One Thing Leads to Another: The Marketing Attention Rub

In the fast-paced world of marketing, we often find ourselves asking: What really happens when a consumer sees an ad? It's not as simple as A leads to B, is it? Faris Yakob, author of "Paid Attention," dives into this intriguing question in his latest report, shedding light on the complex dance between different marketing touchpoints and consumer behaviour. Drawing on groundbreaking research from JICMAIL, Yakob introduces us to the concept of the "attention rub" – a fascinating phenomenon that might just change the way we think about planning our marketing strategies.

Deep Dive: The Attention Rub

At the heart of this report is the concept of the "attention rub." This intriguing idea suggests that when a consumer pays attention to one form of marketing (like a piece of direct mail), it can create a ripple effect, leading to engagement with other brand assets. For example, the study found that mail often prompts significant online activity, with recipients spending an average of five minutes on websites after interacting with mail items. This insight is crucial for marketers, as it highlights the interconnected nature of our multi-channel world and the potential for traditional media to drive digital engagement.

The report emphasises the importance of understanding these secondary impacts in our marketing strategies. It suggests that we should be planning for these interconnected touchpoints, considering how different media interact both within and outside our brand's control.

Key findings:

• The traditional marketing funnel is more of a "messy middle" where consumers bounce between exploration and evaluation
• Direct mail commands an impressive 108 seconds of attention on average, dwarfing the <2 seconds typically given to social media display ads
• The "attention rub" demonstrates how engagement with one medium can lead to interactions with other brand touchpoints.

For those eager to dive deeper into the research methodology, explore detailed findings, and learn how to apply these insights practically, the full report is available on the Marketreach website.

These resources offer in-depth information on the year-long project, including validation methods and specific tools for implementing attention-based planning in your marketing strategies.

As we navigate the ever-evolving landscape of consumer attention, understanding the "attention rub" could be the key to creating more effective, integrated marketing campaigns. It's time to rethink how we measure success and plan our touchpoints in this interconnected world of marketing.

Marketreach are partners of The Marketing Society
Published on 8 August 2024