The first six places belonged to the black billboards.
6/6
of the top-rated variants had a black background
16
billboard designs compared
79
respondents from the target age group
01 — WHAT THE DATA SHOWED
01
All six top-rated designs had a black background. The white variants clustered in the lower part of the ranking.
02
The winning design achieved the highest weighted score in the TOP3 selection and also the best average ranking.
03
Fixation metrics differed only slightly between the best- and worst-rated variants. The ranking was therefore not decided by the level of visual attention alone.
04
In the survey, 39% of women and 16% of men stated that visual advertising influences their attendance of a sports event. This is a declared influence, not a measured change in purchasing behaviour.
02 — WHAT NEEDED TO BE DECIDED
Which of the 16 designs should go into the campaign to boost stadium attendance?
The football club didn't want to choose based only on the marketing team's opinion. It therefore compared the variants on young people from the target group and observed their attention as well as their subsequent ratings.
03 — HOW THE MEASUREMENT WORKED
Each of the 79 respondents saw all 16 designs for 10 seconds. Eye tracking recorded visual attention. A rating survey and a TOP3 selection added the overall rating, clarity and the declared intention to attend the match.
04 — HOW TO READ THE RESULT
The study picked a winner among specific designs. It does not prove that a black background generally increases the performance of every billboard. Likewise the survey figure 39% vs. 16% describes what respondents stated — not an actual change in ticket sales.
[ DATA VISUALIZED ]
The chart combines the ranking of the tested variants with the survey responses. The 39% vs. 16% figure does not express a measured campaign impact on ticket sales.
05 — RECOMMENDATION FOR THE CAMPAIGN
For further development, choose the winning black variant and keep its clear hierarchy, a strong headline and one main goal. Then evaluate the creative's real impact on data from the deployed campaign.
[ THE TAKEAWAY ]
Attention and preference are not the same thing.
Eye tracking shows what people see. Rating the variants adds which creative they prefer. To choose a campaign you need to read both results together.
DISCUSS A CREATIVE TEST →[ GLOSSARY — HOW TO READ THE STUDY RESULTS ]
- N (sample)
- The number of people included in the study. In this case N = 79.
- TOP3
- A selection of three preferred variants. The order and frequency of choices can be converted into a weighted score.
- Fixation
- A brief stop of the eye in a certain area. It describes visual attention, not automatically comprehension, preference or purchase.
- Declared influence
- What a participant stated in the survey. It is not a directly measured change in their actual behaviour.
[ FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE STUDY ]
Does the result mean a black billboard always works better?
No. The black background dominated in this set of 16 designs for a specific football campaign and target group. The result cannot be transferred without further work to every brand, message or placement.
What exactly decided the winning variant?
The winning design achieved the best weighted score in the TOP3 selection and the best average ranking. Eye tracking helped describe visual attention, but fixation metrics alone did not explain the ranking of the variants.
Does 39% vs. 16% prove that advertising influences women more?
Respondents stated this in the survey, so it is a declared influence. The study does not thereby prove that the billboard actually changed ticket purchases or that gender was the cause of the difference.
Why combine eye tracking with a survey?
Eye tracking shows where visual attention was directed. A survey captures preferences, clarity and intent. In this study it was precisely their combination that showed more attention does not automatically mean a better rating.
Can creative be chosen this way before a campaign launches?
Yes. Several final variants can be compared on the target group before production and media deployment. It is important to decide in advance by which goal the winner will be chosen.
Does a similar study also measure ticket sales?
Not automatically. A lab study helps choose and explain creative. The real impact on attendance or sales needs to be verified with subsequent data from the campaign or with a field experiment.
Want to go through the study in more detail?
DETAILED REPORT WITH METHODOLOGY AND RECOMMENDATIONS — FREE PDF