That’s where our cutting-edge AI-powered design analysis tool comes in. By leveraging behavioural science and AI, it provides expert-backed insights in under four minutes, helping brands optimise their in-store media for maximum impact.
We put this tool to the test, analysing retail media executions from Tesco and Sainsbury’s.
Both retailers featured large video-based gondola ends, positioned adjacent to the main power aisle in two major supermarkets, competing directly for shopper attention. So, which one performed better? Let’s dive into the results.
What is Design Effectiveness?
Before we get into the findings, let’s define what we mean by “design effectiveness.” It’s not about how visually appealing or artistic an execution is. It’s about how well the design aligns with shopper psychology, how real people think, feel, and make purchasing decisions in-store.
Our tool analyses over 40,000 data points, distilling them into an effectiveness score that quantifies how well a piece of retail media will perform.
Lindt Takes the Lead: The Data Breakdown
When we assessed six different campaigns, Lindt’s ‘With Love’ campaign emerged as the clear winner, scoring 12% higher than any other execution. Just imagine the impact a 12% uplift in effectiveness could have on your brand’s bottom line.
To put this in perspective, the global average effectiveness score for a design sits at 46%. However, designs optimised using psychological principles can reach 70% or higher, meaning there’s plenty of room for improvement across the board.
So, what factors influenced these effectiveness scores? Let’s break it down:
- Visibility & Standout: How well does the design capture attention in a crowded retail environment?
- Appeal: Does the visual and emotional impact of the media resonate with shoppers?
- Engagement: Does it encourage further interaction or interest?
- Purchase Intent: How well does it drive actual buying behaviour?
Key Findings: What Worked Best?
Best for Visibility & Standout: Sainsbury’s Baby Event (Single Product)
Among all campaigns tested, the highest visibility score came from the Sainsbury’s Baby Event animation, specifically when showcasing a single product. Interestingly, when the execution featured two products simultaneously, its impact dropped considerably.
Best for Appeal: Sainsbury’s Baby Event (Single Product)
Again, the Sainsbury’s Baby Event campaign led the way in terms of emotional and visual appeal. Keeping the focus on a single product allowed for a clearer, more compelling message.
Best for Engagement: Pukka ‘Sip, Soothe, Sleep’
The Pukka campaign achieved the highest engagement score, thanks to a clear graphic hierarchy, well-structured information, and imagery that complemented rather than overwhelmed the message.
Best for Purchase Intent: Pukka ‘Sip, Soothe, Sleep’
When it came to the all-important metric of purchase intent, Pukka’s media scored the highest, reaching an impressive 69% optimisation in driving propensity to purchase.
The Psychology Behind the Results: System 1 vs System 2 Thinking
To understand why these executions performed as they did, we turn to two key cognitive processing systems:
- System 1: Fast, instinctive, and emotional thinking.
- System 2: Slower, more deliberate, and logical thinking.
Our analysis found that Sainsbury’s retail media was more effective at appealing to System 1 thinking, though neither retailer scored above 50% in this area. Instead, both performed better when assessed from a System 2 perspective, indicating that their messaging required more time and mental effort to process than is optimal.
Given that most shoppers engage with in-store media only fleetingly, this presents a major opportunity for improvement.
A Missed Opportunity: Emotional Engagement
Across all campaigns, emotional engagement scores were under 50%, far below the 70%+ benchmark seen in highly effective campaigns. This suggests a significant area for growth, as emotionally engaging content is proven to drive stronger recall and purchase behaviour.
What Makes a Design More Effective? Key Takeaways
A deeper dive into the design elements revealed some key factors affecting effectiveness:
- Imagery: On average, imagery effectiveness was low, just 26% in Sainsbury’s and 28% in Tesco. While product-focused imagery supports brand recall, it could be better leveraged to promote consumption occasions and enhance appeal.
- Typography: Both sets of media used clear, legible fonts. However, Sainsbury’s made greater use of upper and lower case text, which is easier to process than Tesco’s predominantly all-caps approach.
- Brand Assets: Both retailers successfully used logos and colours to reinforce brand recognition and recall.
- Calls to Action: Some campaigns lacked clear CTAs. For example, in Tesco, the Walkers campaign only displayed the phrase ‘Find me in the Crisps aisle’ in three out of five scenes, limiting its impact. Meanwhile, Müller’s media seemed more like brand marketing than shopper marketing, with no direct call to action at all.
- Movement: Every campaign effectively incorporated movement, an essential factor for attracting attention in-store.
Why Design Effectiveness Analysis is a Game-Changer for Your Brand
This isn’t just about improving one campaign, it’s about fostering a culture of data-driven creativity that transforms your entire retail media strategy. Here’s how our Design Effectiveness tool can help:
- Optimised Impact: Get clear, actionable insights to refine your media for maximum effectiveness.
- Better ROI: Drive stronger engagement and conversions, ensuring your marketing budget works harder.
- Faster Turnaround: Receive detailed AI-powered analysis in minutes, enabling swift optimisation.
- Confidence in Creativity: Take the guesswork out of design by combining creative expertise with data-backed insights.
Ready to Elevate Your Retail Media?
In a world of shrinking attention spans and increasing competition, optimising your in-store media isn’t just important, it’s essential. Our AI-powered tool gives you the insights you need to create retail media that truly resonates with shoppers and drives measurable results
Want to see how psychologically effective your shopper marketing really is? Our tool can tell you in minutes. Watch this short video to learn more, or get in touch today!
