Winning the attention game: Insights from Sharethrough’s innovative sports tickers

In today’s digital age, capturing and holding the attention of viewers during commercial breaks has become increasingly challenging. With the excitement of the Olympic Games, the need for innovative ad solutions is more pressing than ever.

To explore this further, The Media Leader interviewed Frank Maguire, VP of Insights, Strategy & Sustainability at Sharethrough, a global omnichannel ad exchange. Maguire discussed their groundbreaking CTV Sports Tickers, a technology poised to revolutionize ad engagement by seamlessly integrating real-time sports updates into commercials.

Frank Maguire, VP of Insights, Strategy & Sustainability

Advertisers must adapt

It’s no secret that the modern viewer is a multitasker. Sharethrough’s latest research reveals that 76% of viewers are distracted by their phones during commercial breaks. Recognizing this challenge, the ad exchange introduced the CTV Sports Ticker. This innovative tool keeps viewers engaged by displaying live sports scores at the ad’s bottom, capitalizing on their real-time interests. Early tests demonstrated a 91% increase in attention among sports fans.

To validate these promising results, Sharethrough partnered with TVision, utilizing their advanced eye-tracking technology to analyze viewer behavior in real-world environments. By installing TVision’s system in numerous homes, Sharethrough gained precise insights into when and how long viewers engaged with ads.

Data-driven insights

Ads featuring the Sports Ticker saw a 14% lift in viewer attention, suggesting that real-time sports updates effectively draw viewers’ focus away from their phones. Additionally, the “Attention to Duration Ratio” improved by 19% for ads with Sports Tickers. This indicates that these ads not only capture the viewer’s eye but also keep them engaged throughout the ad’s duration.

“The ticker provides compelling and valuable content, adds non-disruptive enhancement, increases engagement through sports-related information, sustains attention with constantly updating info, and becomes more relevant through geo-targeting,” Maguire tells The Media Leader.

‘Shorter ads are more effective’

Maguire points out that 15-second videos and viewers under 55 benefit most from sports tickers. “Shorter ads are more effective at maintaining engagement as attention spans decrease. Younger viewers, who are more prone to second-screen behavior, find the sports ticker appealing because it complements their viewing habits,” he says. Additionally, the combination of a concise 15-second ad and a sports ticker helps capture and maintain viewer attention, leading to better message comprehension and brand recall.

“It’s also worth noting that sports tickers work well for 30-second ads, but performance is maximized with 15-second ads,” Maguire adds.

What it means for advertisers

Aligning with seasonal sports events, such as featuring college basketball during March Madness or football in the fall is a great way to boost viewer interest, suggests Maguire. Advertisers should also tailor content to target audiences through geo-targeting makes ads more personal and engaging by providing relevant and new scores. Maguire notes, “We’re starting to see a lot of interest in brands wanting to display WNBA scores to better align with their target audience.”

He points out that integrating brand messaging with the sports ticker is also crucial. For instance, advirtisers can blend the sports ticker with the ad’s main message, as seen with a QSR company promoting a new menu item endorsed by a professional athlete. Maguire encourages Brands to create thematic connections: “Tie sports content to product launches, season premieres, or upcoming sales for a cohesive narrative & immersive ad experience”

Looking Ahead

As the Olympic Games continue until the August 11 closing, Maguire predicts that advertisers will increasingly leverage sports tickers to stand out. “The big advertising trend in this year’s Olympics is the prevalence of AI advertisers. While it’s great to see the next evolution of consumer tech, we wonder if the rapid oversaturation of AI offerings makes it hard for each brand’s message to stand out,” he notes.

In the future, Sharethrough plans to offer more ways for advertisers to customize the sports ticker to their unique audiences. “We plan to add additional sports leagues, in-game information, and statistics to the sports ticker. We also aim to focus on women’s sports and create new enhancement formats for sports with strong fan bases like tennis and F1 racing,” says Maguire.

Changing viewer behavior

Interactive ad formats are anticipated to change viewer behavior significantly. “We expect increased engagement, higher personalization expectations, more synchronized experiences between TV and mobile devices, and potentially fragmented attention,” Maguire predicts. Sharethrough aims to meet these challenges by continuously adapting their product roadmap, conducting market research, collaborating with advertisers, and investing in cutting-edge ad formats.

As the advertising landscape continues to evolve, innovations like these will be crucial in cutting through the digital clutter and delivering impactful messages.