It’s harder than ever before to hold consumers’ attention. The rise of the information age has allowed brands, news and memes to go viral across the globe but due to our lust for knowledge these can disappear just as quickly as they arrive.

For example, a 2013 a Twitter global trend would last for an average of 17.5 hours, contrasted with a 2016 Twitter trend, which would last for only 11.9 hours.

This can cause problems for advertisers. With information only ever a click away and your eyeballs always searching for the next stimulus, advertisers must fight harder than before to ensure they grab attention.

A recent Google study showed that TV ads in the US dropped from 97% being fully viewed in the early 90s to under 20% in the modern era. There are a plethora of factors for why this may be; the rise of dual screening, the fragmentation of TV channels or that live TV is becoming moribund.

Or.

It is because we, the consumers, mentally ad block. We only have enough space in our mind for a certain amount of information. To steal a quote from Homer Simpson; “every time I learn something new, it pushes some old stuff out of my brain”.

Considering the sheer volume of ads we are exposed to every day, it is no surprise that consumers are becoming more adept at ignoring some of the noise. Therefore, how can we make sure eyeballs pick the TV ad over Whatsapp, read the long copy in Press or fixate on a message on an Out of Home format.

The answer is ensuring the media platform works as hard as possible to capture the attention of the consumer.

At Limited Space, we have a unique network of digital screens known as Orbit. Orbit is the UK’s biggest network of landscape digital screens across Retail and Leisure destinations. One of the USPs of Orbit is that each screen can offer sound as well as the amazing visual impact for which Out of Home is best known.

Sound helps to grab consumers’ attention and divert the gaze to give the creative the best chance of cutting through. Scientific studies have shown that sound is recognised by your brain 10 times faster than light once it hits your ear drums. Therefore sound is a great way to disrupt and interrupt a consumer’s flow.

Research conducted by YouTube proves that advertising effectiveness is increased when sound and visual cues are combined. Adding sound can increase brand awareness by 60%, brand recall by 40% and brand consideration by 190%.

Regrettably, only a small percentage of advertisers are using the full capabilities of Orbit. So, this is a rallying cry to the media industry to keep asking itself the question, ‘how can we grab attention?’ Media platforms offer a chance to reach an audience but it’s only through creative collaboration that we can hope to hold their gaze long enough for the message to sink in. So, use the sound that only Orbit can offer, to help break through the noise.