Celtra, the Boston-based creative management platform for digital advertising, has released results of a sponsored report, Mobile Creative Best Practices, containing ten guidelines for mobile creative best practice. The report was developed by On Device Research, the mobile ad effectiveness research experts, and draws on insight from its norms database of over 200 mobile brand effectiveness studies.

Guidelines contained in the report were established through an in-depth analysis of the top 20 per cent of mobile ads in terms of both ad recall and purchase intent. The research found that top performing ads adhere to at least six of these principles, according to a news report on PR Newswire.

When applied to ODR’s entire database it was discovered that two thirds of mobile ads tested adhere to fewer than six of these guidelines.

“To effectively tell their stories, brands must ensure quality creative in their ads. This study offers great lessons on what makes an effective mobile ad creative. By combining the guidelines from this study with a compelling story, and enabling such quality ads at scale, advertisers can realize the full potential of their advertising efforts,” commented CMO of Celtra, Alex Saric.

The ten guidelines are as follows:

– Logo presence on every frame is crucial

– A human presence can engage

– Product shots catch the eye

– Placing branding at the top of the creative boosts ad recall

– Be cautious with dual branding as it can distract and confuse

– A single clear message beats a text heavy ad overloaded with information

– Video grabs the user’s attention

– Inject a little humour in to your creative

– A bit of interactivity holds the user’s attention

– If you want to drive purchase, then unsurprisingly having a strong call to action helps

“These recommendations are rooted in robust quantitative analysis and as such provide a useful check list for mobile marketers to reference before embarking on a mobile brand campaign,” commented CEO of On Device Research Alistair Hill. “If you bear these guidelines in mind, your ad is going to stand a higher than average chance of being noticed and having a positive impact on purchase intent.”

When it comes to campaign planning, audience targeting, delivery and optimisation, mobile offers an abundance of opportunity the likes of which no other platform has ever seen. But planning and execution are only part of what makes a great mobile campaign.

The key question remains as to what it is that the top mobile ads are doing creatively that most other mobile ads aren’t. The answer lies in the highlighted ten creative best practice guidelines with the top performing campaigns on average adhering to six of them.