Specific Media Launches First Annual Benchmark Study Proving Display Ads Drive Consumers to Search

Proprietary Research Leverages comScore Data Spanning 60+ Specific Media Campaigns

To Provide Brand Advertisers with Measurable Impact

Irvine, Calif. – December 3, 2008 – Specific Media, the world’s largest independent media platform, today unveiled new research that shows display advertising significantly lifts search activity. The study leverages 12 months of proprietary Specific Media Ad Effectiveness data backed by comScore, tracking more than 60+ Specific Media campaigns to draw averages demonstrating the direct correlation between display advertising and search. The benchmark study provides brand advertisers with unique, measurable insights into the effectiveness of their display advertising campaigns.



“Specific Media provides its brand advertisers with unique post-campaign reporting tools that show how their display campaigns impact search, site visitation and engagement,” said Chris Vanderhook, COO, Specific Media. “We’ve always known that display advertising significantly impacts consumer activity, now we provide brand advertisers with the tools and validation to verify and quantify that impact.”

The study demonstrates that consumers exposed to display advertising were more likely to search for brand terms (i.e. automotive manufacturer), and segment terms (i.e. vehicle class), than unexposed consumers. Segmented results include:

Display Advertising Lift on Search Activity

Advertiser Category Search (Brand & Segment)
Automotive 144%
CPG 22%
Health 260%
News & Media 144%
Personal Finance 206%
Property & Real Estate 125%
Retail 69%
Travel & Tourism 274%
Average Lift 155%

Averages based on comScore Ad Effectiveness data for Specific Media display advertising clients over 12-month period ending August 2008.

The study shows that display advertising has a direct impact on both paid and organic searches and clicks. “As advertisers look to control their media spend, measure impact and validate the effectiveness of their marketing efforts, strategies that lift organic traffic are invaluable,” said Vanderhook.

Through a suite of pre- and post-campaign reports, utilizing data from comScore and other leading industry sources, Specific Media is the only advertising network offering online advertisers a truly cumulative view of campaign effectiveness, delivering valuable best practices data for current and future media planning.

About Specific Media (www.specificmedia.com)

Specific Media is uniquely positioned as the world’s largest independent media platform, solving the reach and data problems facing today’s advertisers. Specific Media enables advertisers to target consumers throughout North America and Western Europe based on demographics, behaviors, geographic locations and the contextual relevance of websites visited. Specific Media’s Premium Network reaches more than 150 million US consumers and 225 million consumers globally each month. With a relentless focus on delivering measurable, predictable results in a brand-friendly environment, Specific Media is defining tomorrow’s marketing standards, today.