The topic of attention in Connected TV advertising has evolved from being a fairly muted footnote for brands and marketers to one that now headlines conferences, summits and even now has its own organizations such as The Attention Council popping up at fever pitch.
If you want to know if this fairly detailed article is for you, its purpose is twofold:
Fast-track anyone who is behind in the discussion of attention on CTV and wants to get up to speed.
Inform everyone (up to speed or not) as to what the next phase of solving the issue of attention on CTV will involve.
Ready? Let's go...
Almost every discussion today is focused on establishing the cornerstone facts upon which the true application of attention for CTV advertising will be built:
Acknowledging that the world has evolved around us and that far fewer people are paying attention to the ads we run on Connected TV (read more on the evolution of our audience here).
Sharing and discussing the numerous different solutions in market that we can already use today to track, measure and assign value on attention such as TVision and Adelaide.
Where we are on this journey as an industry is predominantly still groundwork, which means the discussion has yet to evolve into the next phase of play. But before we go there let's just remind ourselves of where we've got so far:
We understand that the way audiences behave and the distractions they have around them has led to attention being an issue on Connected TV.
We've been given the tools to measure, track, evaluate and benchmark attention on Connected TV.
The question that naturally comes next is obvious and very clear:
Now that we understand it's importance and have the tools needed to track/measure/evaluate it, how do we CREATE/ELEVATE/IMPROVE attention on Connected TV so that it hits the benchmarks we're choosing to set for it?
While it's likely that a number of initiatives and ideas will come into play that help answer this, where we're going to focus today centers on what the viewer actually sees on the screen - the creative itself.
And yes, this is where Origin steps in. Call it serendipity or simply looking over the horizon early enough, since 2019 every solution Origin has brought to market has centered on the premise that attention is an issue, with our flagship ad format designed specifically to address it - Origin Slingshot.
Why? because if you put all the plumbing to one side, attention starts and ends with the creative.
Fast forward to today, Slingshot has 4 years of critical research behind it, hundreds of millions of impressions generating countless case studies and external studies conducted that were designed to prove it works and improve its ability to draw viewers back to the TV during an ad break.
So what is Slingshot (I hear you cry)?
In one sentence, Slingshot is a zero-code Native CTV ad format that works by serving highly immersive and engaging 15 second branded or unbranded content directly adjacent to a brand's ad, inside regular CTV ad breaks. Like this:
Slingshot comes in two main flavors, each of which has been designed to accommodate different needs, budgets and the way they transact:
Off-the-shelf (Slingshot Focus and Slingshot Prime).
Custom built (Slingshot Imagine).
Here is a brief explainer video for each:
SLINGSHOT OFF-THE-SHELF
No special code, SDK or special required.
No commitments.
Can run across your inventory or through our portfolio of partners.
Transparent tiered cpm ranging from $1.45 - $2.55
Simply choose your series from the library and either request a VAST tag or Deal ID.
SLINGSHOT CUSTOM-BUILT FOR YOU
No special code, SDK or special required.
Flexible business model depending on whether you want the assets only or full service.
Customization of your own series requires as much or as little effort that you choose.
But before you consider exploring Origin Slingshot as an option to address attention on Connected TV, we want to share a number of critical best practices which we've learnt, tested, perfected and deployed in the wild, which will help you achieve the attention benchmarks you are striving for.
Sidenote: If some of the following seems a little vague or high-level, it's because this is where much of our 'secret sauce' lies.
INITIAL MPACT
When it comes to bringing distracted eyeballs away from eg a phone and back to the TV, the right use of sight, sound and color is a science - not an art. Achieving the right state of cognitive arousal (as learnt through our MAGNA Media Trials) is not as simple as it looks.
VISUAL AND MENTAL VALUE EXCHANGE
More important for younger viewers (aka everyone except the Boomers), part of what gets someone attention - and retains it - is offering them something that feels like it is giving them value.
NARRATIVE
In addition to the point above, and arguably the most important detail when it comes to gaining and retaining a viewer's attention on CTV, is the story being told. The more it resonates at a geographic, interest-based, personal or professional level, the more likely it is that you will have the viewer hooked. For example, imagine:
A national political candidate creating a sense that they are in your neighborhood.
A global sports brand showing interest in your local team.
I think you get the idea.
In fact, the final point above is so critical in earning a viewer's attention on CTV that we've spent the last 2 years elevating our in-house studio's capabilities to the point where we can produce, stitch and serve a different narrative to every single household you serve an ad to - and have that narrative change every single time it's seen.
I know, nuts.
So there we have it. The issue of attention on TV has been acknowledged, the tools we need to track and measure it exist and the solution that's proven to amplify attention is here and ready for you to deploy quite literally today.
All you need to do is decide:
Do I want a custom experience or an immediate one?
Do I want to serve my Slingshot amplified ads on existing CTV supply or Origin's?
Questions? No problem. Book a spot and let's talk attention:
Origin is an award-winning creative technology company whose zero code CTV ad formats give marketers unparalleled creative liberty in the living room and outside the home.
Fusing pioneering production techniques with proprietary technology and direct distribution, Origin's solutions are embraced by media agencies, brands, creative teams and programmatic platforms who understand the value of being able to deliver relevant, engaging and ‘in the moment’ ad experiences to their audience.
Founded by media veterans Stephen Strong and Fred Godfrey, Origin is driven by the simple belief that the time has come to challenge tradition and enrage the status quo. Learn more at www.originmedia.tv.