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New research suggests that Internet can complement traditional advertising media
MUMBAI: In a joint presentation to agency and corporate advertising executives, the Advertising Research Foundation (ARF), the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), the MSN network of Internet services from Microsoft and researcher Rex Briggs have announced the results of groundbreaking new research. These validate the importance of online advertising. The exercise, which took a year to compile, examined the relative effectiveness of and synergies between online and traditional media advertising.
The research found that online advertising’s share in the media mix can have a significant increase in the effectiveness of an overall advertising campaign. With the support of ARF and IAB methodology, MSN commissioned award-winning researcher Rex Briggs of Marketing Evolution to examine the role the Internet plays in the advertising mix of a consumer package goods brand.
Although recent studies have proven that online advertising is an effective branding medium, the research marks one of the first times online advertising was studied in tandem within an overall advertising campaign and therefore provides more realistic results.
An official release states that until the results of the research, media planners and buyers often were challenged to quantify the benefits of increasing online advertising’s share of the media mix. The study is one of the first of its kind to measure the effectiveness of recent advertising campaigns by working with Unilever Home & Personal Care’s Dove Nutrium Bar in the real world and in real time.
Briggs conducted the independent, third-party study with Dynamic Logic Inc., a leading independent research firm focused on advertising effectiveness. Unilever, Web Marketing LLC and Mindshare were engaged in the analysis and assisted to ensure that all Dove’s online and offline advertising was properly accounted for and carefully tracked.
Here are some of the research conclusions:
1. The research suggests that CPG brands that increase their online advertising may result in increased key metric, such as brand awareness, brand attributes and purchase intent.
2. Higher online frequency boosts branding effectiveness. Specifically increasing the number of online impressions from six impressions to 12 impressions over six weeks can increase Dove Nutrium Bar’s overall branding effectiveness by 42 per cent.
The results of this research are considered valuable to the ad fraternity because they demonstrate that the Internet can dramatically improve a brand’s ROI on overall marketing when it is a significant part of the overall media mix.
Greg Stuart, president and CEO IAB said: “We believe this landmark research is so important that we have already gotten agreement from the entire IAB board and other members to conduct a Phase II study with more than 15 publishers and six major marketers.”
Rex Biggs works with Marketing Evolution. It is a marketing measurement consultancy focused on helping marketers increase overall performance offline and online. MSN claims to attract more than 270 million unique users worldwide per month. It also claims availability in 34 markets and 18 languages. Founded in 1996, the IAB is American industry’s leading interactive advertising association and represents companies that sell over 70 percent of online advertising. Founded in 1936, the ARF claims to be the pre-eminent American industry organisation in the field of advertising, marketing and media research.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
