AOL: Short-form video content advertising most effective

Consumers may not like them, but advertisements inserted in short-form video content have a better chance of being remembered than those in long form, research from AOL suggests.

The study conducted by Qualvu for AOL contradicted earlier research with its insights on how consumers perceive ads within online video content.

"Short-form produced a 25 percent higher brand recall and a 42 percent higher purchase intent for the featured product or service," according to one finding called out in an AOL press release.

Part of the reason for the success of short-form video ads versus long-form is just consumer behavior. The research found that long-form ads were seen as interruptive so viewers generally ignored them completely by walking away or doing something else while they were on, demonstrating the same "annoyance behavior" that happens when viewers watch TV without a DVR, the news release said.

Not surprisingly, the research also said consumers would like more humorous ads and 67 percent are willing to answer a question if it makes the ad more personal and enjoyable.

Finally, in an observation that demonstrates the changing online video space, the research said "consumers understand the exchange of free content for advertising" but, unlike with "free" television, they "want to make sure their time tradeoff of watching ads also benefits them." This new demand, a result no doubt of the interactive nature of the Internet, leads to coupons, contents and links as the "most positive forms of engagement," the report concluded.

"Consumption habits are evolving rapidly and we're seeing consumers display many of the same ad avoidance tendencies online than they do with TV," Ran Harnevo, senior vice president of The AOL On Network, said in the press release.

For more:
- AOL issues this press release

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