You’re Paying Attention to the Wrong Kind of Attention

Written By: Stacy Malone, VP, Global Business Marketing at Pinterest

Let’s talk about attention: We’re all competing for it, but there’s less of it to go around than ever before. And it’s not just ads vying for attention. It’s family, work, social media, your dog barking in the background of a conference call. With all this noise, many brands adopt a singular approach—they try to be the loudest voice.

But turns out, attention is more complex than you might think.

Pinterest commissioned Amplified Intelligence, a research methodology firm based in Australia, to explore how consumer attention patterns influence marketing results. Here are the key takeaways:

Understand the difference between Active and Passive Attention

There are two types of attention:

1. Active Attention is conscious: Information reaches you because you’ve chosen to focus on it. This is achieved through tactics like high-impact TV moments or digital sponsorships.
2. Passive Attention is subconscious: Information reaches you because it stands out from its environment like listening to a radio commercial in the background. It’s less direct but still drives meaningful outcomes.

Integrate both kinds of Attention for better results

People are constantly switching between Active and Passive Attention, so if you’re only planning for Active Attention you’re missing an opportunity. Total Attention is your competitive edge–a secret sauce to get your media plans to work harder.

Think about it this way: For brands, there’s a constant cycle of introduction and reintroduction.

Active Attention is that spark of awareness, teaching people something they don’t know, while Passive Attention is that constant reminder reinforcing something that’s already been learned. It adds value by helping you maintain recency in the decision making process.

Both types proved meaningful in driving actions, but the research found their dynamics are slightly different. While active strategies were more expensive, Passive Attention proves to be more efficient, delivering 6.7x more attentive seconds per dollar spent. (1)

Together, these big splashes and evergreen reminders create velocity by speaking to new people as well as reminding those with existing knowledge.

What attention looks like on Pinterest

Amplified Intelligence’s found that Pinterest drove 170% more Total Attention compared to other platforms. (1)

Passive Attention plays a big part in this, with Pinterest ads delivering 7.3x more Passive Attention than other platforms, largely because users engage positively with the content. (1) Pinterest is designed to inspire and encourage action, leading users to scroll ads 1.5x slower compared to other platforms. (2)

Attention amplifiers are the force multipliers that can boost attention to its greatest potential. In fact, advertisers on Pinterest can almost triple their attention just by pulling the right levers. (2)

• Put your content in context: When relevant ads are seen in relevant context, such as a shoes ad among fashion content, Active attention has been shown to increase by 60%. (2) On Pinterest, this type of contextual targeting is built right in, and can be further refined through interest and keyword targeting.
• Make your creative (and customers) happy: Ads that evoke strong emotions can amplify attention by 50%. (2) And specifically ads with higher levels of happiness and surprise drove more total attentive seconds than ads with a low concentration of happiness and surprise.

If you take one thing with you today, remember: There’s power in Passive Attention. One day, the industry will standardize on an attention metric–but in the meantime, understanding Total Attention is your competitive advantage.

Methodology

(1) Amplified Intelligence analysis commissioned by Pinterest. AU, CA, DE, FR, UK, US. Q1 2024. n=2,400 respondents. Active Attention: Eyes on screen, eyes on ad. Passive Attention definition: Eyes on screen but not directly on ad (i.e. around the ad).

(2) Amplified Intelligence analysis commissioned by Pinterest. AU, CA, DE, FR, UK, US. Q1 2024. n=2,400 respondents.