Tuesday, June 28, 2005

Supermarket Advertising Works - WPP and Mediaedge Study

The Sensor(TM) Study was a national telephone survey released by Mediaedge:cia, a leading media communications specialist company and part of WPP's media investment management company GroupM. No details were released on the number of telephone surveys completed.

Finding of the study:
  • 51% of shoppers still move through all the aisles in the grocery store, making them a perfect target for exposure to in-store media. But most younger shoppers (aged 18-24) do not follow any specific patterns, making it a greater challenge to reach them.
  • 64% of 18-44 year-old grocery store shoppers claim their children influence their brand decision.
  • More than a third of grocery store shoppers say that in-store ads influence them to purchase a new product or to try a different brand than they usually use.
  • 44% of grocery store shoppers notice the average in-store ad. The most noticed are end-aisle displays and store leaflets/magazines; the least-noticed are shopping cart ads and in-store TV.
  • Furthermore, more then 3/4 of those who notice the in-store ads are likely to purchase the advertised brand.
    -- Different age groups respond to different types of in-store media:
    -- Product demonstrations are more effective amongst older shoppers (55-64)
    -- Store leaflets and magazines get best response from shoppers aged 45-54
    -- Shelf signs are more effective amongst 25-44 year-olds
    -- Product packaging, check-out counter ads, and ads around store entrances and parking lots get better results with 35-44 year-olds.

We agree with many of the results of the survey, even the statement that "in-store TV was the least noticed". There are a lack of nationwide in-store deployments within supermarkets, poor television placement, low frequency of fresh content and low vendor advertising support. Telephone survey respondents probably didn't even know about in-store tv, hence the finding that it was least noticed.

This will change as the industry gets smarter about deployments with integrated programs that work.

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