MAGNA and Pinterest have today released illuminating new research, “Positivity Performs: Ad Environments’ Critical Role in Media Planning”, that explores the links between ad environment attributes and brand outcomes on social platforms. This study centers users’ emotions as core data to inform media planning and drive brand alignment.
This really shouldn’t be a surprise – it’s behaviour we naturally try to gravitate towards in real life. We all want a beautiful home that feels like home, that is safe and a place that we feel good. We either have (or yearn for!) a career in a workplace surrounded by happy people full of positivity. We holiday or go out to restaurants and venues that make us feel good…. and these are the things most people want to spend their money on, so why should it be any different online? Makes sense doesn’t it – a happy positive environment loosens the purse strings when we see adverts that resonate!
Our happy positive place online is of course Pinterest but does our happy place translate to sales? While the notion of positivity might seem obvious, it’s always nice to back up a theory with facts and that’s what the robust research project has done – it measures brand impact, unconscious neuro-metric response, and sales impact through marketing mix modeling (MMM) to provide comprehensive insights for advertisers, who are relentlessly focused on KPIs and adapting to the changing media landscape.
The report demonstrates that people’s perception of their experience on a social platform truly matters. Platforms viewed as positive can amplify advertising performance on key metrics including boosting purchase intent (+35%), brand favorability (+49%) and brand preference (+44%). In fact, Positivity outperforms the Creativity and Entertainment attributes in these areas.
Regardless of industry vertical or price point, environments that respondents consider to be positive make a difference. People trust (2x) and like (1.5x) the exact same ad more when they feel positively about the environment, compared to when they don’t, and are up to 94% more likely to buy the product or service during future shopping.
We understand advertisers are all seeking a competitive edge in today’s marketplace, and we believe this research represents a fresh opportunity for where to find it,. This ambitious study shows what audiences may experience whenever they log on to positive social media, how that impacts brands, and why prioritizing this could benefit both.
– Kara Manatt, EVP, Intelligence Solutions, MAGNA
- Brandshave an opportunity to look beyond the leading attributes of trust and safety to consider positivity as a key component for decision-making on media investments.
- Creative works harder for brands in positively viewed environments, meaning budget conscious advertisers could adjust and use this in their media strategy and planning now.
- People surveyed were 20% more emotionally engaged with content they saw on platforms they perceived as positive.
- On average people spent 15% more time looking at ads and had more “lean forward” momentsin environments they perceived as positive.
- In the MMM simulations, the same creative and finite budget generated up to 24% more sales when brands incorporated viewability and positivity in their media buying strategy.
This research shows that consumers don’t just prefer platforms that drive a positive experience, like Pinterest, but they’re more likely to take action and engage with ads they see in these environments. We’ve quantified the impact of metrics like engagement, trustworthiness, intent, and bottom-line results, to demonstrate that brands no longer have to choose between a positive platform and one that performs—they can be one and the same.
– Beth Horn, MD, Pinterest UK
How Can Advertisers embrace positivity?
- Know your audience: Advertisers could get to know what positivity means for their desired audience and build a definition that best aligns with their experiences and expectations.
- Use contextual targeting: Consider using contextual targeting tools to identify content likely to be viewed as positive and uplifting by your target audience and advertise alongside it.
- Build better brand alignment: Communicate and collaborate with the partners, agencies, and vendors in your ecosystem about what types of content, platforms, and publishers best align with your brand and prioritize including them in media planning and buying for ads.
