ESPN Urges Advertisers to Hit All Devices

As television networks head into the annual “upfront” advertising-selling season, ESPN is trying to convince marketers that the key to effective ads is getting in front of viewers across all their devices. New research from the ESPN Lab found that combining TV commercials with digital video ads can increase awareness and, perhaps most importantly, a consumer’s intent to purchase.

The results showed that airing a combination of TV commercials, short-form videos and ads on the channel’s app WatchESPN led to a 160 percent increase in purchase intent than if the marketer only ran a TV ad. Awareness increased 36 percent and word of mouth rose 67 percent, the study found. Online and mobile ads are increasingly important for advertisers because they allow for more personalized and targeted messaging. While TV still remains a force in the advertising industry, it is facing more competition for viewers who can now catch shows on video-on-demand and web-video services that allow them to skip through commercials. Events like sports games on ESPN still attract a large live TV audience, but adding mobile and online advertising to the mix helps reach consumers who are often using their mobile device as a second screen while they’re watching TV.