Findings reveal size, device and type of media play significant role combating banner blindness

Emeryville, Calif., (July 17, 2013) – Appsnack, the Exponential-owned mobile advertising provider, today released its trend report, aggregating Q1 mobile results globally from 37 various advertisers and more than 12 verticals. The results indicate mobile marketing success metrics are dependent on ease of ad implementation, size, placement and type of device.

Appsnack’s report highlights the ad profile of their Snackbar unit, which launched early in Q1. Snackbar is the first ad unit of its kind to provide brands the opportunity to single out their advertisement, ensuring 100 percent visibility on any mobile screen. Findings revealed that Snackbar outperformed standard IAB ad sizes with 49,053,108 views compared to 8,121,942 views for IAB and 1,204,528 clicks compared to 51,737 clicks for standard IAB unit. By achieving 4.5 times higher interaction rates than standard IAB, Snackbar’s performance indicates future trends toward the success of brand awareness campaigns in the mobile marketplace.

Additional Q1 report highlights:

• Size matters – but how? For rich media, small sizes reign supreme. 300 x 250 was the highest performing ad format of all IAB for rich media campaigns with 38,174 clicks. For non-expanding campaigns, the bigger the banner the better. 728 x 90 was the best performing standard IAB size with 4,236,123 views.

• Curiosity key for tablets; engagement strong for smart phones: Tablets slightly out performed smartphones for standard banner interactions with 602,264 clicks as well as Snackbar banner clicks by .09%. Tablet users also possessed strong brand curiosity, with a higher propensity to log onto the brand site after viewing an ad compared to those on smartphones by 2.75%. One assumption for this behavior is tablets are more accessible for online shopping and purchasing. However, smartphones users showed higher engagement rates in rich media by 3.28%, including higher expansion rates with Snackbar over tablet users by .67%. Smartphone users have a higher propensity to interact with rich media due to the brief, precise messaging; exactly what a consumer is looking for on the go.

• Rich media is truly loaded: Though the mobile marketplace continues to rely heavily on clicks, the findings revealed that rich media campaigns garnered more expansions than standard banners did clicks by 1.43%.The rising trend of rich media expansions can also be found with Snackbar, achieving higher rates than standard Snackbar interactions by .92%.

Most unique to Snackbar is the size of the ad unit. Instead of using specific measurements, differentiating itself from the industry’s IAB standard units, Snackbar automatically populates to 10% of a screen’s size, adapting to different mobile devices. Designed specifically for mobile devices, Snackbar appears as a single teased ad anchored at the bottom of a screen.  As the only ad to appear, Snackbar ensures advertisers a high share of voice and reduces ad waste for publishers.

“As digital device usage increases and budget gets shifted more toward mobile and tablet, we are just beginning to define what ‘success’ means in a mobile campaign,” said Sandy Shanman, general manager, Appsnack. “Our Q1 results reveal which ad units work, where they work and why they work – indicating that we should shift focus more toward brand awareness campaigns. As our industry evolves, mobile ads are discovering more ways to boost overall impressions, encourage consumer engagement and ultimately provide brand value.”

Appsnack helps brands and their agencies build rich engaging app-like creative experiences reaching audiences at scale across mobile and tablet. It is a division of Exponential Interactive, the global digital advertising company that also owns global display advertising provider Tribal Fusion, engagement video platform Firefly Video and in-stream video advertising specialist AdoTube. Exponential is headquartered in Emeryville, California and offers its solution in 26 countries worldwide.