Objective ad testing and brand lift measurement reveal brands that scored big with consumers

Customer experience (CX) platform DISQO today released its third annual Big Game Brand Lift report and revealed which ads delivered the most positive consumer reactions and attitudinal changes. In the analysis, DISQO’s Ad Testing and Brand Lift products were used to provide unparalleled views of performance, including creative appeal (memorability, uniqueness, relevancy, believability, etc.) and boosts to brand awareness. DISQO’s report moves beyond subjective critiques to highlight business-driving results for these multi-million dollar advertising investments.

“The financial investments brands make in the Big Game are significant, to say the least, so evaluating impact with objective data is crucial,” said Patrick Egan, DISQO’s Director of Research and Insights. “Participating brands want immediate and positive consumer responses and to drive measurable lifts in sentiment and action. Our industry-leading Brand Lift product, combined with our new, agile Ad Testing product, gives a broad, robust and objective perspective about which creative strategies were the most impactful.”

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DISQO’s analysis depicts top overall performers on a crowded advertising playing field:

Here is another view of the top 10 ads:

1. Indiana Jones: Dial of Destiny
2. WeatherTech
3. Popcorners
4. Farmer’s Dog
5. Creed 3
6. Marvel’s Guardian of the Galaxy, Vol. 3
7. Air – Courting a Legend
8. Doritos Sweet & Tangy BBQ
9. Heineken 0.0
10. He Gets Us (Be Childlike)

Nostalgia is a winner.

Thirty-one percent of ads used nostalgic references. Compared to humorous ads, nostalgic ones saw a much higher overall performance, driven by moderate gains in creative appeal (+5 points) and even bigger gains in brand lift (+8 points). Leaning into nostalgia can yield consistent results with a range of targets within the Big Game audience.

Diversity drives success.

Similar to last year, ads with racial diversity (68% of total ads) outperformed those that utilized only caucasian actors by about 3 points overall. Results are stronger in creative appeal (+3 points) versus brand lift (+1 point). Brands embracing inclusion will continue to see outsized success as the U.S. becomes a majority minority nation.

Calls to action (CTAs) drive brand lift, but detract from creative appeal.

This year, 24% of commercials leveraged a CTA, but their effectiveness in driving positive consumer reactions is mixed. Overall, CTA-centric ads saw -5 points in creative appeal and +3 points in brand lift, netting to a minimal overall impact. However, ads with specific CTAs, like QR codes, sweepstakes, or URLs, were much more successful driving brand lift. Brands should use CTAs selectively, based on their unique goals.

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