id":11168,"date":"2021-04-22T11:05:58","date_gmt":"2021-04-22T18:05:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ispot.tv\/hub\/?p=11168"},"modified":"2022-02-02T10:42:46","modified_gmt":"2022-02-02T18:42:46","slug":"5-best-practices-to-ensure-success-with-15-second-video-ads","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ispot.tv\/hub\/5-best-practices-to-ensure-success-with-15-second-video-ads\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Best Practices to Ensure Success with 15-Second Video Ads"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p style=\"font-size:18px\">In the late 80s, 15-second ads made their TV debut as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2005\/04\/08\/business\/media\/tv-commercials-adjust-to-a-shorter-attention-span.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">budget-friendly alternative<\/a> to the rising cost for 30 seconds of airtime. Since then, marketers have wondered which ad length is more effective.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color\" style=\"color:#77bd22;font-size:30px\"><strong>15-Second vs. 30-Second Ads<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:18px\">An <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ispot.tv\/hub\/resources\/free-reports\/do-shorter-commercials-perform-better-on-tv\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">iSpot study<\/a> of more than 4.5 million commercial airings found that on average, 15-second commercials grab audience attention better than longer formats with a few exceptions. For advertisers in the automotive, travel and entertainment industries, the 60-second ad also produced exceptional results, generating the highest attention scores for all three industries.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:18px\">Additionally, <a href=\"\/products\/creative-testing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ace Metrix Creative Assessment<\/a> insights have revealed that different ad lengths have different strengths and weaknesses. For emotional storytelling, brands should opt for longer formats, which provide ample amounts of time for the narrative to play out. Meanwhile, ads that go for laughs should keep it under 30-seconds because consumers tend to lose interest before the punchline is delivered or get annoyed with a joke that drags out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:18px\">That said, the cheaper cost of airing a 15-second spot is appealing, especially if you can optimize reach and frequency with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ispot.tv\/hub\/unified-measurement\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">unified, cross-platform TV ad measurement<\/a> to drive better ROI.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:18px\">What does it take to make an effective 15-second ad? After analyzing creative assessment data for ten of the most effective 15-second ads from the past year, we identified the following five best practices:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color\" style=\"color:#77bd22;font-size:30px\"><strong>1) Avoid Complex Storylines<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:18px\">Or emotional narratives that need explanation. Rational messages with one or two key takeaways were used in almost all of the ads. Moreover, 15-second ads on the other end of the spectrum (least effective) tried to communicate complex information or used figurative messaging that was difficult to grasp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"position:relative;width:100%;padding-top:56.25%;padding-bottom:40px;\"><iframe style=\"position:absolute;top:0;right:0;left:0;bottom:0;width:100%;height:100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ispot.tv\/share\/tVP3\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:18px\">Those that leveraged emotional messaging kept it simple and tied it back to the product in a direct manner. Take \u201cBuried\u201d from Hyundai. Through cute storytelling, the brand was able to connect with viewers with humorous, heartfelt messaging that creatively communicated information about its Digital Key (as shown in the emotional profile for \u201cBuried\u201d):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"452\" height=\"424\" src=\"https:\/\/hub-cdn.ispot.tv\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/22112539\/Hyunda-Buried-emotions.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11190\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hub-cdn.ispot.tv\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/22112539\/Hyunda-Buried-emotions.png 452w, https:\/\/hub-cdn.ispot.tv\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/22112539\/Hyunda-Buried-emotions-300x281.png 300w, https:\/\/hub-cdn.ispot.tv\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/22112539\/Hyunda-Buried-emotions-341x320.png 341w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 452px) 100vw, 452px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:18px\">While viewers connected most with the cute, heartwarming narrative, the brand and product information also resonated. After watching the ad in its entirety, 78% of viewers accurately identified Hyundai as the advertiser, which outperformed the non-luxury automotive Brand Recognition average of 69%. In-market, \u201cBuried\u201d effectively retained attention on air with the iSpot Attention Index indicating it was 44% less likely to be interrupted than the average ad with those placements.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color\" style=\"color:#77bd22;font-size:30px\"><strong>2) Two Message Max<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:18px\">In order to effectively communicate information within 15 seconds, stick to one or two messages at most. Ads that promote more than one should make sure the messages are clear, concise and closely related. Honing in on one or two messages doesn\u2019t make an ad less informational than those that promote three or more. In fact, all but one of the ads analyzed significantly outperformed Information score norms:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hub-cdn.ispot.tv\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/22112728\/Screen-Shot-2021-04-22-at-10.53.55-AM-copy-3-1024x487.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11193\" width=\"959\" height=\"455\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hub-cdn.ispot.tv\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/22112728\/Screen-Shot-2021-04-22-at-10.53.55-AM-copy-3-1024x487.png 1024w, https:\/\/hub-cdn.ispot.tv\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/22112728\/Screen-Shot-2021-04-22-at-10.53.55-AM-copy-3-300x143.png 300w, https:\/\/hub-cdn.ispot.tv\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/22112728\/Screen-Shot-2021-04-22-at-10.53.55-AM-copy-3-640x305.png 640w, https:\/\/hub-cdn.ispot.tv\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/22112728\/Screen-Shot-2021-04-22-at-10.53.55-AM-copy-3-1536x731.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 959px) 100vw, 959px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:18px\">Each of the most informational ads from Ninja, Shark, Hyundai and GE promoted one message. Chewy\u2019s \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/PbaeYLfU73U\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Inside and Out<\/a>\u201d was the only one that conveyed two messages: convenience and a 30% off promotion.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color\" style=\"color:#77bd22;font-size:30px\"><strong>3) Let the Product Take the Lead<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:18px\">Products thrive in a 15-second format. The brands and\/or products were most often the stars of the successful 15-seconds video ads and were supported by other creative elements, such as characters, visuals, or music. Looking at the emotional impact, all but one of the ten ads had viewers raving about the product whether it was in general (measured by \u201cProdtastic\u201d) or about a specific attribute, like health or convenience:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hub-cdn.ispot.tv\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/22113017\/15-second-Product-Emos-Chart-copy-1024x466.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11194\" width=\"957\" height=\"424\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:18px\">As a result, these product-forward messages drove strong consideration with each of the ads significantly beating positive purchase intent norms for 15-second video creatives. In fact, nearly 75% of viewers were \u201cmuch more\u201d or \u201cmore\u201d likely to purchase Rubbermaid EasyFindLids after watching the product demo in \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ispot.tv\/ad\/tf3D\/rubbermaid-find-the-right-lid-every-time\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Find the Right Lid Every Time<\/a>.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color\" style=\"color:#77bd22;font-size:30px\"><strong>4) Show Brand or Product Throughout<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:18px\">Among the most effective ads, the product and\/or brand got at least 50% of screen time and in most cases more than that. Every ad had visuals that demonstrated the product in use in real-life scenarios. Even among ads with corporate responsibility or emotional messaging, brand and product cues were placed throughout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"position:relative;width:100%;padding-top:56.25%;padding-bottom:40px;\"><iframe style=\"position:absolute;top:0;right:0;left:0;bottom:0;width:100%;height:100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ispot.tv\/share\/nnIT\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:18px\">In \u201cHome is Everything,\u201d CVS Health promoted the safety and convenience of its prescription delivery and telehealth services during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to naturally featuring the brand in scenes, the CVS logo was present in the bottom right corner throughout which contributed to strong Brand Recognition at 93%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color\" style=\"color:#77bd22;font-size:30px\"><strong>5) Incorporate Product Demos or Real-Life Scenarios<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:18px\">Make sure visuals illustrate the product-forward messaging with either a demo or real-life scenarios to help viewers imagine themselves using it. A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalgeographic.com\/science\/article\/140312-auditory-memory-visual-learning-brain-research-science\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">study<\/a> from the University of Iowa found that people are far better at remembering what they see and feel versus what they hear, but the best approach is multisensory. While touch is not an option for video ads, combining visual and auditory messaging will help viewers understand and retain information, especially when an ad is only 15 seconds long.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"position:relative;width:100%;padding-top:56.25%;padding-bottom:40px;\"><iframe style=\"position:absolute;top:0;right:0;left:0;bottom:0;width:100%;height:100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ispot.tv\/share\/ttA4\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:18px\">All of the ads analyzed featured product demos or real-life scenarios and in most cases both. To communicate the versatility of the Ninja Foodi Power Pitcher, \u201cDo Even More\u201d paired visuals with a voiceover for five unique food recipes (smoothies, salsas, cookie dough). The information was delivered in an engaging manner that drove really strong purchase intent with 67% of respondents reporting they were \u201cmuch more\u201d or \u201cmore\u201d likely to buy the blender after watching the ad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:18px\"><br>Are you measuring the effectiveness of your 15-second video ads pre-market and in-market? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ispot.tv\/demo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Get in touch<\/a> to find out how you can leverage pre-market creative assessment to ensure in-market success for your video ads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-text-color has-background\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ispot.tv\/hub\/resources\/playbooks\/5-best-practices-to-ensure-success-with-15-second-video-ads\/\" style=\"background-color:#77bd22\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Download the PDF Version Here<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:15% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"637\" height=\"867\" src=\"https:\/\/hub-cdn.ispot.tv\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/19143828\/Image-from-iOS-6.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10620 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hub-cdn.ispot.tv\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/19143828\/Image-from-iOS-6.jpg 637w, https:\/\/hub-cdn.ispot.tv\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/19143828\/Image-from-iOS-6-220x300.jpg 220w, https:\/\/hub-cdn.ispot.tv\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/19143828\/Image-from-iOS-6-235x320.jpg 235w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 637px) 100vw, 637px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"has-large-font-size\">About the Author<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sammi Scharninghausen is a Marketing Manager at&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/ispot.tv\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">iSpot.tv<\/a>. She covers brand impact, TV advertising trends and industry events. For questions and inquiries, please contact&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"mailto:marketing@ispot.tv\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">marketing@ispot.tv<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In the late 80s, 15-second ads made their TV debut as a budget-friendly alternative to the rising cost for 30 seconds of airtime. Since then, marketers have wondered which ad length is more effective.&nbsp; 15-Second vs. 30-Second Ads An iSpot study of more than 4.5 million commercial airings found that on average, 15-second commercials grab&#8230; Read More<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":11185,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[],"ispot_product_categories":[],"acf":{"expiration_date":null},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ispot.tv\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11168"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ispot.tv\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ispot.tv\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ispot.tv\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/49"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ispot.tv\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11168"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/www.ispot.tv\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11168\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13729,"href":"https:\/\/www.ispot.tv\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11168\/revisions\/13729"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ispot.tv\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11185"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ispot.tv\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11168"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ispot.tv\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11168"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ispot.tv\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11168"},{"taxonomy":"ispot_product_categories","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ispot.tv\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ispot_product_categories?post=11168"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}