Account for Viewer Distraction in Video Marketing

Spin Creative • August 15, 2019

The way we watch TV has changed. Maybe you’re even reading this post while a television commercial plays in the background.

Image of a man with glasses looking at computer monitor.

Unfortunately, even though our behaviors have evolved, TV and commercial ratings are stuck in the past. Think about it – TV rating systems were developed in a time without smart phones, laptops and tablets. Families gathered together to watch favorite shows after dinner, rather than relying on DVR or separate screens.

Today, distractions are everywhere. Metrics that only measure the “opportunity to see” – not if the viewer is actually paying attention – are doing us a disservice.

Recent research from AOL and Nielsen paints a grim picture about multi-tasking viewers:

·For undistracted TV viewers, 83% could recall a brand’s ad.

·When TV viewers are distracted by a device like their smart phone or tablet, only 23% could recall a brand’s ad.

AOL and Nielsen want to help marketers account for the distraction challenge. Together, they have developed a Video Ad Attention index as a supplementary metric to traditional reach and frequency measurements.

How does it work? The Attention Metric combines the frequency of undistracted viewing, device-distracted viewing, and people-distracted viewing with traditional ad metrics. It’s a living formula that can account for factors like demographic and the type of device being used.

Distracted viewing most impacts TV. That means a brand needs more unique TV impressions to receive the same impact provided by online, short-form video content.

·In general, advertisers need 117 unique TV impressions to get the same effect as 100 unique online video impressions.

·Advertising to Millenials? Brands need 48% more TV impressions than online video impressions to achieve the same impact.

·Advertising to women? Brands need 20% more TV impressions than online video impressions to achieve the same impact.

·To account for viewers who have services like DVR, advertisers need 180 unique TV impressions to see the same results as 100 unique online video impressions.

No one is recommending that brands turn their backs on TV. It’s still a valuable tool for communicating your message to the masses. Our understanding of its relative value – and our subsequent investment –needs to change.

Simply put: Attention and retention is the new gold standard for marketing. If you’re looking for video marketing strategies that work for your brand, Spin Creative is here to help. Say hello !



About Us


Spin Creative is a video production company and creative agency helping marketers create winning video and creative strategies that engage, inspire and activate targeted audiences. Spin is headquartered in Seattle with offices in San Francisco and London, serving brands around the globe.


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