Blog:

The data that backs the premium spend

Some of the key findings:
• Ads placed in premium media saw a 40% increase in purchase intent compared to alternatives. 
• Premium media had 50% greater efficacy at improving positive perceptions of the advertiser vs less-premium media.
• Premium media delivered 60% greater efficacy at driving perceptions of the brand as popular/successful.
• It drove 30% more efficacy in higher purchase intent compared with less premium placements. 

These numbers aren’t trivial — they point toward real advantages in brand performance, not just reach or cost.

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Why it matters: what this means for your media strategy

When you look at standard media planning, one of the frequent pressures is “how can we get the lowest cost per thousand impressions (CPM)?” — and there’s a logic there: cheaper reach is tempting. But the study provides a compelling counter-view:

• If you chase the cheapest placements, you may get lots of impressions, but the quality of those impressions (in terms of attention, trust and brand uplift) may suffer.

• By investing in premium media, you are buying environmental context: the audience is in a mindset and place where your ad will be more credible, more salient, more trusted.

• The uplift isn’t just in brand perception — it extends into purchase intent, which is a tangible business metric.

In other words: cheaper isn’t always better — the value of each impression changes depending on the environment.

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Thinking through the trade‐off: Cost vs. Value

It’s easy to look at a premium media placement and see the higher price and question the ROI. But here are some angles to keep in mind:

• Relative impact per impression: A higher-cost placement may deliver far more impact per impression (in terms of intent, brand lift) so you may need fewer impressions to achieve your goals.

• Brand safety and context: Premium media brands tend to offer safer, cleaner, more trusted contexts — which reduce risk to your brand and increase the likelihood your message will land as intended.

• Audience mindset: The study suggests that premium media may yield audiences who are more receptive (or at least less distracted) — which means your ad is more likely to be seen, processed, and acted upon.

• Longer-term brand health: Beyond immediate conversions, placements in stronger environments support brand equity and perception — which can pay dividends over time.

• Measuring the right metrics: Instead of only “CPM” or “impressions”, you should layer in metrics like “attention/engagement” to evaluate media value.

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Practical tips for executing this strategy

Here are some steps you might take to make sure you’re aligning your media placement strategy to this insight:

1. Define what “premium” means for your brand
• What media brands do you trust? Which outlets align with your brand values?
• What environments do you consider safe, credible, and attention-friendly?

2. Audit your current placements
• Identify which of your media placements are with trusted/high-quality brands/environments vs. which are lower cost but less premium.

3. Allocate budget accordingly
• Instead of automatically opting for the cheapest option, reserve a portion of your budget for premium placements.

4. Track the incremental impact
• Use research or measurement tools (survey‐based brand lift, purchase intent studies) to measure the incremental benefit of premium vs non-premium placements.

5. Communicate the value internally
• Often the challenge is getting buy-in: “Why are we paying more?” Use data like the 40% uplift in purchase intent.
• Show how premium media is not just a cost centre but a strategic investment in brand impact.

6. Optimize over time
• Monitor: Are your premium placements delivering on attention, brand lift, purchase intent?
• Reallocate budget based on where you’re seeing strongest impact — sometimes a mid-tier “premium” may give better ROI than ultra-premium if it hits your target audience better.

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A caution / nuance to keep in mind

• Premium doesn’t guarantee success: If your creative is weak, message irrelevant, or targeting off, even a premium environment won’t magically fix those issues.

• Audience relevance still matters: A premium placement in an environment that doesn’t align with your target audience may underperform.

• Cost efficiency still counts: Sometimes cost per acquisition (CPA) is the primary metric — in those cases you might still use a mix of premium + efficient placements.

• Scale might be harder: Premium placements are often fewer in inventory and higher in cost, so you may need to balance scale vs environment.