We all know that there is a war raging for the most limited (and therefore most valuable) of all goods – people’s attention and time. Now let’s look at the rules of engagement.
Any company or brand that believes it has solved a problem or added value to the world works with marketers, media and agencies to get their message out to the masses, but are people paying attention to their message?
The “goldfish” myth that attention spans are decreasing was debunked months ago, because the truth is a bit more nuanced.
In a world where consumers spend hours on their phones, laptops, tablets or large screens, they are increasingly aware that they are being ‘influenced’ and ‘sold’ products and services. This has led them to become accordingly selective about what they spend their time on, what deserves their attention and how they respond to even the most tempting offers and innovative products.
However, the news is not all bad. Despite the “selective” attention span, there is less time today than there was a few years ago to create brand and offer awareness, foster recall and generate purchase intent.
A recent study by attention intelligence platform Playground xyz found that on average it takes about 1.4 seconds of consumer attention to increase brand awareness by 10 percent at the top of the engagement funnel, but consideration requires a longer attention threshold of 1.6 seconds and brand recall of 3.9 seconds. The real question is, “How?”
Marketers are trying every tool at their disposal, from creative to provocative. They’re enhancing their storytelling and collaborating with authentic influencers. They’re offering engaging video content and immersive experiences. They’re staying on top of the latest social media platforms, trends, and algorithm changes. They’re also deploying a variety of integrated marketing tactics based on social listening and AI-fed data to optimize real-time campaigns, among other things.
Speaking to Campaign Middle East editor Nay Riachy, Social Content Director at GroupM MENA, said: “The main problem right now is that attention is spread across multiple platforms and profiles, all flooded with content of varying value. Unlike millennials, who were shackled to social media by emotional bonds with peers and family, today those bonds are often missing.
“With all the noise and creative content online, eye-catching images alone are no longer enough. Brands need to focus on providing value and building brand resonance. That means creating content that not only looks good, but also offers meaningful experiences, useful information or emotional connections,” Riachy added.
This approach revisits time-honored marketing practices that focus on meeting the audience’s deeper needs and desires to build lasting relationships and brand loyalty.
For example, Coca-Cola’s recent marketing campaigns, including “Spills” in the US, have brought human relationships, families and feelings of togetherness back to the forefront, while also placing an emphasis on short video content that captures audiences’ attention without taking up too much time.
Mary Smiddy, Managing Director at MSL Group Middle East, said: “The popularity of short, snackable content has grown rapidly in recent years. In the UAE and Saudi Arabia in particular, platforms like TikTok – which bridge the gap between an entertainment platform and a social media platform – offer enormous reach.”
According to TikTok’s annual “What’s Next” report, users in Saudi Arabia are 1.3 times more likely to admit that the platform introduces them to new topics and expands their interest to pop culture, trends and brands.
With 1 billion monthly active users worldwide, the Middle East and Africa have the second highest share of active users on the platform at 22 percent.
“As a result, our approach to content needs to be flexible as we see a greater need for short-form entertainment and user-generated content versus more traditional informational marketing content to build engagement and, importantly, trust with consumers,” Smiddy added.
Experts also pointed out that attention spans will become even more selective as a new generation of consumers enter the workforce.
Mohammad El Tayech, strategic planner at TBWA\RAAD, said: “Attention spans are short. Now double that and we have Generation Z. There is absolutely no room for boring, unengaging or ‘not aesthetically pleasing’ content. Thankfully, we are moving away from such formats and more and more brands are offering entertaining but more importantly relevant content, campaigns and experiences for Generation Z.”
This view is also taken in the Playground xyz study, which points to creativity and provocation as the way forward. It shows how data from neuroscience and brain activity show that creative content is directly correlated with memory retention, which in turn is linked to branding and sales – the most important marketing goals of the 21st century.
Will the battle for attention be won through creative effectiveness? Only time will tell.
