Examining the impact of previous brand usage on eye focus and memory recall in relation to video advertisements, using eye-tracking technology for research
A recent study sheds light on the complexities of consumer behaviour in video advertising, highlighting the need for targeted advertising strategies. The research, which involved 64 video advertising executions and nearly 700 participants across various levels of brand usage, used infrared eye-tracking to collect fixation data.
The study found that while brand users and non-users can give similar levels of visual attention, the impact of attention on recall varies between the two groups. Prior brand usage moderates the effect of visual attention on recall; light and non-users who give more attention have better recall. However, this effect does not exist for heavier users, suggesting a different pattern of attention and recall for frequent brand users.
Advertisers aim to attract visual attention to video marketing stimuli to build and refresh consumers' brand memories and increase their propensity to purchase. The study's results contradict the assumption that heavier brand users have better recall due to increased visual attention. Instead, it suggests that prior brand usage acts as a cognitive primer that amplifies how visual attention during video ads translates into brand recall.
Research in advertising and behavioural science supports this finding. Viewers exposed to a brand before engage more quickly and deeply with brand visuals, logos, or product imagery in video ads, making even brief exposures impactful for recall. Brand elements shown early in video ads capitalize on this familiarity to solidify recall, an important factor given short attention spans in mobile and streaming environments. Modern ad testing that measures real-time recall after short exposures reveals that viewers with prior brand knowledge recall brands with higher accuracy and speed, compared to unfamiliar brands.
Conversely, without prior brand usage, the link between visual attention and recall is weaker because viewers need to form brand associations from scratch, requiring more time or clearer messaging to achieve effective recall.
The study's findings emphasize the importance of understanding the relationship between visual attention and recall for different user groups. Recognizing this, advertisers aim to maximize brand visibility from the first seconds of a video and use familiar brand cues to harness existing memory pathways and boost recall efficacy in a cluttered ad environment.
In summary, the study underscores the complexity of consumer behavior in video advertising, highlighting the need for targeted advertising strategies. It suggests that developing advertising to gain visual attention from potential customers is crucial, and prior brand usage plays a significant role in the relationship between visual attention and recall.
Science reveals that prior brand usage acts as a cognitive primer, amplifying the effect of visual attention during video ads on brand recall for light and non-users, while heavier users show a different pattern. In the realm of health-and-wellness and therapies-and-treatments, this research could potentially inspire targeted strategies that focus on engaging new customers, supporting improvement in recall and ultimately, purchase decisions.
