Static Image, Rich Media or Video?

Of images, rich media and video, which is best for mobile marketing?

Schibsted removed some of this guesswork in 2015 by surveying more than 37,000 mobile visitors to its news outlet Aftonbladet about their responses to various types of ad campaigns they saw for products ranging from fast food to luxury cars. 

Aftonbladet mobile users saw over the course of a week from ten major advertisers, from Mercedes to Burger King, in three formats: a static image, interactive rich media, and video, for a total of 30 different possible campaigns, each eventually seen approximately 400,000 times. Users then received surveys based on the variety of ad campaigns they ultimately saw (the work here was carried out in partnership with Lund University in Sweden).

The study revealed that the most effective of these formats was the static image. Static banner ads had the greatest effect on a reader’s preference for a brand and intent to purchase the item advertised — and those are among the categories that matter most to advertisers who, at the end of the day, want to sell something.

Keep it simple.