PETALING JAYA: An explosion of channels and content has only resulted in a dearth of attention. While people are binge-watching more long-form content on Netflix and other over-the-tops (OTTs) than ever before, it is in the lower rungs of the content spectrum where attention is wreaking havoc. Media used to be a rare commodity, but where viewing and listening choices were once limited, now they are almost infinite, and this has created a new advertising scarcity – audience attention. According to ad agency Dentsu Malaysia, consumer attention is a form of generosity from individuals and needs to be valued by marketers. “Attention and awareness are not the same thing. Our brains are built to suppress non-critical information so that we pay attention and react to what is really important to us. “New forms of advertising and technology at our fingertips have created both the motive and the means for people to screen advertising out of their lives.” A Dentsu chief marketing officer (CMO) survey from 2018 revealed that cost reduction, efficiency and reach are prioritised over strategic planning, when evaluating return on investment (ROI) on media investment. The challenge is in understanding the relative value of those metrics across channels and platforms, the agency noted. “We need a new way for brands to understand the value of their media investment that is more consistent, in the context of a fragmented and confusing digital landscape. “Our aim was to define a new value system and ultimately challenge the way the industry trades, by valuing what is likely to be ‘delivered’, over what is ‘bought’. Welcome to the Attention Economy.” “Our start point was an industry-leading research programme, conducted in early 2019, built and run by our Global Media Partnerships teams, supported by some of the world’s biggest media owners and delivered by academic experts in this field – the Centre for Amplified Intelligence, led by Karen Nelson-Field, professor of media innovation at the University of Adelaide,” the agency noted. Using the latest eye-tracking technology and research panels in the UK, United States and Australia, the programme analysed 17,000 individual video ad exposures across three platforms: linear TV, in-feed video on social media and pre-roll on video platforms. Two key findings from the study became the first step in updating how the industry plans, trades and measures media: > An ad that is not seen is worthless, but the way we see advertising and how that impacts effectiveness is nuanced. Also, partially seen ads are able to boost sales. Hence reducing ad-avoidance may be more important to advertisers than maximising full-on attention. > Effectiveness is closely related to how much of an ad is viewable and for how long, but other factors may be equally important. Clear branding moments, such as showing a brand’s logo, increase audience’s attention. Working in partnership with Lumen Technologies and Amplified Intelligence, Dentsu has codified this research into a solution it calls “Attention Economy Planning” to help its clients better optimise their media spends. “In the Malaysian market, we brought this solution to help Cetaphil launch its new hydrating foaming cream cleanser. To break through the high category clutter and establish the superiority of the product’s functional benefits amid fleeting consumer attention spans, we deployed our ‘Attention Economy Planning’ solution. “Recognising that viewability in itself does not garner audience attention, our campaign leveraged Lumen’s proprietary tech-enabled solution that was layered on digital campaign platforms. “Attention measurement was conducted through ‘eye-tracking technology’, which enabled the campaign to track if consumers have viewed the communications as well as their time spent on it. “This has enabled the measurement of impact beyond on-screen availability (viewability) and factored in mental availability of the consumers’ attention.” The campaign not only successfully grew market share for Cetaphil in foaming cleanser format, but also delivered a cost saving of 20% on marketing spend. Meanwhile, Dermatology company Galderma Malaysia country manager Cindy Tiu said: “Not only have we successfully achieved a very effective product campaign for Cetaphil’s new product amidst competing consumer attention, we are also proud to be the first in Asia-Pacific to have unlocked future-facing measurements to optimise attention in digital advertising together with Dentsu Malaysia.” DentsuX Malaysia partner and head Moiz Bilwani said: “By taking a leap into the ‘Attention Measurement’ space, we managed to prioritise mental availability of consumers over on-screen availability.” Dentsu Malaysia strategy head Mohamed Salim noted: “While the breadth of media channels has expanded, their depth in delivering effectiveness has become a major talking point. “Attention economy is a real tangible first step to addressing this in a platform neutral way that puts advertiser’s needs at the forefront.” — By Daljit DhesiMy house is so damp there’s a puddle of water on every windowsill, people say I need a £5 Asda buy
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Derrick Bernard Jr., 35, Ashely Blackcloud, 40, and Deanna West, 38, were indicted by a federal grand jury for maliciously conveying false information about a threat made by means of fire: a burning cross in front of a campaign sign defaced with a racial slur. AD: Hate Crime Hoax: How the Left Is Selling a Fake Race War According to the indictment, the three defendants were charged for their alleged roles in a conspiracy to spread disinformation about the threat. The 2023 Colorado Springs mayoral run-off election involved Candidate 1, who was Black, and Candidate 2, who was white. After the initial election but before the run-off, Bernard sent a message in which he explained he was “mobilizing my squad in defense. Black ops style big brother.” He also sent messages referencing a desire to prevent “the klan” from gaining political control of the city. Bernard then worked with Blackcloud and West to stage, at an intersection in the City of Colorado Springs in the early hours of April 23, 2023, a cross burning in front of a campaign sign for Candidate 1 defaced with a racial slur. The three then allegedly spread false information about the event through an email from an anonymous source to various news and civic organizations. All three defendants made their initial appearances in front of Magistrate Judge Timothy P. O’Hara. The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with substantial assistance from the Colorado Springs Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Bryan Fields and Rebecca Weber.Ravens WR Zay Flowers (shoulder) questionable vs. Texans
Winter Meme Coin Rally: Top 5 Picks Poised to Melt Away the Competition!WTW has issued its latest Political Risk Index which highlighted the maritime threat as just one identified emerging risk from ‘grey zone aggression’, meaning any action used to weaken a country by means short of war. This edition of the index was developed with input from WTW’s marine and aerospace teams, sectors notably vulnerable to grey zone attacks, alongside support from the WTW Research Network and the crisis management team, both experts in addressing grey zone aggression and global security risks. The index follows WTW’s annual political risk survey published earlier this year, which found that 69 percent of respondents were impacted by geopolitically related supply chain disruptions in 2024, including grey zone attacks on global shipping. Samuel Wilkin, director of political risk analytics, WTW said: “Without insurance, many ships will not sail, and planes will not fly, so improving our understanding of gray zone risks is vital for the protection of people and assets and the health of global commerce. “These attacks appear to have soared in recent years, for many reasons. One reason is that countries that are deeply interconnected by globalisation increasingly find themselves in adversarial relationships, and these deep interconnections offer many avenues for grey zone action, especially actions directed at globalised businesses. “Another reason is that new technologies have enabled gray zone actions, including cyber-attacks and remote attacks by drones. Hybrid warfare is likely to continue to rise and evolve, so insurers need to be able to understand the implications of ambiguous gray zone activities to properly assess risk.” WTW’s research identifies three primary types of grey zone flashpoints, military conflicts, and rivalries (e.g., Ukraine, South China Sea), fragile states (e.g., Lebanon, Yemen, Syria, Iraq), and ideological polarisation (e.g. political interference in Latin American elections). Examples of hybrid warfare include destruction of critical infrastructure, state cyber-attacks, weaponisation of migration, sponsorship of violent non-state actors, disinformation campaigns, and declared or undeclared economic sanctions. The report also observes an increasing trend in gray zone activities, partly driven by rising middle powers operating with limited military budgets. Other findings include:Live Nation stock hits all-time high of $139.61 amid robust growth
University of Michigan researchers have dug deeper into the numbers-only data of COVID-19-era suicides and evaluated the narratives contained in reports from coroners, medical examiners, police and vital statistics. The researchers sought to understand how the crisis influenced suicide deaths in the first year of the pandemic, how the response by governments, employers and others influenced individuals, and if their handling could inform future public health responses. The researchers used the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Violent Death Reporting System , which compiles death reports and vital statistics and uses that information to write text narratives that describe the circumstances in the person’s life at the time of their death. According to the researchers, the CDC launched the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) to address this data gap and provide information that can reveal interactions between individual and macro-correlates of suicide. The outcome is that the COVID-19 pandemic did not lead to an excess in suicide mortality in 2020. In looking at the narratives, the researchers found that the reasons behind the suicides are complex and that mental health may have been overlooked as the crisis unfolded. The analysis also points to the need for better coordination, support by employers, communities, public health leaders in future crises, especially in relation to mental health. According to lead researcher Briana Mezuk , professor of epidemiology: “We felt it was important to delve into the narratives of these deaths, rather than using numbers alone, to learn what roles the pandemic and the public health response to the pandemic might have played in these lost lives.” In looking at the deaths of individuals aged ten years old and above, the researchers found that 6.8 percent of suicide deaths in 2020, representing 2,502 cases, described an aspect of the pandemic, and 20 percent had no known circumstances described in death reports. Although many individuals experienced heightened emotional distress during that time, and some had feared this would lead to greater suicide mortality in 2020, no overall increase materialized in most countries, including the U.S. Nonetheless, research into the causes of suicide and with building mental health support remains a priority in the U.S.and other countries with similar rates. The study appears in the journal Public Library for Science One . The research is titled “Psychosocial and pandemic-related circumstances of suicide deaths in 2020: Evidence from the National Violent Death Reporting System”. Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for science news.Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, business, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs.