6 Second Ads: Who, How, & When To Use

Summary

This original study on :06 ads in linear TV provides new information on how :06 ads are used and how they perform. Conducted by The ARF and TVision, the findings enable buyers and sellers to know when and how to use :06s more effectively and provide guidance for future studies. Learning includes the following with important caveats below:

• :06s got more attention per second than :15s or 30s.
• :06 ads yielded higher attention per second among all age groups with Adults 35+ paying slightly better attention to :06s than younger consumers.
• Lighter viewers paid more attention per second to :06s than heavy or medium viewers.
• Premium pod position had greater impact on :06s than on longer commercials.
• Clutter, daypart, and connections to long form storylines also affected :06s’ success.

Three important factors must be considered when interpreting the results:

• These :06s were primed for success, appearing in better pod positions, more often in primetime, and connected to a larger campaign of :15s and :30s.
• When considering attention per second, the overall commercial length matters: three seconds of attention equates to 50% for a :06, but only 20% for a 15.
• This study measured attention, more research is needed to assess ROI and other aspects of ad impact.