Rich Media Ads Drive Purchase Intent for the Holidays

As we head into the 2022 holiday media planning season, a lot of changes in the advertising industry will surely impact our strategies. From a lack of third-party cookies, to the rise of first-party data, to the boom we’ve seen in audio and video, and many more, there are plenty of hurdles and opportunities to navigate in order to stand out in a crowded Q4 landscape. 

With all of these changes to navigate, one thing remains steady: the impact creative has on performance over the holiday season. At PadSquad, ​​we believe that truly remarkable creative stimulates the senses and captures the attention of holiday shoppers in an exciting way that influences action. As third-party cookies have taken a major hit this year impacting our ability as marketers to target our audience, creative has never been more important. 

Holiday shoppers are heavily influenced by digital advertising. During the 2021 holiday season, we asked adults to reflect on their intent to purchase after viewing a digital ad. 71% of shoppers were influenced by a mobile ad, with 70% influenced by desktop ads, and only 57% influenced by social media ads, proving that shoppers' purchase decisions are heavily influenced by what they see online during the holiday season. 

But it’s not just any old advertising format that effectively influences audiences. Rich media formats are the key to delivering scroll-stopping messaging and engaging consumers during the holidays. In fact, rich media advertising goes one step further than engagement, and is proven to drive holiday purchases. After viewing high impact ads that featured holiday gifting ideas, we asked our audience what motivated their holiday purchases. Deals or discounts topped the list, with ad design ranked as a second top motivator, proving that ad creative influences emotion and behavior. 

When compared to standard, static banners, high impact creative like rich media drives consideration. We shared a series of branded holiday-themed ad creatives to consumers and asked them which brand they would most likely consider when shopping for self or family. All rich media creatives drove 16 points or higher in brand lift versus the static control units. 

Why is rich media so much more effective at moving the needle for brands versus standard banners? Because rich formats offer the perfect blend of real estate and interactivity to pull consumers through the funnel from awareness to purchase. Unlike standard banners, rich media offers endless creative opportunities for brands. From AR try on, to voice commands, to gamification. All while keeping the consumer within the ad, providing an optimal, non-intrusive ad experience to drive meaningful engagement. 

In the rush of holiday media planning, don’t get tempted to throw together simple static banners. They won’t work. Rich media creative has the power to break through and change perception with consumers!

Need a little creative inspo? Check out our gallery of high impact ad creatives that broke through Q4 clutter and made an impact during the holiday season. Or contact us to learn more about how we effectively help brands plan for the holidays.