Skype Ad Effectiveness Case Study

Sportmaster Scores Big

with Campaign on Skype

MARKETING CHALLENGE
Sportmaster, Russia's largest sporting goods retailer and wholesaler,
wanted to build awareness of the stores, its in-store promotions, and the
"Skype has a unique advertising platform that
recent launch of new product lines with the ultimate goal of stimulating
allowed our company to effectively reach and
purchases. engage our target audience in ways that helped
differentiate our brand and positively impact
SOLUTION awareness and interest in our products. We were
very satisfied with the results from our Skype
Over a two month period Sportmaster ran their advertising campaign on advertising campaign.
Skype. Sportmaster utilized two different Skype ads including the
Alexei Stolnikov
Homepage ad and the Conversation ads, which appear during a Skype call. Sportmaster Marketing Manager
Sportmaster selected these ads in order to drive maximum reach in support
of their campaign goals.

Skype reaches 300 million people monthly RESULTS

in over 60 markets with 100 million logins
The broad reach and unique advertising platform of
daily and 40 million concurrent users.*
Skype delivered strong results which provided lifts on
all brand metrics and attributes measured. The test
group significantly outperformed the control group on
Brand Impact several key measures including brand awareness,
brand favorability, intent to purchase and intent to
Test Group % Lift Compared
(people recalling ad) to Control Group recommend.
Unaided awareness 49% +12% Those who recalled seeing the ad (test group) were
Brand rating 83% +11% 27 percent more likely to recommend Sportmaster to
their friends and family than those who did not recall
Intent to recommend 88% +27%
the ad (control group). The test group was also 11
Intent to purchase 83% +15% percent more likely than the control group to rate
Sportmaster as either excellent or very good.
Positive lifts were also observed on all brand attributes
Brand Statement Agreement tested proving the ads not only caught the viewers
attention but successfully communicated the key
Test Group % Lift Compared messages Sportmaster was testing. When asked
Brand Attribute:
(people recalling ad) to Control Group
Stores offer high quality equipment at
whether Sportmaster stores offered high quality
affordable prices 77% +31% equipment at affordable prices, the test group was 31
Stores have friendly, professional
percent more likely than the control group to agree or
employees 83% +29% strongly agree with that statement.
Stores have products ranging from
simple to sophisticated technology 84% +23%

Stores are conveniently located 74% +16%

Stores have products for the whole
family 90% +12%

*Skype Internal Data, August, 2012.

Ad Effectiveness Case Study
Sportmaster Scores Big with Campaign on Skype

Skype ads drive audience to act

Action Taken / Intend to Take
Go online (or plan) to find
more information on Sportmaster
Discuss Sportmaster with
friends or family
Tell a friend about the
Sportmaster ads on Skype
Purchase a Sportmaster product
Mention Sportmaster on a
social networking site
Visit the Sportmaster
Facebook page
Half of Skype users share content
and take/provide recommendations
to those in their network.**
The Skype campaign did more than just improve
perceptions of Sportmaster; it actually motivated
respondents to act. Thirty-five percent of the test
35% group reported they went or intend to go online to find
more information on Sportmaster, 22 percent
22% discussed or intend to discuss Sportmaster with
friends or family and 16 percent told or intend to tell a
16% friend about the Sportmaster ads on Skype.
Importantly, 14 percent of those who recalled the ad
14% purchased or intend to purchase a product from
Sportmaster.
7%
CONCLUSION
7%
The Sportmaster campaign on Skype achieved strong
lifts across important brand metrics, positively
impacting Skype users views of Sportmaster stores.
It showed people recalling the ad had taken or intend
to take an assortment of post-ad actions including
purchasing a Sportmaster product. These impressive
results delivered on Sportmasters goals in partnering
with Skype.

Users are more likely to find advertising trustworthy

and relevant on Skype compared to Facebook,
Over a quarter of all users (29%) website banners ads and YouTube video ads.**
are open to connecting with
brands over Skype***

Skype Conversation Ad

Research Methodology
Skype worked with Paradoxes Inc., to recruit 583 male and female Skype users, living in Russia, aged 18 or older. Both test and control groups were fielded
simultaneously while the campaign was live. Group assignment was determined by recall, those that recalled the ad on a self-reported basis were placed into the
test group, and those who did not recall the ad were placed in control group. Recall was tested by showing respondents a screenshot of the exact advertisement
running on Skype. Each group answered an online questionnaire that measured their awareness, opinions, and engagement with Sportmaster. Analysis and ad
effectiveness evaluation was conducted by comparing Skype users who recalled seeing the ads to those who were in the control group. Engagement and post ad
activities were measured by using only those that recalled the ad.

**Skype user research, July 2012, conducted by Ipsos MediaCT on behalf of Microsoft.
***comScore Marketing Solutions, Brand survey analysis (June - July 2012).