By measuring active, passive and non-attention in the cinema environment, Screenvision revealed how the big screen delivers the strongest attention scores in media and the important role attention plays in driving better brand outcomes.

Screenvision knows that great storytelling deserves a great stage, and there’s no stage more captivating than the big screen. But in a world of ever-tightening budgets and blurred media metrics, they wanted to go further. Could the cinema experience not only entertain, but scientifically prove its power to drive better brand outcomes? Partnering with Amplified, Screenvision set out to answer that with attention data.

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What made you decide that attention should be a priority?

Cinema offers a viewing experience unlike any other, a 40-foot screen, surround sound, and an engaged, distraction-free audience. We’ve always known this environment drives strong brand results, backed by past research around recall and KPI lift. But we wanted to go deeper: what exactly makes cinema so effective?

That led us to attention. By partnering with Amplified, we were able to measure active attention scientifically, and the results were clear: cinema consistently outperforms other media platforms in capturing and sustaining audience focus. It validated what we intuitively knew and gave us a new, data-driven way to articulate cinema’s value to brands.

We also recognised that the industry is changing. Marketers are moving beyond legacy metrics such as reach and frequency, demanding smarter, cross-platform metrics that reflect real engagement. Attention was quickly becoming a focal point and we wanted to lead, not follow, in that conversation.

As agencies and platforms began adopting tools that factor in attention scores, it became essential that cinema be included. Integrating this data ensures cinema’s full value is recognised in planning tools and media mix models, positioning it not just as premium, but as measurably effective. Today, Screenvisions’ attention data is in Amplified’s campaign strategy tool, where brands can look at the true value of cinema advertising within the media mix and its impact can be fully understood and leveraged.

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What was your project about, and what were you hoping to achieve? 

Our objective was to quantify how much active, passive, and non-attention audiences give to the Screenvision preshow, content, and ads leading into a feature film. We wanted to move beyond assumptions and put hard data behind what makes the cinema environment so powerful for advertisers.

Cinema is uniquely positioned, a distraction-free setting, massive screen, immersive audio, and a socially shared, in-the-moment experience. We set out to prove that these factors drive higher engagement with advertising compared to other media.

But it wasn’t just about attention for attention’s sake. We aimed to understand how that attention translates into impact, both short-term, like ad recall, and longer-term brand outcomes such as affinity and brand choice. Ultimately, the goal was to show that cinema doesn’t just grab attention, it turns it into lasting brand value.

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What insights did attention measurement give you?

Our data confirmed that cinema commands the highest levels of active attention among media channels. Not only were we able to look at the sustained strong engagement throughout the entire preshow but we were able to share with our clients second-by-second audience engagement to their ad specifically. We found very little variance between ads and in fact longer ads garnered more active attention seconds by volume, proving the unique opportunity advertisers have to leverage strong sustained high attention. This underscores how the immersive cinema environment uniquely captures and holds audience focus.

In addition, the research proved that heightened attention to cinema ads translates into lasting brand impact. Even 30 days post-exposure, cinema advertising continued to deliver measurable positive effects on brand perception and brand choice - proving that attention in the theatre drives more than short-term awareness; it builds enduring long-term brand value.

 

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What impact has it had on your business? 

Partnering with Amplified and leveraging attention data has been transformational for how we position cinema in the marketplace. It became the foundation of our 2023 Upfront, “All Eyes on Screen,” which spotlighted the power of attention in driving brand outcomes.

The insights have had a real business impact: several of our top advertisers cited the study as a key reason for renewing their investment in cinema. It also opened new conversations with brands actively seeking high-attention media environments - a growing priority in today’s fragmented landscape.

Beyond sales momentum, the attention data has helped us reframe the value of a cinema impression. It’s not just premium, it’s proven. We’re now able to demonstrate the efficiency, effectiveness, and lasting impact of cinema advertising in ways that directly support marketers’ performance goals.

The results did more than prove cinema’s value, they reframed the conversation. With attention now a cornerstone of their positioning, Screenvision has strengthened client relationships, attracted new business, and reasserted cinema’s role as a premium, high-attention channel. This isn’t just data for data’s sake, it’s data that moves the dial.

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Ready to put attention to work?

Whether you're planning your next big campaign or looking to squeeze more performance out of your current media, Amplified’s attention-powered platform and bespoke research services have everything you need to outsmart the competition. Explore our tools, unlock real insight and finally see your media deliver the results it should.