STUDY: Premium media delivers 4.3 times greater ad impact

Brands relying on high-volume, low-cost media may be sacrificing advertising effectiveness, according to Australian research from The Trade Desk and PA Consulting.

The Premium Media Payoff report found advertising in premium environments delivers 4.3 times greater effectiveness in driving purchase consideration, a 37% uplift in purchase intent, a 22% increase in brand trust, and is 1.5 times more effective in improving positive brand association including quality, credibility and reliability.

The report defines premium media by the combination of strong media brands and high-quality environments.

It found 64% of consumers are influenced by the media brand and 73% by the quality of the environment.

On advertising within those environments, 83% believe ads should not slow down content, 83% want ads clearly labelled as ads, 80% expect ads to fit naturally, and 75% prefer ads aligned with the content.

James Bayes, VP business development at The Trade Desk, said where a brand shows up is increasingly as important as what it says.

"Reach will always matter, but not all reach delivers equal value. Focusing on low-cost reach alone shifts the focus to media efficiency, rather than outcomes that drive both performance and long-term brand value," he said.

"The opportunity is to rebalance investment toward higher-quality environments that build trust, strengthen consideration and deliver stronger commercial outcomes,."

The research combined qualitative, quantitative and experimental approaches, including expert interviews, a media analysis comparing premium and non-premium environments across digital, connected TV and audio, and a quantitative survey of 1,500 Australian consumers.