Ads in tablet editions work pretty much as well as those in print magazines, at least when it comes to recall, according to a study released today by GfK.

The research company's MRI Starch Advertising Research unit found ads in tablet versions of magazines had an average 52% level of recall, the same as for ads in the print editions. The most-recalled tablet magazine ads were recalled by over 80% of readers, in line with the most-recalled print ads.

That also suggests, however, that tablet editions' interactive capabilities are not yielding tablet-edition ads that are much more memorable than plain print ads.

Starch analyzed recall of nearly 29,000 ads in 805 tablet issues published in 2013 using an online survey that asked people whether they recalled having read particular ads and whether they interacted with ads that were so enabled.

Not surprisingly perhaps, the Starch data found tablet readers were relatively young and well off, with nearly half (48%) having incomes of $75,000 or more and more than half (52%) being between 18 and 34 years old.

Respondents also seemed to like the tablet ads, with 62% giving the digital ads high marks -- a five or six on a six-point scale -- on statements indicating that interactive features help them learn more about products and services and that they read the publication as much for the ads as the articles.

"We have found that the tablet magazine readers not only are engaged with the editorial and advertising content, but that digital ads have the power to grab attention," said Mickey Galin, exec VP-GfK Starch Advertising Research, in a statement.