Dentsu study finds audio ads get more audience attention than video ads

Tokyo-based ad/PR agency Dentsu this morning reported results of evaluations of the consumer attention-getting ability of audio ads, and comparison to video-ad benchmarks.

Audio channels tested included:

• Radio and podcast ads on Audacy, Cumulus Media and iHeartMedia
• Streaming audio ads on Amazon Music

Attention measurements were made using a proprietary tool from attention technology providers Lumen, which recorded measurements in "average attentive seconds per 1000 ad impressions."

Lumen's measurement technology found for the audio ads studied:

• Mean attentive seconds per thousand impressions of 10,126 seconds, compared with 6,501 seconds for historical Dentsu norms for video ads.
• 41% correct brand recall, vs. 38% Dentsu video norm
• 10% brand choice uplift, vs. 6% for Dentsu video norms
• Music Streaming on Amazon Music (using desktop, mobile and Alexa-enabled devices) drove the brand recall and choice uplift results.

Comment: Dentsu - Japan's largest agency - probably paid a lt of money for this study. But Lumen's website is heavy on material about eye-tracking - likely a meaningful way to measure attention to video - but how do they do ear-tracking? Did they just assume the user was "attentive" for as long as the ad played? Also, the size and composition of the panel of people who were exposed to various ads is an unknown, which always makes me skeptical.