Havas Media Group and Teads have unveiled the results of its ‘Project Trinity’.
The collaborated research study aimed to explore the drivers of user engagement in publisher environments, by providing metrics and analysis for digital advertising that balances the needs of publishers, advertisers and readers.
According to the report, readers pay more attention to advertisements when they are engaged in the content the ad is placed within, with articles generating nearly 600% more attention than subcategory pages and 160% more than homepages.
Furthermore, it stated that ads placed in the centre of the mobile screen received 25% more attention than ads on the side of the screen.
'Ad clutter’ weakens attention, with sports sites delivering twice the quantity of ads per screen, but only generating half as much attention per ad when compared to news sites.
The study found a 20% balance between ads and content-optimised user attention and suggested that one larger ad over multiple smaller ones, is more effective in garnering reader attention.
Jon Waite, global head of activation, Havas Media Group, said, “As the media experience agency, we are committed to delivering meaningful media that connects with audiences in a specific context where a brand’s message can be effectively delivered. Project Trinity validates our philosophy that meaningful media experiences start with great user engagement, providing analysis for brands to deploy media investment in content that engages consumers and for publishers to create a sustainable digital ecosystem where the presence of ads enhances the user’s experience.”
Caroline Hugonenc, SVP research and insights, Teads, said, “Project Trinity should be a clear marker that the quality of attention an ad receives is as much of a driver of advertising outcomes as the raw volume. The user engagement with the content is clearly impacting the attention level on the ad and therefore creating value for our ecosystem. As we start to build out models for buying attention, it’s important that both buy-side and sell-side are aligning on delivering great user experiences that will benefit the full trinity of advertiser, publisher and user.”
