Cinema as an Advertising Medium for Capturing Attention

In a world where capturing consumer attention is increasingly challenging, cinema emerges as the most effective advertising medium. A recent study conducted by 014 and Annalect, in collaboration with Neurológyca, aimed at measuring and comparing the levels of attention viewers give to advertising in cinema and television environments, has shown that cinema advertising significantly outperforms television in terms of attention and engagement.

Using Kopérnica, Neurológyca’s advanced attention-measuring tool that combines artificial intelligence with Eye Tracking and Face Coding techniques, the study achieved unprecedented precision in attention measurement. The research was conducted both in movie theaters and at home, offering a direct and revealing comparison.

The results are compelling: cinema leads in every attention metric. Here are some key data points:

-Average presence during advertising: Cinema 100% vs. TV 73%
- Actual viewing or active attention: Cinema 90.2% vs. TV 58%
- Focus (quality of attention): Cinema 59.4% vs. TV 11.1%
- Cognitive attention (engagement and interest): Cinema 64.8% vs. TV 10.2%

Why is Cinema so Effective?

The reasons behind these differences are clear:

Giant screens: The visual immersion is unmatched.
Minimal interruptions: Unlike the home, cinema offers a distraction-free environment.
Optimal setting: Dark rooms, comfortable seats, and a shared leisure experience.
Viewer commitment: Audiences are mentally and temporally committed, predisposed to pay attention.

Joint Measurement Tool: CScope

014 and Annalect have launched CScope, a market-accessible tool that measures the combined reach of TV and cinema. In a campaign targeting a broad audience (16–54 ABC), which TV alone reaches with 66.2% coverage, cinema adds an average of 2.7 incremental points, bringing the total to 68.9% (a 4.1% increase) when included in the media mix—without increasing the total investment. When focusing on light TV viewers, adding cinema results in an incremental reach of 5 percentage points.

New Metric: Attentive Reach

Based on these indicators, the Attentive Reach metric was developed to reflect actual attention during ad exposure. This metric reveals the true advertising impact by ensuring both viewer presence and attention.

Impact of Attentive Reach on Advertising Campaigns

When attention is factored into reach measurement, the attentive reach of the same campaign (TV + Cinema) rises to 58.4%, with cinema contributing 3.3 incremental points (a 6% increase), and being solely responsible for 9.1% of the campaign's total coverage.

Among light TV viewers, attentive reach increases from 21.7% (TV only) to 29% when cinema is included—representing 7.3 incremental points (a 33.6% increase). Cinema is solely responsible for 33% of the attentional coverage in this hard-to-reach audience segment.

Cinema not only expands reach but also significantly improves attention and engagement. In an oversaturated advertising landscape, cinema stands out as the ideal platform to capture and retain audience attention.

Incorporating Attentive Reach provides brands with actionable insights to optimize their campaigns, highlighting the value of cinema as a powerful complement to television for achieving broader and deeper viewer engagement.

If you're interested in the full details and complete results of this study, you can contact 014 Media directly for more information.

Sources: Advertising Impact and Reach Study in Cinema vs. TV. Neurologyca, 2024