I believe the single most valuable asset for an advertiser today is to have someone’s undivided attention.

And that is the very thing that is growing scarcer by the day. I don’t need to tell you why—just take a look around the dinner table. If your home is anything like mine, chances are at least one member of your family is doing more texting than eating. Invariably, a TV is on somewhere nearby, and every few minutes or so, a cell phone rings. Quality dinner table conversation? Sometimes it feels like it’s on its way to extinction.

This techno-sensory overload, and its implications for human relationships, was the subject of a fascinating and much-discussed New York Times article. And a new book on internet overload, The Shallows, goes so far as to claim that the internet is rewiring our brains – a theory that is generating fans and foes alike.

But what hasn’t been addressed as directly is what this all means for advertisers who spend millions of dollars hoping that their message will break through the chaos, resonate with their audience, and ultimately lead consumers to spend money on their product or service. Yes, Nielsen has been beating the drum around multiscreen usage for some time, and their research shows a significant increase in the amount of media multitasking. But this data, while indispensible, doesn’t necessarily solve this fundamental problem: If and when your message reaches your audience, are they sufficiently engaged at that very moment to even care?

In many cases, the answer is no. The attention span of today’s ultra-wired consumer is simply too fragmented to allow for a deep, engaging experience with advertising. There are, however, some emerging media that invite interaction in a way that puts the user in control, thereby allowing them to engage on their terms.

One of these is Xbox LIVE, which is like the web in that the user can click on what they want, when they want, and yet also get the big screen, HD experience of TV. This ability to opt-in to a visually immersive experience is really the best of both worlds --and has been proven to get audiences to really pay attention.

We have a wealth of research that bears this out. We’ve taken the lead on innovative cross-media measurement, including measuring cognitive and emotional response to advertising. And what we’ve learned is that the Xbox LIVE environment is so deeply engaging, and that the audience is so intensely focused when they are on Xbox LIVE, that the result is increased brand awareness and recall when compared to traditional television ads. These results have been consistent across a number of advertiser case studies.

Of course, the ultimate campaign is one where you successfully surround consumers on all screens.

But I believe the TV screen is where a brand can have the most impact and generate the greatest interest-- providing the viewer is paying attention. When people are on Xbox LIVE, they are paying attention in unprecedented ways. And, increasingly, so are the marketers who want to reach them.

Thanks,

Mark Kroese - General Manager, Advertising Business Group

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