WHY IN-CONTENT ADVERTISING?
The Core Amplification Effect
Kantar's Brand Lift Insights methodology used live control/exposed research design across US, UK, and German campaigns. When in-content ads were added to TV spot campaigns, every brand metric increased significantly.
+12
Ad Awareness
Percentage point increase from 62% to 74%
+6
Consideration
Lift from 85% to 91%
+6
Favorability
Increase from 87% to 93%
These are incremental lifts on top of already high baselines for strong brands, making them particularly notable in the competitive media landscape.
Sales and Purchase Impact
Kantar used a re-contact methodology, surveying the same respondents up to 30 days post-campaign to measure actual consumption and purchase behavior. This bottom-funnel evidence connects brand metrics directly to consumer spending.
Product Consumption
56% exposed to in-content advertising consumed the product vs. 34% for TV spot only
+22 ppt increase
Purchase Rate
58% exposed purchased the featured product vs. 44% for TV spot only
+14 ppt increase
Spend Levels
56% spent $6+ for in-content audience vs. 45% for TV spot audience
+11 ppt increase
The Attention and Reach Advantage
Virtual placements become structural rather than just incremental. In-content ads deliver +22% to +49% higher audience compared to TV spot breaks because the brand appears within programming content itself—no audience drop-off from ad breaks.
67%
TV Content
Visual screen focus
33%
TV Advertising
Visual screen focus
84%
BVOD Content
Visual screen focus
12%
BVOD Ads
Visual screen focus
2.8x Multiplier
TV spot reaches net attentive audience of 33%, while Rembrand in-content placement reaches 93%—a dramatic attention advantage.
89%
Leave the room during ad breaks
88%
Skip ads when possible
81%
Switch channels during commercials
Frequency and Cumulative Exposure
Kantar research demonstrated that higher frequency of in-content exposure drives progressively stronger results, particularly down-funnel. The jump to 94% consideration at 30+ cumulative seconds supports always-on in-content campaigns.
Consumer Sentiment Favors the Format
Audience preference is now a key factor in media budget allocation decisions. The data strongly favors in-content advertising, with viewers 7x more likely to prefer in-content ads over TV spots.
75%
Like In-Content Format
vs. only 12% who enjoy traditional advertising
84%
Natural Fit
Said placements fit naturally into programs
78%
Not Distracting
Found placements unobtrusive
75%
Innovative
Perceived format as innovative
Positive Ad Experiences Drive Purchase
45% store purchase rate with positive experiences vs. 35% with negative. 42% online purchase vs. 26%. 64% higher cart additions.
Contextual Relevance and Emotional Targeting
Lancaster University eye-tracking study found contextually relevant integrations drove +40% increase in product views and +20% higher ad recall. Brands can leverage emotional power of content in ways traditional commercial breaks cannot.
Sad Scenes
+27% perceived price increase for food brands during emotionally charged sad moments
Anticipation Scenes
+6% brand value lift for automotive brands during anticipation moments
Disgust Scenes
+22% perceived value increase for CPG brands in disgust scenes
SparkNeuro lab research using EEG, facial coding, eye tracking, and galvanic skin response revealed significant lifts in perceived brand value when insertions occurred during emotionally charged scenes.
Complementary Brand Placements
Kantar found that placing two complementary brands in the same scene actually performed better for both brands than singular placements. This opens up shared inventory opportunities that can reduce costs while increasing effectiveness.
Ad Awareness
+6 ppt higher at 62%
Favorability
+4 ppt at 83%
Purchase Intent
+3 ppt at 81%
The Strategic Rationale
Virtual in-content placements create win-win scenarios: brands achieve better performance at potentially lower costs through shared placements, while media companies unlock new monetizable inventory within content itself.
The Complete Picture
Virtual in-content placements aren't a replacement for TV spots—they're an amplifier. The combination addresses several structural challenges simultaneously and turns every scene into a potential touchpoint without negative perception baggage.
This strategic approach creates value across the ecosystem: media companies gain new monetizable inventory, brands achieve superior performance metrics, and consumers enjoy less intrusive advertising experiences.
For Brands
Superior metrics across awareness, consideration, favorability, and actual purchase behavior with better consumer sentiment
For Media Companies
New revenue streams from in-content inventory without disrupting viewer experience or programming flow
For Consumers
Less intrusive advertising that feels natural, innovative, and contextually relevant to content they're already enjoying