Starch Codes Ad Content for Added Analysis

GfK subsidiary Starch Advertising Research has announced an enhancement to its database of print advertisements. Tens of thousands of ads are being categorised according to their content, to enable clients to analyse the success of specific creative elements.

Each ad is assessed for the inclusion of 45 elements including coupons, recipes, Web URLs, use of celebrities, sample/trial offers, scent strips, sweepstakes, telephone numbers and interactive bar codes. Specific words and phrases will also be identified in ad copy, including 'Made in USA', 'Limited Offer', 'New', 'Save' and 'Free'.

In 2010 Starch will measure consumer readership of approximately 144,000 print ads in some 3,150 issues of 186 major consumer magazine titles. The new cataloguing activity will go back to October 2008 in order to provide historical reference, and future ads measured by Starch will also be catalogued as they are added. The resulting information is being released on a rolling basis and will be completed by July.

SVP Mickey Galin comments: 'We have increased the utility of the Starch database by adding a feature that will deepen advertisers' and agencies' understanding about which Creative elements impact readership and consumer action. For example, Starch has catalogued almost 1,900 magazine ads (appearing between October 2008 and April 2010) that feature a celebrity spokesperson. These ads can now be compared to see which were particularly successful in terms of capturing reader attention.'

As an example, the Got Milk? ad (pictured) that appeared in the February 23, 2009 issue of Time Magazine and featured Christie Brinkley was one of eight celebrity ads that attained a 90% Noted score, the highest score for all 1,900 ads.
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