Thinkbox and IAB to survey joint TV/online campaigns

by Emma Barnett Media Week 04-Dec-07, 10:00

LONDON - Thinkbox and the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) – the UK marketing bodies for commercial TV and the internet – are joining forces to undertake research examining the effectiveness of using TV and online together in campaigns.

The new project marks the first collaboration between Thinkbox and the IAB and is also the first time that the effectiveness of using both media in tandem has been examined in depth. Both bodies are encouraging UK media agencies to submit campaigns to take part in the first phase of the study, which will begin on 4 January 2008.

The research will examine the effectiveness of TV and online advertising – both when used together and in isolation. Q Media has been commissioned to carry out the project, with results due for release during the first half of 2008. The research will use both quantitative and qualitative research. The quantitative stage will use a national online sample of 3,000 respondents to gauge the effectiveness of the two media combined and how advertisers can better exploit this.Meanwhile, the qualitative element will feature engagement diaries in 10 households; an online discussion forum and in-home observation of how people use and engage with TV and online in a natural context.
Tess Alps, chief executive of Thinkbox, said: “We have individual examples of how both meda work well together, but it will be much better to have a body of evidence to prove this.”