"Attention has been a buzzword in the media industry for more than a while and, like most hot topics, after a huge amount of coverage the discussion has tailed off as some hotter topic steals the spotlight. However, this doesn't mean it shouldn't remain a key focus in 2026 as having a strategic approach could deliver significant impact with minimal effort."
"The limits of reach and viewability An ad placement cannot influence audience behaviour if it can't be seen. This is why reach, frequency, and online viewability have been cornerstones of media planning for so long. But just because an ad appears, it doesn't mean the viewer consciously saw it, read the copy, or even absorbed the message subconsciously. Optimising for attention as a short-term media quality signal can influence longer-term business outcomes - it's about much more than improving initial engagement rates."
"Studies show their attention levels remain remarkably consistent; it's their patience that is shorter and their expectations that are higher. They won't wait for content to load, skip to the interesting bit, or engage with anything they don't find compelling. Despite this, studies have shown 50% of TV creatives trigger less of an emotional response than showing the viewer a video of cows grazing in a field,"
Attention should remain a strategic focus in 2026 because targeted attention optimization can deliver significant impact with minimal effort. Marketing teams face extreme pressure to hit targets in a tough economic climate, leading to deprioritization of some workstreams, but attention is not optional. Reach, frequency, and viewability alone do not guarantee that audiences consciously saw or absorbed an ad. Optimising for attention as a media quality signal can influence longer-term business outcomes. Younger generations show consistent attention levels but shorter patience and higher expectations. Poor creative often fails to trigger emotional response, wasting substantial media spend; quality creative is crucial.
Read at Exchangewire
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