Attention among Gen Z audience does not last longer than 9 seconds: Report

Attention among Gen Z audiences does not last longer than 9 seconds, a recent India Attention Research study reveals. Social media platform Snapchat has released an Attention Advantage Report with WPP Media and eye-tracking technology company Lumen on Wednesday.

The research states that while light attention of less than a second build recall, sustained attention for more than 3 seconds enables deeper connections. Additionally, a mere 5% increase in attention can lead to up to twice as many gains in brand perception as in conventional modes. 

A previous Snap-BCG report projected that India’s 377 million-strong Gen Z population will command a combined spending power of $2 trillion by 2035. However, the latest findings reveal that this generation of 13–28-year-olds has a low tolerance for advertising, paying nearly 34% less attention to ads on traditional social platforms.

The report highlights the need for a re-evaluation of digital advertising and has released a new metric of APM (Attention Per Mille) that captures how many seconds of attention an ad receives for every 1000 impressions and cost per APM.

The report revealed that attention is eight times more effective than view-through rate in predicting brand recall and four times more accurate in forecasting brand favourability.

"The finding that attention is 8X more effective than View-Through Rate at predicting brand recall validates that the entire media ecosystem must change,” said Mike Follett, CEO, Lumen Research, in a statement.

Using its proprietary technology, Lumen measured visual attention across major digital platforms with input from over 3,000 Indian respondents. In a controlled ‘sandbox’ environment, WPP Media brands across key categories—FMCG, Auto, Quick Service Restaurants, and Fashion—ran ads from a single campaign, revealing striking insights.

The study that has been commissioned by Snapchat says that the platform captures twice as much attention as conventional digital platforms, with skippable AR Lenses proving twice as effective and three times more efficient at driving voluntary, active engagement than any other format. With over 80 billion Lens uses each month, AR on Snapchat offers authentic, self-driven interaction—especially when combined with non-skippable video formats that help secure initial attention.

"In today’s digital landscape, attention is no longer a nice-to-have, it’s one of the most critical measures of advertising effectiveness,” said Amit Chaubey, Head of Marketing Science, Snap Inc. APAC, in a statement.

The study highlights that platform choice has an important impact on brand positioning. Meanwhile, non-skippable video formats capture baseline attention. However, the report states that ultimately it is the creative that truly seals the deal, branding that connects with the young audience.