MedTrackAlert Reveals First Measurement Tool to Predict Advertisements Most Likely to Go Viral

LOUISVILLE, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As a result of a recent joint study between CNET Networks and MedTrackAlert—an award-winning online consumer media company serving almost 1 million consumers with free email and text alert healthcare news—the first measuring tool has been developed that quantifies the likelihood that an advertising message will be shared with others.

While marketers buzz continually about how to quantify advertising and leverage social media, a tool to predict “sharability” of an ad message has not been available to the advertising industry until now. A whitepaper entitled, “The Sharability Measure: What Makes Consumers Share Viral Marketing Communications” that outlines the new tool was presented last week at the March 31-April 2 Re:Think 2008 Annual Conference by The Advertising Research Foundation and is available for download at www.medtrackalert.com/downloads/whitepaper/arfPaperMarch312008.pdf.

Research gathered by initial use of the tool during its testing period validated its ability to evaluate multiple ad types in a campaign and predict which ad will be shared the most. It also delivered some surprising conclusions for the ad campaigns that were studied, which included Direct to Consumer (DTC) health advertising and business technology advertising creative. The primary findings showed that motivation to share was different for consumers versus businesses in the categories evaluated. For the B2B research, CNET’s TechRepublic.com members revealed their leading influencers included solves a problem and uniqueness of the product or information. For the DTC health study, consumers ranked claims about the product and whether the ad contained helpful advice as their motivators.

"Given that the goal of advertising is to achieve the greatest reach in the least time with the target audience, it is of tremendous value if one can have some index of the social potential of advertising creative," said Ted Smith, Ph.D., president of MedTrackAlert. "This is the first tool to evaluate how different executions of a campaign's message influence word-of-mouth and other forms of social sharing.”

“Thanks to a unique partnership between CNET Networks, Miami University and MedTrackAlert, an exciting new advertising tool is now available to businesses that are under enormous pressure to deliver a return on their advertising spend,” stated CNET Networks Director of Research Liz Lightfoot.

Named the Miami University Armstrong Interactive Media Studies (AIMS) Sharability Scale, this study was undertaken because of MedTrackAlert’s continued interest in word-of-mouth (WOM) advertising and social media influencers, and its impact on DTC marketing. The tool will be available to marketers and academics at no charge through the end of June. For details, contact Miami University at 513.529.1809.

About MedTrackAlert

MedTrackAlert is an online consumer media company dedicated to helping people better understand the scope of their chronic diseases and conditions, as well as the benefits and risks of associated medications. The company provides its members with free important, time-sensitive news via email and text messaging to keep them aware of advances, adverse drug interactions, and potential dangers related to their chronic disease states and medication use. Additionally, the Web site offers an array of online health management and assessment tools. The company’s goal is to help consumers begin and maintain a fruitful collaboration with their doctors in the management of their health. For more information, visit www.medtrackalert.com or call 502.805.5800.

About the Interactive Media Studies program at Miami University

The Interactive Media Studies program at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio is a degree-granting program that examines how digital media disrupts and creates opportunity in traditional academic disciplines.

Tags: viral marketing, DTC, WOM, advertising, research, chronic diseases, online health management, prescription news, health advertising, consumer health, MedTrackAlert, CNET, TechRepublic, Miami University, IMS, AIMS, Louisville, KY, New York, Re:Think 2008, Advertising Research Foundation