“The advertising industry has long been concerned about new technology that aids ad avoidance. While much attention has been focused on the impact of DVRs, new research from the IPG Media Lab and YuMe shows the real threat to attention is the smartphone and other increasingly ubiquitous distraction media,” Brian Monahan reports for AdAge.
“The study quantified some long-suspected but never quantified aspects of media behavior. Distraction media was ubiquitous, with 94% of TV and 73% of online video viewers using some type of companion/distraction media. While companion media included everything from laptops, video games and crossword puzzles to physical mail and musical instruments, the smartphone proved to be the true ‘disruptor’ in regards to video attention levels. Of all of the companion media used, the smartphone accounted for 60% of TV and 46% of online video distractions,” Monahan reports.
Some common video patterns were observed:
• Participants watched content, but turned to companion media during advertising.
• Participants multitasked with companion media at all times.
• Participants displayed relatively consistent viewing, but exhibited low emotional or intellectual engagement.
Monahan reports, “Magna Global estimates that 35% of U.S. households have DVRs and 10% of their total TV consumption is time shifted, within which 65% of ads are fast forwarded, meaning 35% x 10% x 65% = 2% of total TV ad impressions are avoided through fast forwarding. Our study found that 63% of TV impressions were avoided simply by not paying attention to the screen.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Wait until enough iPads get out there. We hardly ever use our iPhone 4 when our iPad 2s are available which, when we’re in front of the TV, is all the time. We regard iPhone 4 and its tiny screen, no mater how perfect that screen may be, to be only for truly mobile situations, when we don’t have our iPads. Our iPhones became our iOS device of last resort the day the original iPad was released. If advertisers want to reach people in front of their TVs, they should focus on immersive iAds for iOS devices.
[Attribytion: TUAW. Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Lynn W.” for the heads up.]