Demand exists before the click, Seven and SCA research finds

Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) and Seven West Media used their Behaviour, Accelerated insights breakfast in Sydney to challenge one of marketing's most enduring assumptions: that conversions tell the full story.

Held at Capella Sydney, the event brought together advertisers, marketers and media executives to examine how Australians are spending their time and attention across an increasingly fragmented media landscape, with new research suggesting that demand is often created long before consumers search, click or convert.

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Demand exists before consumers search

A key focus of the morning was The Demand Effect, a research project developed by Seven and strategic consultancy Prophet.

Drawing on more than $73 million in media investment and over 615,000 customer outcomes across automotive, retail and software categories, the study found a consistent pattern across all sectors examined: demand was already being shaped before consumers entered the market.

The report argues that while channels such as search and social play an important role in capturing demand, brand-building channels, including television, premium video, and audio, are often responsible for creating it.

Presenting the findings, Seven and SCA executives highlighted what they described as a growing "demand gap" between what marketers can easily measure and what actually influences consumer decision-making.

BYD case study puts spotlight on brand influence

Among the standout findings was analysis of electric vehicle brand BYD.

The research found approximately 63% of BYD test drives were driven by existing demand and broader market conditions, while 37% were directly influenced by marketing activity.

The study also found that radio delivered roughly three times the demand contribution relative to its share of investment, while premium video formats generated more than 70% lower cost per acquisition.

According to the report, consumers often decide they want an electric vehicle before selecting a brand, making marketing's role less about creating category demand and more about influencing where that demand ultimately flows.

Black Friday doesn't create winners

A second case study examined KitchenAid's retail marketing performance and challenged another commonly held industry belief.

The analysis found that major retail events, such as Black Friday, generate demand across entire categories but do not determine which brands ultimately benefit. Instead, consumers enter those periods with brand preferences already established through earlier exposure and consideration-building activity.

Search accounted for approximately 44% of influenced revenue, while Facebook contributed a further 22%. Meanwhile, television, BVOD, and premium video contributed approximately 22% of influenced revenue while helping build awareness and consideration earlier in the customer journey.

Overall, the KitchenAid campaign delivered a reported 328% return on investment.

Media effectiveness remains under scrutiny

The findings formed part of a broader discussion around audience targeting, data, measurement and media effectiveness.

Group Digital Commercial Director Olly Newton and Head of Digital Ad Product and Operations Kim Loasby presented insights focused on the role of data and audience intelligence, while SCA IQ Head Jasmine Beech and National Head of Strategy & Partnerships Charlie Brown explored evolving audience behaviour across both organisations.

A panel featuring Adelaide Managing Director Vikki Friscis, Head of Total TV Sales Katie Finney and Prophet CEO Jordan Taylor-Barels further examined the role of media mix modelling and how marketers should evaluate the contribution of different channels.

The event concluded with a discussion about news and audience trust, featuring Seven Director of News Integration and Strategy Ray Kuka, The Briefing host Sacha Barbour Gatt and 7NEWS presenter Michael Usher.

The panel explored the changing news landscape and the continuing role quality journalism plays in an increasingly complex media environment.