Brand integrations provide a powerful way for marketers and advertisers to connect with their audiences. But how can you prove ROI from these initiatives? Our CMO Paula Catoira writes for Advertising Week about how to use modern, in-the-moment conversational research techniques to help gauge the impact of sponsor and brand integrations.

Paula touches on the size and scope of today’s advertising sector, and the sheer number of ads to which consumers are exposed on a daily basis. To address this challenge and reach modern consumers, an increasing number of marketers are turning to brand or sponsor integrations—strategically weaving a brand into the storyline of popular media like films, TV shows, and influencer content—to help them stand out.

“Blending seamlessly into programming can help mitigate tune-out and ad fatigue during commercial breaks," Paula writes. "Exposure in-line with content that consumers are passionate about can also convey credibility while the ability to have a product become a part of the story can lead to emotional experiences.”

However, as effective as brand integrations can be, measuring their impact is no easy feat. Traditional research methods often fall short in capturing the true value of these integrations, as they struggle to assess the direct influence on sales and consumer behavior. This is where innovative, in-the-moment research approaches become essential.

Modernizing brand integration measurement

Brand integrations are a significant investment, often requiring hundreds of thousands of dollars to execute. Paula says that it is crucial for brands to obtain detailed performance insights to ensure they’re getting a good return on their investment. “Here’s where implementing an in-the-moment research methodology such as what we call a ‘Watch Party’ can help. I’ve seen this kind of mobile-first, conversational research approach help both media brands and advertisers uncover detailed performance insights.”

By recruiting research participants who plan to watch a specific program and interacting with them before, during, and after the viewing, brands can gain valuable insights. For example, they can assess whether the brand integration elicited an emotional response or understand the viewing context, such as whether the viewer watched alone or with others.

3 ways to measure the impact of brand and sponsor integrations

In the article, Paula outlines three practical tips for marketers and advertisers looking to measure the impact of their brand and sponsor integrations: 

Make it real-time: Engage research participants in real-time by pre-recruiting them and using mobile research technology to gather feedback as the event unfolds. This immediate feedback is crucial for understanding the effectiveness of the integration.

Keep it quick: Ensure that surveys are short, relevant, and adaptable to the live event. Using engaging, conversational surveys via text or SMS can help maintain the viewer's attention and capture authentic, in-the-moment reactions.

Extend the conversation: Continue engaging with viewers after the event to track long-term behavior changes and brand lift. High recontact rates can provide comprehensive data throughout the campaign’s lifecycle, helping teams understand consumer preferences and behaviors over time.

Gathering data is only part of the equation; activating those insights is key to driving business decisions. By providing stakeholders with easily digestible, actionable insights, brands can maximize the organizational impact of their research.

“As the advertising landscape continues to evolve, so too must our measurement of impact,” Paula concludes. “Traditional surveys can miss the nuances of how ads are experienced in real-time, leaving teams with gaps in their understanding…Modern, in-the-moment, conversational research techniques are paving the way for a more accurate and insightful evaluation of effectiveness.” 

If you’re interested in learning more about our approach to optimizing and measuring the ROI of brand integrations, check out our masterclass webinar or read Paula’s Advertising Week article.