Nielsen Tracks Most Memorable Ads in the U.K.

Darren Moore, VP Research, Nielsen IAG

Recently, Nielsen launched the TV advertising effectiveness solution Nielsen IAG in the U.K. and published its inaugural U.K. data on the most memorable TV ads for the period Jan. 25 through Feb. 21. The research showed that while Colgate’s advert featuring a tooth-sensitivity test in a shopping mall was the most memorable ad (87 percent more likely to be remembered than the average ad), Mr. Muscle’s ‘superhero’ ad helping a woman unclog a sink made Mr. Muscle the most recalled advertiser (157 percent more likely to be recalled than the average advertiser).

Ideally an ad would score well on how many people remembered it (General Recall) but also on how many remembered who the advertiser was (Brand Recall). The first is a measure of an ad’s ability to break through and generate a memorable impression and is the main indicator of creative strength. The second reflects impact, a key gauge of how well a brand is being communicated through an ad

Mr. Muscle’s ‘superhero’ ad, for example, scored high on both General Recall and Brand Recall. An ad that has much higher General Recall than Brand Recall, however, may be suffering from poor brand communication. For example, the ad in which British Formula One racing driver Lewis Hamilton, a former world champion, helps build a big red Lego-type bridge scored very high on ad recall but comparatively low on how many remembered it was for Santander.