DCM undertook a qualitative research study to observe the effects of media multi-tasking on advertising recall and depth of communication and how this compares to a cinema environment (single-tasking).

Methodology

We used ethnographic research techniques to observe behaviour on a typical evening and two homes, and invited three groups (all groups were 20-30 year old ABC1's) to warch a new film at the cinema.  None of the groups were aware they were going to be asked about advertising.  We asked the groups to draw the ads they could remember after their evenings.  We consulted a popular ad model to help us understand the responses.

Key findings

Observation

Multi-tasking = Multi-media:  typical evening at home includes TV, internet, mobiles, music, magazines, books, newspapers etc..

Five minutes was the maximum attention span on a typical evening - mostly much less.

There is a social etiquette at the cinema - NO talking, NO mobiles, look forward and pay attention

Psychologist's perspective

When multi-tasking, adults use selective attention to focus on what they're doing - they filter out the necessary information needed for each task.

When attention jumps from one thing to another, it is harder to recall information because the level of encoding (memory) is pooer.

However, it has been proven that memories associated with high levels of arousal are usually more easily recalled and are recalled in higher detail

There's no distraction at the cinema which means ability to remember is improved.

Attention + emotion = an optimum level of arousal.  This is key to increasing our ability to encode messages in the brain which in turn significantly increases recall.

What does this mean for advertisers?

Drawings after a typical evening at home while multi-tasking show a thematic level of take-out (colours, characters and music are remembered but often unbranded).

Drawings after a typical evening at the cinema display Details (brand, facts, prices, dates, executional features) and Meaning (interpretation and effect of the ad).