Nielsen Tops of 2013: Advertising

The variety of ways we consume media is exploding, and TV advertisers are tasked with finding creative ways to break through in this complex media environment. How do some ads captivate viewers while thousands of others are readily disregarded? To gain insight, we identified the top 10 commercials and branded integrations of 2013. Why not learn from the best of the best?

As a general rule, enhancing the entertainment value of ads is a key way to boost memorability and branding. Marketers can achieve this through any combination of: telling a story that viewers can relate to; creating a connection through humor or emotion; or incorporating attention-grabbing sights and sounds. In 2013, several ads capitalized on these principles, and as a result, topped the list not only among the general population, but also by men and women separately. Subway, Party City and Kay Jewelers were able to craft ads that set themselves apart from the pack, with demonstrated success across demographics.

    Subway shows us that the consistent use of the same creative style over time works to make the imagery of an ad ownable and salient in viewers’ minds.
    Party City proves that there’s power in leveraging the attention grabbing power of a famous song and energizing dance sequence during a time of year when their brand’s value proposition is particularly relevant.
    We see once again with Kay Jewelers that romance has not died and neither has a relatable and emotional storyline’s ability to drive memorability and resonance with consumers long after they turn off the TV.

Similar to ads, product integrations in programming must become a part of the entertainment experience but by nature, they have an easy in. But the challenge for advertisers is making the placement noticeable without creating a negative impression by unnaturally force-fitting their brand into a program’s storyline. 2013 showed us that placements which seamlessly tie into the attitude of a show or habits of a character break through. Products or brands, even those that are harder to integrate at the center of a storyline, can not only work but be very successful in building awareness and shifting opinions about brands by leveraging long-term show sponsorships.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Only branded integrations airing in new episodes 2013 YTD (Jan. 1, 2013 to Nov. 30, 2013) were considered. Top branded integrations were identified by ranking on a combination of branding (percent who could recall the brand being integrated) and brand opinion shift (% who were very or somewhat likely to influence their opinion of the integrated brand after seeing the integration). Branding was weighted more heavily than brand opinion shift and the combination of the scores were indexed to the database average from the prior year. For example, with an Integration IQ index of 166, the top-ranked M&M integration has proven to be 66% more recalled and likely to shift opinion than the average new integration.

Note: Branded integrations were limited to those that aired in dramas or sitcoms.

Skip to content