MediaBrix and Neurons Inc. recently performed a “neuroscience” study that indicates that interstitial ads lead to a negative user experience. In addition, Google has reported plans of banning many different types of interstitial ads that are initiated by following a search click.
MediaBrix and Neurons Inc. used sophisticated equipment that that utilized eye tracking and several other biometric techniques to test user response and engagement when exposed to different types of in-app mobile video advertisements. Their findings show that full screen interstitial ads prompted user response to immediately search for the “X” to close the ad. The research also found that in-app mobile video ads that related to the content that was being viewed, were generally better received by the users than the other tested, full-page interstitial ads.
The MediaBrix study shows that the full-page interstitials elicited what Mediabrix calls “fight-or-flight responses” at double the rate of the embedded opt-in advertisements. The study shows that “close to 90 percent of viewers watched the full 30-second video, compared to only 25 percent when exposed to an interstitial.”
The study reports that Opt-in ad viewers spent “three times as much time fixated on the brand creative watching the embedded, opt-in ad, and they’re eight times more cognitively engaged with said ad.” The viewer’s recollection and receptiveness of the ad content was higher than that of the full-page interstitial ads. The study report “Those who experienced the opt-in, contextual ad unit had four times [the] feeling of positive motivation regarding the brands in question.”
Ultimately, marketers will need to figure out the perfect mix of non-intrusive ads that are well integrated into the content. The difficulty is making sure the ads are not too integrated into the content that the ads are easily overlooked, nor too intrusive that the viewer will feel negatively towards the brand in the advertisement. it is a balancing act that if done successfully, has the potential to reap huge rewards.
