Cross-Media Measurement: A Dive into Real ROAS Results

By NCS Marketing 

In today's fast-paced world, it's pretty rare to find someone glued to just one screen or media channel. Most of us are juggling multiple devices and channels simultaneously. And guess what? When we're scrolling through our phones while catching up on TV shows, brands want to know which ads are making an impact in this multitasking mix.

That's why brands are diving headfirst into cross-media and cross-screen strategies. Recent brand marketer studies show 30% are investing more in CTV and OTT, while 65% are increasing their investments in online video.

But here's the wrinkle. As money flows into all these different channels, it's causing a headache for researchers at brands and publishers. You see, each channel traditionally has its own set of performance metrics, making it a challenge to compare apples to oranges. How can a TV network figure out if CTV is delivering the same sales impact as linear TV? And what's the secret sauce for a publisher to complement a national TV campaign?

More Effective CPG Cross-Media Measurement

Enter the hero of our story: effective cross-media measurement. Imagine it as your trusty measuring tape, helping you size up each channel similarly. It's like getting the same ruler for every type of project, making comparisons a breeze. And believe us, 52% of brand marketers say they always or often want the same marketing KPIs across all advertising channels, whether it’s digital, linear TV, connected TV, social or mobile.¹

 The Campaign We Measured

A major beverage brand ran a campaign that spanned linear TV and social media. NCS stepped in as the cross-media measurement wizards on behalf of the social media publisher. After the campaign, we spilled the beans to the client, giving them the inside scoop on how effective their cross-media efforts were at driving extra sales.

The findings revealed that the overall campaign drove a nice return on ad spend (ROAS). The social media platform extended the reach of TV and created additional incremental sales. Both media worked synergistically to create a bonus effect - sales above the expected outcomes. Let’s dig into the details just a little more to understand how all the components complement each other.

 The Overall Effect

The overall effect answers the most basic question - was my cross-media campaign successful at driving incremental sales? Drumroll, please! 

The findings revealed that the campaign was a slam dunk across both media types, reaching 90MM+ households, delivering a fantastic return on ad spend (ROAS) of $1.96 and driving over $9,000,000 in incremental sales. Seems like a pretty successful campaign, right? But was adding social media to the campaign a smart move?

 The Incremental Reach and Sales Effect

The incremental reach and sales effect were even more impressive. By adding social media, the campaign reached an extra 13 million households and boosted incremental sales by almost $2,000,000. The ROAS for the social part? A whopping $3.00. It was like adding a turbocharger to an already powerful engine.

But did combining the media have any additional impact? How did they work together?

The Synergy Effect

Now, here's where it gets really exciting – the synergy effect. When both media channels teamed up, it wasn't just a simple 1+1=2 situation. It was more like 1+1=3. That's because households exposed to both channels added an extra $400,000 in incremental sales. In simple terms, these households upped their purchases because they saw the campaign on both channels.

How to Use Cross-Media Reports

So, how can you put these cross-media reports to work for you? If you're a publisher or a TV network, these insights can help your clients understand how your media contributes to their overall sales and reach. It's your ticket to becoming a trusted adviser.

TV networks can showcase how CTV extends reach, and digital publishers can highlight their media's perfect partnership with national TV campaigns. In the end, brands get a comprehensive view of how their campaigns performed in driving that all-important ROAS.

Ready to provide your clients with the full picture? Get in touch with us today!

¹  Brand Innovators & NCSolutions CPG Marketers Survey 2022