neuro/biometrics

• Past Event Highlights
• Article

Brand Safety, Social Targeting, and Who Needs Highly Creative Ads?

• INSIDE THE JOURNAL OF ADVERTISING RESEARCH

At this Insights Studio, JAR authors in Australia, China and the U.S. presented their recently published research on topics that some in industry may consider controversial. One found evidence of brand safety risks in programmatic advertising when ads were placed in negative news environments, contradicting some industry research. Another discovered social targeting spillover effects that suggest advertisers rethink conventional targeting methods. Other work came with unexpected findings: that highly creative advertising—although important for attracting attention—can have harmful effects on familiar brands, while benefiting unfamiliar brands. In the concluding Q&A, panelists explored aspects of brand recall relevant to their research, and whether brand size and other media channels would affect their results.

• Research & Data Quality
• Article

Navigating the Evolving Media Landscape

• OTT 2023

The media landscape continues to evolve, arguably at a faster rate than ever. Leading media and measurement experts presented research-based insights on how viewers use different forms of TV/video on various platforms. Attendees joined us at the Warner Bros. Discovery Studios in California and via livestream to understand the latest data and discussions of the data’s implications. This content is currently available for event attendees only until 11/30/23.

Multiple Attention Measures

• Posted: October 20, 2023

A new report shows that “Attention measurement” can mean very different things – in terms of what is being measured and how it is measured. Read more »

Dimensionalizing the Value of Brands in an Attention Economy

• Posted: October 13, 2023

On September 20th, 2023, expert researchers delivered a set of presentations and participated in a panel discussion at an event curated by the Cognition Council’s Long Term Effectiveness Working Group. Panelists shared previous work on consumers’ responsiveness to the first few seconds of an ad, followed by the Cognition Council’s analysis of the combination of two disparate data sets – Kantar’s BrandZ, an ongoing study of the brand equity of leading global brands, and a custom MMA neuroscientific study of over 800 respondents’ reactions to 24 ads. This analysis focused on the effect of brand relevance on cognitive processing (specifically cognitive load and motivation) of ads at varying scroll speeds in a feed-based environment.

• Research & Data Quality
• Article

The ARF Attention Measurement Validation Initiative: Phase 1 Report

• ARF ORIGINAL RESEARCH

Attention metrics have drawn a high degree of energy in the last few years, for many reasons, including the loss of behavioral signals due to privacy restrictions, growing frustration with ad viewability and its perceived limitations, attention metrics’ impact on the cross-platform measurement debate and that biometric technologies can now be applied “in the wild,” rather than just in labs. The ARF’s Attention Measurement Validation Initiative aims to describe the attention measurement space in detail, illuminating this nascent sector. The Phase One findings include a comprehensive literature review and a report that maps out the vendor landscape in this increasingly diverse specialty. The report includes two sections. The first section describes what methods are being used, what these companies report and how and what they measure, be it ad creative or the media environment. The second section includes in-depth overviews of the 26 participating attention measurement companies. The Phase One Report is a must-read for anyone interested in attention metrics or what companies are operating in the space.  

• Past Event Highlights
• Article

Dimensionalizing the Value of Brands in an Attention Economy

• Summary by Caroline McBride, Pernod-Ricard, Young Pros Officer

On September 20th, 2023, expert researchers delivered a set of presentations and participated in a panel discussion at an event curated by the Cognition Council’s Long Term Effectiveness Working Group. Panelists shared previous work on consumers’ responsiveness to the first few seconds of an ad, followed by the Cognition Council’s analysis of the combination of two disparate data sets – Kantar’s BrandZ, an ongoing study of the brand equity of leading global brands, and a custom MMA neuroscientific study of over 800 respondents’ reactions to 24 ads. This analysis focused on the effect of brand relevance on cognitive processing (specifically cognitive load and motivation) of ads at varying scroll speeds in a feed-based environment.

• Creative & Branded Content
• Article

Highly Creative Advertising Can Backfire for Popular Brands

• JOURNAL OF ADVERTISING RESEARCH

Highly creative advertising is essential for lesser-known brands, but for familiar ones the effort may backfire, new research shows. If the highly creative ad is perceived as off-brand or forces too much information processing, it can damage consumers’ attitudes toward the familiar brand.

• Research & Data Quality
• Article

Attention and Ad Impact: The Evolution of Attention Metrics

• ARF Knowledge at Hand, CMO Brief

The proliferation of media platforms, with increases in multi-tasking, has made finding ways to get consumers to pay attention to advertising more important than ever. In response, researchers have developed new methods to assess attention and the ARF has found that they can provide more direct and more accurate measurements. However, as these metrics are constantly evolving, there are open questions regarding their validity and reliability. Further, as researchers are using the term “attention” in different ways, clarity about what is meant by attention and how it is being measured is crucial.

• Research & Data Quality
• Article

The Attention Measurement Validation Initiative: Literature Review

Attention metrics are at a pivotal point in our industry. They are moving from the lab into the marketplace. Being at the forefront of such research, the ARF is studying 23 attention measurement providers. The goals of the study are to better understand the different tools being used, their validity, reproducibility and rightful application—whether in evaluating ad creative or the media environment. In the first phase of the project, ARF researchers produced a literature review, which itself is illuminating and adds much needed context. We now offer this review to our members. In addition, the first phase will also include a comparative analysis and profiling of all the participating measurement companies. Stay tuned for this upcoming report.

ATTENTION 2023

• Posted: July 11, 2023

On June 7, 2023, attention economy experts came together in NYC to share case studies and participate in engaging discussions on the attention measurement landscape. Plus, attendees heard a recap of the issues debated at AUDIENCExSCIENCE and an update on Phase I of the ARF Attention Validation Initiative, an empirically based evaluation of the rapidly developing market for attention measurement and prediction.