Winning the Great Brand Race
What 569 campaigns reveal about the media mix that grows brands.
More channels. More choice.
So, what actually grows a brand?
That’s the question at the heart of our major new channel effectiveness study from the IPA and Bauer Media.
New analysis of 569 award-entered campaigns in the IPA Effectiveness Databank, over the 15 years between 2010 and 2024, evidences the contribution of audio, out of home and publishing to campaign effectiveness - and crucially adds the link between the marketing science and how advertisers can put this new learning to work.
+33%
more brand effects
Source
Winning the Great Brand Race, IPA Effectiveness Databank, 569 award-entered campaigns, 2010–2024.
66%
reported very large gains in trust (vs 39%)
Source
Winning the Great Brand Race, IPA Effectiveness Databank, 569 award-entered campaigns, 2010–2024.
70%
reported very large gains in new customers (vs 54%)
Source
Winning the Great Brand Race, IPA Effectiveness Databank, 569 award-entered campaigns, 2010–2024.
45%
reported strong activation effects (vs 15%)
Source
Winning the Great Brand Race, IPA Effectiveness Databank, 569 award-entered campaigns, 2010–2024.
The problem and the proof
Growth starts long before the sale
Most of your future customers aren't buying today. Brands grow by reaching them anyway: building the memories that bring a brand to mind when they're ready to buy, then being there when they are.
That's where the IPA data gets interesting. Campaigns that put audio, out of home and publishing in the plan reported more brand effects, more trust and more new customers than those that didn't. Here's what stood out.
A taste of the 6 stand-out findings:
Stronger brands, not just more awareness.
Campaigns using all three channels averaged 5.6 strong brand effects, against 4.2 for those using none. That covers quality, values and commitment, not just being seen.
Trust you can take to the bank.
Two thirds of campaigns using all three reported very large trust gains, against 39% without. Trust is where the combination stands out most.
Emotion works harder in the right mix.
Find out why emotionally led creative delivered more business effects when audio, OOH and publishing ran together.
It's not just about having the biggest budget.
At every level of spend, from under £2.5m to £40m+, campaigns using audio and OOH reported more brand effects. See how the gap grows as budgets rise.
Activation isn't just a digital story.
45% of three-channel campaigns reported strong activation effects, three times the rate of those without. Discover why the last click isn't the whole story.
Growth comes from winning more buyers.
70% reported very large gains in new customers, against 54%. Plus, which categories and brand types have the most to gain.
The tease
One finding that might change how you split your media budget?
Among campaigns that achieved very large brand effects, those using audio, OOH and publishing put a noticeably smaller share of budget into brand building. That leaves more for activation, without giving up the long-term effects. The full report shows the numbers, and what it could mean for the well-established 60:40 rule.
From evidence to action
How to win the great brand race
Get all of the findings from 569 IPA campaigns, plus what they mean for trust, acquisition, budget and the brand-activation split. You’ll also get an understanding of the Bauer Effect - five principles for planning a media mix that grows brands, and five practical steps for making audio, outdoor and publishing work together:
- Build memories that make your brand come to mind, and stand apart
- Refresh them so they stay easy to recall
- Remind buyers of your brand as they move into market
- Reinforce choice close to purchase
- Reach the light buyers essential to brand growth
Get the full report
22 pages of evidence, charts and practical steps for planning a media mix that grows brands, in collaboration with IPA and their Effectiveness Databank.