Testing Static vs. Cinemagraph Creatives for Citadel Developers
About the Client
Citadel Developers is one of Mangalore’s leading real estate developers, known for creating premium residential and commercial spaces that blend luxury, comfort, and modern living.
- Callista – An ultra-luxurious one-floor, one-apartment project in Kadri, Mangalore, designed to offer unmatched privacy, exclusivity, and panoramic views of the city.
- Antares – A premium 3BHK apartment project in Gandhinagar, Mangalore, offering expansive layouts, private sunset views, and a lifestyle centered around elegance and comfort.
The Challenge:
Static creatives are widely used in real estate campaigns, but with a visually driven audience, the question arose:
Do cinemagraphs creatives where one element is subtly animated capture more attention and drive better results compared to traditional statics?
Our Strategy
The goal was to run a controlled A/B test comparing static images against cinemagraph versions of the same creatives.
- The same audience, budget, and placements were used for fairness.
- Target Audience: 28–64 years, interested in luxury goods.
- Objective: Evaluate which format delivers higher engagement, CTR, and leads.
The Execution
- Campaign Duration:
- Antares: 7th Aug – 27th Sep
- Callista: 14th Aug – 14th Sep
- Platforms: Facebook & Instagram (all placements: feeds, stories, reels).
- Budget Split: Equal distribution between static and cinemagraph ads.
- Creatives: For each project, one static was created and then replicated into a cinemagraph.
Statics
Cinemagraph
Performance Results
| Project | Creative | CTR | CPM (₹) | Reach | Engagement Rate | Leads | CPL (₹) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antares | Static | 0.42% | 172.22 | 15,469 | 0.48% | 6 | 1,007.53 |
| Cinemagraph | 0.49% | 170.89 | 3,617 | 9.65% | 0 | 0 | |
| Callista | Static | 0.77% | 412.55 | 3,893 | 0.95% | 10 | 268.44 |
| Cinemagraph | 0.67% | 366.19 | 2,894 | 13.18% | 1 | 1,475.36 |
- Cinegraphs achieved significantly higher engagement rates (Antares: 9.65%, Callista: 13.18%) compared to static images (<1%).
- Statics outperformed in lead generation, with lower CPLs (₹268.44 for Callista static vs. ₹1,475.36 for Callista cinemagraph).
- CTR was slightly higher for cinemagraphs on Antares (0.49% vs. 0.42%) but lower on Callista (0.67% vs. 0.77%).
- Reach was broader for statics, likely due to Meta’s algorithm favoring better conversion outcomes
Key Takeaways
- Cinemagraphs are powerful for engagement : they drew more attention, likes, and interactions.
- Statics are more efficient for performance goals : they generated more leads at a lower CPL.
- Creative choice should align with the campaign objective:
- Use cinemagraphs for awareness and engagement-driven campaigns.
- Use statics for lead generation campaigns where cost efficiency matters.
- Use cinemagraphs for awareness and engagement-driven campaigns.
Conclusion
The A/B test revealed that while cinemagraphs can capture audience attention more effectively, static creatives remain more reliable for driving qualified leads in real estate campaigns.