Call-to-Action, Color and Size Significantly Impact Campaign Performance

Market Wire, September, 2004

Advertising.com, Inc., a leading provider of results-based interactive marketing services, today released new findings from its Optigence(SM) research platform that demonstrate which design elements in online creative units are the most influential in driving performance. The findings reveal that slight variations in call-to-action, creative color and size have a dramatic effect on campaign performance.

Advertising.com employed the Taguchi methodology -- a technique through which multiple variables are tested simultaneously -- to assess the impact of different design elements on the performance of online advertisements. Advertising.com analyzed over 10 million impressions served for three unique advertisers (Advertiser A, Advertiser B and Advertiser C). Design elements tested included color, image, creative size, call-to-action, click button, concept, button versus text, advertiser logo and disclaimer placement.

Of the tested design elements, call-to-action had the greatest impact on performance -- with Advertiser A experiencing an 85 percent lift in revenue earned per thousand impressions, or RPM, for banners with a call-to-action over those without. It was not surprising to find that the presence of a call-to-action impacted performance; however, the significant lift in RPM substantiates the importance of strong call-to-action messaging in banner ads.

Creative color, disclaimer placement and size were also key performance drivers, with varying colors achieving up to a 50 percent lift for Advertiser A, disclaimers located at the bottom of an ad delivering a 14 percent lift for Advertiser B, and creative size resulting in a 45 percent lift in performance for Advertiser C.

Scott Ferber, chief executive officer of Advertising.com, said, "Countless variables affect ad performance. The ability to test multiple design elements simultaneously increases efficiency and allows for timely creative adjustments. As demonstrated by the tests conducted for these advertisers, slight variations in these variables can significantly improve performance."

Methodology

Advertising.com's Optigence research platform conducts continual analysis of anonymous user behavior based on data collected from the company's performance-based advertising network, which represents over 76% of all online users (comScore Media Metrix, August 2004).

Analysis was based on more than 10 million impressions served across Advertising.com's web network from March 18 through April 15, 2004 (Advertisers A and B) and June 29 through July 14, 2004 (Advertiser C). Impressions were tracked based on the percent lift in RPM, when comparing each variable's performance to the lowest performing design element.

About Advertising.com™, Inc.

Advertising.com, Inc. is a leading provider of results-based interactive marketing services to advertisers and publishers. We operate a large network consisting of advertising inventory purchased from web, search engine and email publishers. Through this network, and our proprietary technologies, we help advertisers develop and execute marketing programs that generate measurable results. Advertising.com is a wholly owned subsidiary of America Online, Inc. For more information, visit www.advertising.com or call 410.244.1370.

CONTACT: Lisa Jacobson Advertising.com 410-244-1370 x12043 ljacobson@advertising.com