The success of Australian TV advertising campaigns at the Cannes Lions this year has been swiftly followed by the release of a new study revealing that the most creatively-awarded advertising campaigns also reap the best business results for their clients.

The new research, from the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) and UK television industry body Thinkbox, examined the relationship between success in the world’s most respected creative awards (as determined by The Gunn Report), and performance in hard business terms, using results sourced from the IPA Effectiveness Awards Databank. The study included analysis of 175 ad campaigns. The vast majority of Gunn Report creative scores – 74 per cent – were for TV commercials, illustrating that TV creativity was at the heart of the success of these campaigns.

The study found that the most creatively-awarded advertising campaigns are, in fact, 11 times more efficient at delivering business success.

The research revealed that creatively-awarded campaigns were far more likely to be emotional than rational - which is a proven key strength of the television medium. It also found that creative awards strongly reflect the ‘likeability’ of ad campaigns amongst consumers.

The study not only examined business success in terms of effectiveness (the campaign’s ability to drive business effects such as share, sales, profit and loyalty) but also efficiency (share growth per point of Excess Share of Voice or ESOV).

It found that creatively awarded campaigns that invested in ‘excess share of voice’ (ESOV) performed particularly well in delivering business objectives. In fact, with the same level of ESOV, creatively-awarded campaigns would have driven twice the market share growth for their clients as non-awarded ones.

Peter Field, author of the new study said: "The takeout from this report should be that creative campaigns are more effective when they have more, rather than less, budget put behind them; and that creativity helps drives long-term business success, providing a powerful antidote to the short-term nature of so much activity today."

One high-profile campaign that reflects the report’s findings is this year’s Grand Prix winner in the Cannes Film Lions category: Old Spice’s “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like”, created by Weiden + Kennedy in the U.S.

Launched in February using the Holy Grail of US advertising – a TV spot in the Super Bowl – the campaign used TV to introduce the charismatic “Old Spice Man” to the American public, before branching out into a series of successful viral spin-offs in July.

The Old Spice television campaign won the Film Grand Prix because, "it took an old, sleepy brand and woke it up, and overnight wove its way into popular culture," said jury President Mark Tutssel, global chief creative officer of Leo Burnett Worldwide. He added that the commercial showed "the power of creativity to ignite a sleeping giant."

Old Spice is now the number one male body wash and deodorant in both dollar and volume share.

The IPA/ Thinkbox research proves that creativity actually does result in the best business outcomes and demonstrates why TV remains the weapon of choice for advertisers seeking the winning trifecta of brand fame, advertising effectiveness and efficiency.

These findings were shared to delegates at an event organised by Thinkbox on 16th June 2010. To hear the webcast, or purchase the full report, click here.

Published August 2010