Devise, Format, Domain, Creative: Redefining Attention in a Complex Media Landscape

With an average attention span of only 8 seconds, marketers are increasingly challenged to create innovative strategies that effectively engage their audiences. Capturing consumer attention has become a top priority for businesses like never before.

As Andrew Gilbert, Director of Commercial & Platforms AUSEA at Yahoo, aptly puts it: “Attention is a lot like love – hard to get, easy to lose, and darn near impossible to steal from cats on the internet”.

In a recent collaboration, OMG and Yahoo partnered with Amplified Intelligence to launch “Hierarchy of Attention & Outcomes” – a groundbreaking study measuring the impact of 8,768 ad impressions from six US and Australian brands on more than 2,000 people. The goal is to provide advertisers with valuable insights into how various campaign elements — such as devices, publishers, ad formats, creative content, and brand size — affect attention.

Curious about the findings? Here are some key takeaways that can help you excel in the ongoing battle for your audience’s attention: 

• Methodology. The study analyzed the effectiveness of various ads across devices (CTV, Desktop, Mobile), environments, formats, and brand sizes, revealing a complex matrix of optimal strategies. Amplified Intelligence utilized its attentionTRACE app to capture facial footage and metadata like viewability and scroll patterns. A short brand choice questionnaire measured outcomes, categorizing attention into:
  • Active (eyes on the ad, most likely to deliver a positive impact)
  • Passive (eyes on screen, not on ad)
  • Total Attention (active & passive combined) – A brand’s best chance at mental availability in a given moment.

Yahoo and Amplified Intelligence also launched attentionPROVE for real-time pixel measurement in the Yahoo DSP, gathering 9.4 million impressions across devices. This tool provided attention metrics and optimization recommendations for specific ad placements and creatives.

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• Video is key for attention. According to the study, when analyzing attention by format, CTV/OTT video-based formats were top performers across all devices – CTV, Mobile, and Desktop. However, display ad formats perform differently by device. Overall, Billboard & Pre-roll did best on mobile, and Skyscraper & Pre-roll did best on desktop, and this also varies by domain.
• Attention quality: active vs. passive attention. Are you paying for the right kind of attention?  According to Andrew Gilbert, ad effectiveness luminaries such as Dr. Karen Nelson-Field, Peter Field, Rob Brittain and Orlando Wood have long argued that higher attention media platforms can turbocharge the effectiveness of advertising creativity on business effects, such as excess share of voice, sometimes by as much as 65%. Therefore, he adds that marketers should not base media investments on the cost of reach (CPMs) but rather consider each platform’s attention qualities. The results of the study reveal that on mobile, a 30 second spot had an average of 1.2 seconds active attention and 9.6 seconds of passive attention. 
• Mobile drives sales.  While Active Attention is highest on CTV (mobile and desktop follow), personal devices are better for conversion. Consumers exposed to a brand’s ad had a higher purchase intent on mobile (+26%) than on desktop (+13%) and CTV (+11%), compared to those not exposed to the brand’s ad. What does that imply? The same ad format can perform differently depending on the combination of domain and devices and people are 26% more likely to buy a product or service on a mobile device, followed by desktop. In other words, marketers need to take an omnichannel approach for ads to work up and down the funnel. 
• Strong branding is a must. The strength of branding in the creative also plays a pivotal role. No amount of attention can compensate for a brand missing in action during an ad. Creatives that had branding present for at least 25% of the ad’s length were 26 – 38% more likely to be considered for purchase. On the flip side, creatives with weak branding experienced purchase consideration going to a competitor brand. So, it can be concluded that strong branding during the active attention phase can significantly improve brand awareness and conversion rates. 

The study emphasizes another interesting finding – strong brands like Nike, Apple, etc. can perform just as well through passive attention, while smaller and lesser-known brands rely much more on showing up during active attention – they need to build salience with their audience. As Andrew Gilbert says: “Branding isn’t just a pretty face. It’s the superhero cape your ad needs to fly off the shelves.”

Nowadays, marketers should adopt a flexible media planning approach, recognizing the strengths and weaknesses of each channel, ad format, and creative. Still searching for a highly efficient platform that you can trust? Novelty Media, via SmartAdd, has created an innovative, attention-driven, and consumer-centric mobile media channel. Our proprietary platform offers the right solution for you by leveraging the four key smartphone functions to create impactful viewing experiences. With engaging video content tailored to the mobile experience, your brand can effectively capture consumer attention and drive higher engagement and loyalty.

Interested? So are our global advertisers who are repeatedly choosing our platform for their content. SmartAdd is fully endorsed by Mobile Operators, guaranteeing that brands reach verified human subscribers.  No more concerns about bot traffic or fraudulent impressions – just focus on delivering impactful content to an attentive target audience. Contact us today to find out more about SmartAdd and ensure that all eyes are on your content!