The effectiveness of advertising is not only determined by its visibility, but also by the attention people pay to it. This is what the Know.attention project by media group Knowlimits and agency Median is investigating using eye cameras and EEG headbands. The data collected will offer brands a new insight into the effectiveness of their campaigns.
Although most ads are technically "visible" or "audible", people often don't notice them at all. "According to the data, up to 70% of ads that are technically visible but don't grab their attention go unnoticed. The aim of the project is therefore to find out how people behave in their natural environment and which media channels and formats really get their attention," explains Knowlimits research director Zdeněk Kubena.
The research aims to create the first attention indexes for all major advertising formats, from TV spots and online banners to audio advertising, billboards, instore and cinema. "With this breakdown, we will gain detailed insight into what differentiates an ad that people just pass by from one that leaves a mark. The new metrics will help explain why some campaigns work better than others and move media planning from mere viewability to real impact," adds Zdeněk Kubena.
- The first part of the research took place in an environment that resembled an ordinary living room. Participants sat on the couch, turned on the TV, flipped through the newspaper, listened to the radio, surfed the internet or browsed social networks. An eye camera and an EEG headband recorded what their eyes and brains were actually focusing on.
- The second phase of the research took place in the field. The respondents went to the centre of Prague with the glasses and EEG headband, took a tram, sat in a car or shopped in a shopping centre. There was also a visit to the cinema with a classic advertising block before the film. This brought the participants into contact with outdoor advertising, instore formats and radio spots.
A few days after the measurement, the researchers checked which advertising people actually remembered. "The scenario was designed so that the respondents remained in a natural environment and were not disturbed by the presence of the researcher. This allowed us to observe their actual attention, whether at home, on the go or at the supermarket shelf," summarises Zdeněk Kubena.
Video: KnowRes
The results of the research will become part of Know.tools planning tools that optimize media budgets. "Thanks to the attention indices, we can add a new metric of intervention quality to planning. It's no longer just about how many people saw the ad, but how many of them actually paid attention to it. This is a fundamental shift in the whole media planning," explains Zdeněk Kubena.
Know.tools combines local data, a single source approach and a view on the environmental responsibility of campaigns. It is thus newly enriched with attention indices. The results of the first sharp measurement will be published early next year.
Source: mediaguru.cz