# 6-second TV ads command more attention per second than traditional spots

June 15

By Erica Sweeney

Originally published in [Marketing Dive](https://www.marketingdive.com/news/6-second-tv-ads-command-more-attention-per-second-than-traditional-spots/525770/)

### Dive Brief:

- Short-form, six-second ads on TV capture 8% to 11% more attention per second than longer ads, according to new research by the Advertising Research Foundation (ARF) and TVision Insights provided to Marketing Dive. Short-form ads drove 6% of impressions, despite only accounting for 3% of ad placements.
- Three-quarters of impressions came from the top 10 networks, which ran 45% of these shorter ads. Overall, 70 networks served short-form ads during a six-month period. About half of impressions were during primetime programming, even though just over one-third of short-form ads ran during that time slot.
- Thirteen percent of short-form ads ran along with a long-form ad during the same program. Advertisers running short-form ads with long-form ads or during the same program saw a 10% lift in attention.

### Dive Insight:

Marketers continue to see positive results as they experiment with extra-short video ads, which were popularized online, on platforms like YouTube and Snapchat, but [only made the leap to TV](https://www.marketingdive.com/news/fox-brings-first-6-second-ads-to-tv-with-big-brands-on-board/448406/) around last year. While formats like six-second ads often perform well independently, pairing them with more traditional 15-, 30- or 60-second ad content can provide an additional boost, per the ARF and TVision Insights study.

This blend could open opportunities for storytelling and brand-building, with the short ad or bumper teasing the rest of the creative that's then fleshed out later in a longer-form spot. It might also address some of marketers' concerns that [extra-short ads stifle creativity](https://www.marketingdive.com/news/report-are-super-short-video-ads-stifling-creativity/447105/) and narrative possibilities.

Growing interest in extra-short ads among advertisers and networks comes as TV [watching habits and attention spans are changing](https://www.marketingdive.com/news/google-watch-time-for-youtube-sports-highlights-jumps-80/516281/). Viewers more frequently consume content in snippets, record shows or stream them online. A five-to-six-second ad might hit the sweet spot for reaching millennials, in particular, [according to comScore](https://www.cnbc.com/2017/07/21/comscore-ceo-millennials-need-5-to-6-second-ads-to-hold-attention.html).

ARF and TVision Insight attributed the success of short-form ads to strong pod position and structure, connecting to longer-form content, cutting through clutter and placement with premium content and primetime spots. Short-form ads also draw a larger share of attention per second from light TV viewers compared to heavy ones.

Though the short-form ads still make up a small share of TV ad placements, marketers will likely [increase their investment in the format](https://www.emarketer.com/Article/Advertisers-Warming-Short-Form-Pre-Roll-Video-Ads/1015839). The report's results signal that consumers prefer shorter ads regardless of platform. Marketers additionally value shorter-form ads because they can be easier to run across multiple platforms and re-purposed to fit a specific audience.

Yoplait, in a campaign run last year, [created 32 different six-second ads](https://www.marketingdive.com/news/campaign-trail-how-yoplait-boosts-brand-interest-samsungs-artsy-feature/512065/) to send retargeted messages to people who watched longer videos. One challenge for marketers experimenting with the format is creating a campaign that can make an impact in a short time frame. Research shows short-form ads might work better for immediately [recognizable brands](https://www.marketingdive.com/news/why-brands-will-go-to-extremes-lengthwise-with-digital-video-in-2018/514098/), which don't necessarily need to lay the groundwork of what they offer.

### Find Your Brand's TV Performance

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