Key Points
- Brand lift studies measure the causal impact of advertising, not just exposure or engagement.
- They isolate whether a campaign changed perception by comparing exposed and unexposed audiences.
- Brand lift goes beyond clicks and conversions, revealing changes in awareness, recall, consideration, and intent.
- Different types of brand lift studies support different objectives, from creative testing to channel evaluation.
- Brand lift studies help connect media investment to brand growth, not just short-term performance.
Clicks, impressions, and conversions provide limited insight. Performance metrics show outcomes but do not explain why they occurred or whether your marketing influenced brand perception. Brand lift studies address this gap.
Brand lift studies measure the incremental impact of advertising on brand perception, helping organizations determine whether campaigns drive meaningful changes in awareness, consideration, recall, or intent and how those insights support better marketing decisions.
What Are Brand Lift Studies?
Brand lift studies use research to evaluate how advertising exposure affects brand perception. By comparing responses from exposed and unexposed groups, marketers can attribute observed differences to the advertising.
Unlike brand tracking, which measures long-term trends, brand lift studies are campaign-specific and time-bound. Their main purpose is to determine if a campaign influenced how people think or feel about the brand.
Why Brand Lift Studies Are Essential
Many marketing teams focus on performance indicators such as click-through rate, cost per acquisition, or conversions. While useful, these metrics do not capture the full impact of advertising, especially for upper- and mid-funnel campaigns.
Brand lift studies help organizations:
- Understand whether advertising changed brand awareness or consideration.
- Evaluate how creative, messaging, or channels perform emotionally and cognitively.
- Optimize campaigns while they are still in market.
- Demonstrate impact for campaigns where conversions are delayed or indirect.
- Support ROI discussions with evidence beyond engagement metrics.
By focusing on perception along with intent, brand lift studies offer insight into future performance, not just immediate outcomes.
What Do Brand Lift Studies Measure?
Brand lift studies typically measure changes in brand-related metrics for a specific advertising campaign such as:
- Ad recall
- Brand awareness
- Message association
- Brand favorability
- Consideration
- Purchase intent
The metrics measured depend on campaign goals. For example, brand awareness initiatives may prioritize ad recall and awareness lift, while consideration campaigns may emphasize favorability or intent. There are several types of brand lift studies, each designed to answer different measurement questions:
- Campaign-level brand lift studies, which evaluate the overall impact of a single campaign
- Creative-level brand lift studies, which compare different messages, formats, or executions
- Channel-specific brand lift studies, which measure how performance varies across media channels
- Audience-based brand lift studies, which analyze lift across segments or targeting groups
The appropriate type of brand lift study depends on the decisions the results will inform. Many brand lift measurement solutions offer reporting across these criteria within a single study.
How Brand Lift Studies Support Better Decisions
Brand lift studies are most valuable when integrated into ongoing marketing workflows. Instead of treating lift results as standalone reports, teams should use them to guide real-time and future decisions.
Common applications include:
- Improving the creative based on the emotional response
- Shifting media investment toward higher-lift channels
- Adjusting targeting strategies
- Supporting learning agendas for future campaigns
- Aligning marketing performance with brand strategy
By linking advertising exposure to changes in perception, brand lift studies deliver a clearer signal of what is effective and why.
Brand Lift Studies vs. Performance Metrics
Performance metrics measure behavior after exposure, while brand lift studies measure perception resulting from exposure. Both are important but address different questions.
Brand lift studies are especially valuable when:
- Campaign goals are awareness or consideration.
- Conversions occur far downstream.
- Multiple touchpoints influence purchase decisions.
- Brand equity is a strategic priority.
Used together, performance metrics and brand lift studies provide a more complete understanding of campaign effectiveness.
How Brand Lift Studies Fit into a Broader Measurement Strategy
Brand lift studies are often used with brand tracking programs. Brand tracking sets long-term benchmarks for brand health, while brand lift studies identify which campaigns drive short-term changes.
This approach helps organizations connect campaign-level impact with long-term brand growth, supporting more informed planning and investment decisions.
FAQ
Why are brand lift studies important?
Brand lift studies are important because they measure whether advertising changed brand perception. They provide causal insight that performance metrics cannot, helping teams understand the true impact of marketing efforts. They can indicate future performance, or the potential for brand demand decay.
Are brand lift studies only useful for brand awareness campaigns?
No. While often used for awareness, brand lift studies also measure consideration, favorability, and purchase intent, making them valuable across multiple funnel stages.
What’s the difference between brand lift studies and brand tracking?
Brand lift studies are campaign-specific and measure short-term impact, while brand tracking measures brand health trends over time. Brand lift explains why changes occur, and brand tracking shows what those changes look like over the long term.
When should a Brand Lift study be conducted?
Brand lift studies are typically conducted during or immediately after a campaign, when exposure and recall are still fresh. This timing ensures results accurately reflect the campaign’s impact. Tracking ad exposure during the campaign is imperative to ensure success.
How do teams use Brand Lift study results?
Teams use brand lift results to optimize creative, adjust media strategy, compare channels, and inform future campaigns. Over time, these studies help build a stronger evidence base for marketing decisions.
