Just 5% more attention can double brand impact: Snapchat-WPP study

New Delhi: Snapchat, WPP Media and attention measurement company Lumen have released findings from what they describe as India’s most comprehensive multi-platform attention study to date. 

Titled Attention Advantage, the research offers a new framework for understanding how digital ads capture human attention, especially among Gen Z, and questions the continued reliance on legacy metrics such as view-through rates.

With an estimated 377 million Gen Z consumers in India and a projected spending power of $2 trillion by 2035, brands are under pressure to connect in increasingly meaningful ways. The study explores how sustained attention, lasting beyond three seconds, drives deeper emotional connections, although its impact tends to plateau after the nine-second mark. AR-based formats, such as Snapchat’s Lenses, were found to attract strong voluntary attention despite being skippable.

Based on the responses of over 3,000 participants across platforms, the study contends that "genuine attention", when eyes are actively on the ad, is a far more accurate predictor of brand outcomes. It introduces new measurement tools including ‘Attention Per Mille’ (APM), which calculates seconds of attention per 1,000 impressions, and a cost-efficiency counterpart. These metrics, the report argues, provide advertisers with a more meaningful way to assess campaign performance.

Among its headline findings, the study suggests that even a 5% uplift in attention can double brand perception. It also claims that attention is eight times more effective than view-through rates at predicting brand recall and four times better at forecasting brand favourability.

“Attention is no longer a nice-to-have, it’s one of the most critical measures of advertising effectiveness,” said Amit Chaubey, Head of Marketing Science, Snap Inc. APAC. “This research doesn’t only show that attention matters, it gives brands a practical playbook to plan for it, measure it, and turn it into real business impact.”

Mike Follett, CEO of Lumen Research, said, “This study provides definitive, large-scale proof of what we've championed globally, genuine human attention is the single most powerful predictor of business outcomes. The finding that attention is 8X more effective than View-Through Rate at predicting brand recall isn't just a statistic, it validates that the entire media ecosystem must change.”

Snapchat was highlighted for its ability to capture double the attention compared to more traditional digital platforms, with its mix of short-form video and AR features showing stronger engagement among Gen Z. According to the report, adding Snapchat to the media mix could increase overall attention from this group by up to 22%.

“By moving beyond legacy metrics and focusing on genuine attention, we can now build more effective and efficient media plans,” said Amin Lakhani, President, Client Solutions, WPP Media South Asia. “We now have an Attention Playbook, and this framework gives our teams a clear guide to optimise investment and deliver superior results in the attention economy.”