QMS, the Australian digital outdoor media company, presented the findings of what is reportedly the ‘global-first’ research into the role of human attention in OOH environments. Conducted in partnership with the audience measurement company, Amplified Intelligence, the study found that OOH ads score an average of 12 seconds of attention. In other words, OOH is not a glance-only medium.
According to a press release, it takes ‘2.5 seconds of active attention’ to commit something to long-term memory. 90% of QMS sites grasped attention for longer than this time. Furthermore, when compared to other digital channels, OOH was found to be 5.9 times more likely to score above the threshold. Amplified Intelligence CEO and Founder, Dr Karen Nelson-Field, commented:
‘The research confirms that OOH is far more than a fleeting glance — it captures real, measurable attention that translates into meaningful brand impact. This OOH data will serve as a powerful extension of our attention measurement framework, demonstrating how attention-based insights can complement traditional metrics to reveal the true impact of ads across multiple channels. In an era where capturing and holding attention is increasingly difficult, this data is key to driving stronger, more effective brand outcomes.’
QMS’s Strategic Sales Director Adrian Venditti also made a statement, saying that the research proves ‘OOH should no longer be considered as a glance-only medium’.
To conduct the study, QMS and Amplified Intelligence looked at 11 advertiser categories on 12 large and small format sizes. They had a sample size of 1.23 million and covered Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast. The researchers have announced that they will continue building on the study, exploring more markets, formats, and modes.
Featured image: QMS attention study presentation at SXSW Sydney® – Greg Kearney (Suncorp), Thad King (OMD), John O’Neill (QMS), Dr Karen Nelson-Field (Amplified Intelligence) / QMS x Amplified Intelligence
