Behavio offers a flexible and scalable approach that can be used in parallel with or as an alternative to System1.

Ad testing metrics & methods

When it comes to predicting and improving the performance of your ads, choosing the right method is crucial. 

Older, legacy methodologies that rely on respondents consciously evaluating ads with their rational brains have been proven to be misleading – so much so that opting out of pre-testing altogether might give you better results. 

Because 95% of buying decisions are subconscious, non-declarative behavioral methods (like emotional response and brand recall) are essential for accurate pre-testing. 

Both System1 and Behavio utilize these modern methods, offering incredible second-by-second detail. 

System1 offers emotional response analysis and brand recall, as well as short-term sales impact (Spike Rating) and brand-building potential (Star Rating). It tracks emotional changes over time in video ads and measures when people first recognize the brand.

With Behavio, you not only see second-by-second positive and negative emotions but also the reasons for emotional changes at each moment. 

This enables insights like the McDonald’s TV ad case study, where both negative and positive emotions peaked simultaneously. People reacted positively when focused on the visuals, while the driver of negative emotion was a weak voiceover.

Similarly, for brand recall, Behavio measures branding second by second. Studies show that the longer the branded attention, the higher the brand lift. Behavio lets you check if branding is strong throughout the ad, especially during the emotional peaks that people remember the most. 

Behavio also tracks second-by-second message recall, helping identify when the message is actually delivered.

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Ease of Use

Both vendors offer modern, user-friendly dashboards that avoid academic jargon. Uploading creatives is simple with either platform, and results are delivered within days.  Both also provide a summary of recommendations, either written or in-person.

While Behavio delivers results in 3-5 days, System1 can test as quickly as 24 hours. For a full analysis, System1 doesn’t specify a deadline.

Pricing

Behavio is pushing to widen the market with affordable pricing, around $2k, aiming to attract midmarket businesses or allow enterprises to test more creatives at various stages of production. 

Behavio pricing plans

Behavio offers two tiers: Starter and Pro. Both include a 500-person sample, second-by-second emotional analysis, brand recall, and message recall. 

The Pro tier adds reasons for emotional shifts, key insights written by experts, and consultations.

With a yearly subscription (testing at least 5 creatives a year), prices drop as low as $3,000 for Starter and $2,500 for Professional. 

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The key difference – is emotional response enough?

System1 and Behavio offer a similar set of metrics with nuanced differences. However, their underlying philosophies differ significantly. 

System1 relies solely on emotional response to predict an ad's brand-building potential (Star Rating), disregarding other metrics. 

Behavio, founded later (after the industry-changing publication of How Brands Grow and the introduction of concepts like branded attention), takes a different approach.

Behavio argues that for an ad to make buyers more likely to choose your brand, it must create subconscious memory links between relevant consumer occasions and the brand. Therefore, strong brand recall and strong need recall are the two crucial components of an effective ad. 

Emotion, the third key component, acts as an amplifier – it grabs attention in a noisy environment and deepens memory retention.

Final Thoughts

Today, we’ve explored two powerful, enterprise-ready ad testing platforms. 

System1 remains a great option for brands looking for extensive industry benchmarks or for those who prefer some of the methodological nuances that System1 offers. However, for those seeking exceptional value and the ability to test many creatives across various stages, Behavio is a highly competitive choice.