In an age where paying a premium for quality goods and services has become the norm – whether it's a luxury car, a designer watch, or a high-end coffee machine – it's perplexing that the media industry continues to question and resist the idea of investing in premium channels. Despite the proof and evidence proving these channels drive effectiveness, long-term connection and lasting results, the conversation remains fixated on cost and efficiency-based decision-making.

So, the question we should be asking ourselves is: Are we truly valuing the right things and making the right decisions about where to invest?

Shifting from measurable metrics to what matters most

It’s easy to chase metrics that are immediately measurable – reach and CPMs – especially in our fast-paced, data-driven world, but easy doesn’t equate to effective. These numbers often fail to capture the true impact of a campaign. To truly understand the value of media, we must look beyond these figures and focus on how audiences are engaging with content. Are they just seeing the message, or are they connecting with it in a meaningful way? And, more importantly, does that connection translate into sales, brand loyalty, and sustainable growth?

We have more data than ever before, yet we’re still not harnessing it in the right ways, and we’re not critically questioning its value. We must interrogate it through lenses like user experience, attention, context, and quality – this is where the real insight lies in understanding how each impression drives meaningful impact.

You cannot compare fleeting moments like a 2-second view in a cluttered feed to the immersive experience of long-form content, like cinema, which commands full and sustained attention while also providing a platform for compelling brand storytelling.

So, when brands shift their focus from cost per reach to cost per impact, they unlock genuine growth and build lasting brand equity.

The key ingredients: context and creativity

Too often, this overemphasis on topline data and delivery overshadows the power of two critical ingredients for an impactful campaign: context and creativity. When brands align themselves with premium, high-quality media environments, they communicate their value and worthiness of attention.

But even the best strategy with the most efficient buy won’t deliver unless the creative truly connects. When brands invest in strong, tailored creative fit for the right platform, that’s when the magic happens, and where the return on creative investment and advertising profitability is disproportionately higher.

Together, these two elements amplify each other, create a stronger, more memorable experience for the audience, leading to brands not just being seen, but felt. It guarantees that the message isn’t overlooked but instead connects with the consumer on a more meaningful level. Context provides the foundation, while creativity fuels the impact.

The strength of synergy

Just as context and creativity must work together, the same applies to media channels. Media is rarely consumed in isolation, so it shouldn’t be planned or measured that way either. The real power of media comes from the synergy created when different platforms complement, amplify, and reinforce one another. Each media channel has its strengths – whether it’s the immersive experience of cinema, the immediacy of digital video, or the broad reach of TV – and when used in combination, they create a more integrated, cohesive experience for the consumer.

Our Brand Fame study offers a compelling example of how media synergy can drive brand effectiveness. When cinema is included with digital video and TV, it delivers a powerful boost to brand fame, creating a more significant, emotional impact. Cinema alone increases effectiveness by 20 per cent over digital and by 13 per cent over a combined TV and digital strategy. This is a testament to the power of media synergy—when channels work together, rather than in isolation, it drives stronger results for brands.

Invest in impact

Quality isn’t a cost. It’s a choice.

It’s time we move beyond surface-level metrics and start focusing on what truly matters.

Reach is never going to be a problem. We are literally drowning in available impressions. Real impact doesn’t come from chasing headline impression numbers. It comes from meaningful, lasting engagement with audiences – built through trust, emotion, and attention. This means choosing premium environments that don’t just reach audiences but resonate with them, because reach without relevance is just noise.

It’s not about doing more – it’s about doing better.

It’s quality, not quantity, that drives real results, and few channels deliver that level of depth, connection and quality like cinema.