EXPRESS: The Impact of Ad Length on Ad Effectiveness: Do Micro Ads Work?

As media viewers shift expectations toward content and ads, advertisers are increasingly exploring micro ads. Yet, limited research has examined micro ads, especially on TV. This research uses a multimethod approach to investigate micro ad effectiveness on behavioral outcomes and, more broadly, provide insights into the relationship between ad length and ad effectiveness in the current media landscape. Analyzing observational data on retailers’ TV advertising, web traffic, and online sales, the authors find that micro ads spur more immediate web traffic than longer ads. Micro and non-micro ads exhibit similar direct impacts on online sales, but micro ads can indirectly increase online sales more by driving increased traffic. Results from a field experiment using social media ads corroborate these findings, showing that micro ads outperform non-micro ads in driving web traffic and social media engagement. The analyses suggest that viewer impatience for longer ads may be a plausible mechanism that explains why micro ads see increased effectiveness. The findings offer timely insights for advertisers and ad platforms seeking economical, attractive ad inventory.