Breaking Through Fast-Forwarding: Brand Information and Visual Attention

This research explores how fast-forwarding through commercials alters the visual attention of viewers and how marketers can tailor advertisements to retain effectiveness as digital video recorder usage rises. Building on prior work in visual marketing and perceptual psychology, the authors conduct two eye-tracker studies that show how fast-forwarding viewers pay more attention during commercials, but their attention is heavily limited to the center of the screen. Fast-forwarded advertisements containing brand information at screen center still create brand memory even with a 95% reduction in frames and complete loss of audio, whereas advertisements with brand information located elsewhere are of virtually no value. A third study shows that fast-forwarded commercials containing extensive central brand information can positively affect brand attitude, behavioral intent, and even actual choice behavior. These findings show that marketers can counteract the negative effects of digital video recorders by ensuring that their advertisements are heavily branded and that the branding is centrally located.