Older TV Viewers Have Stronger Ad 'Attention' Than Younger Viewers
- by Wayne Friedman , February 12, 2020
Older TV viewers continue to pay more attention to TV advertising than their younger counterparts.
TVision, a media analytics company that measures viewability and attention for TV commercials, says viewers 65 years and older have an attention index of 44.1% compared with those under 18 at 32.7%. TV ad viewability …
The TVision report, which is based on a form of "eye tracking", confirms what older, more primitive studies have always shown, namely that younger viewers are less likely to be attentive to an average commercial than older ones. The explanation for this is not always clear. It may be a function of the younger person's lessened attention span--which is often seen in program content studies as well. Or younger persons mey simply be more physically active, hence they leave the room as a form of avoidance more often while oldsters are more inclined to stay put. Or young people usually have alternative screens available---like smartphones--- and turn to them when a commercial break appears. Or many TV commercials do not appeal to younger consumers. And maybe, all of these factors, plus others apply. However, and contrary to what some keep saying, the difference in commercial attentiveness per commercial between old and young is not as great as one might assume. In other words, "camera"-style research indicates that young adults do watch a considerable percentage of commercials---just not as many as older viewers. Douglas: take note.