System1 Launches Test Your Ad Digital Backed by Pinterest Validation

System1, a leader in advertising effectiveness, today launched Test Your Ad Digital to predict and improve the commercial impact of digital advertising. Test Your Ad measures viewers’ emotional responses to creative, assigning a one to 5.9-Star Rating based on an ad’s ability to drive long-term growth, and a Spike Rating that predicts short-term sales potential. System1 worked with Pinterest on a multi-market validation using creative from global brands to confirm its digital ad metrics are predictive of real business effects, and noted that digital ads with an above-average Star Rating yielded six times higher brand lift in action intent.

US ad spend is expected to grow 4.3% in 2023 to more than $305 billion, with digital advertising comprising 70% of total spend, according to WARC. This makes Test Your Ad Digital a well-suited solution for next-day predictions and detailed metrics and diagnostics.

“Digital advertising continues to get a bigger piece of the ad spend pie, but requires a precise approach given these channels promote shortened attention spans,” said Jon Evans, chief customer officer, System1. “As our research with Pinterest demonstrates, Test Your Ad Digital provides accurate predictions, as well as actionable improvements so advertisers can make the most effective digital ads.”

In addition to providing the Star Rating and a Spike Rating that predicts short-term sales potential, Test Your Ad Digital reports highlight Digital Fluency, or brand recognition within the first two seconds. This is specifically calculated with lower-attention digital media platforms in mind. The reports also include Attention Trace and Attention Time measures. Attention Trace shows the proportion of people viewing the ad at each second (i.e., have not skipped), while Attention Time shows the average percentage of the ad viewed by the audience as a whole. Together, these measures demonstrate an ad’s ability to hold attention and showcase the point at which engagement is lost.

“System1 has long been advising brands and agencies on digital advertising, and this product makes it even easier for them to quickly and easily test their creative to understand its potential,” added Jon. 

System1 will address digital advertising best practices at the upcoming Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2023. Chief innovation officer Orlando Wood will take the stage alongside Dr. Karen Nelson-Field and Rob Brittain. Building upon the findings from his IPA best-selling publication Look out, he will highlight the latest effectiveness research and offer insight on what works and why to help brands succeed in digital.