Issue Summary
December 2025 (Vol. 65, Issue 4)

Using Unfamiliar Cues to Break Through Multitasking Distraction
Advertisers can improve ad recall among multitasking audiences by embedding an unfamiliar cue—such as a scientific ingredient name—into the message, this study finds. Across four experiments, the authors find that unfamiliar cues trigger selective attention and curiosity, prompting viewers to engage in congruent multitasking (e.g., searching the unfamiliar term on their phone) rather than unrelated distraction. As shown in the Overall Model Diagram on page 6, this cue drives memory through two pathways under congruent multitasking: (1) it increases task relevance, improving attention, and (2) it reduces perceived similarity to competing products, making the advertised item more distinctive. These effects lead to significantly better ad recall. However, the benefit disappears during incongruent multitasking, where unrelated phone use suppresses attention and eliminates the cue’s impact. The findings suggest a practical tactic for advertisers: in a world where most viewers split attention across devices, embedding a small but unfamiliar detail can redirect multitasking behaviors in your favor—turning distraction into deeper message processing.