The role of attention merchants in modern advertising

Authored by Nitin Parmar, Director Equinox Films

Attention - The currency of the digital age

All the world is a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,

William Shakespeare
(from As You Like It, spoken by Jaques)

The basic pitch of advertising since the arrival of Homo Sapiens has always been-:
“Hey. Have you heard about this new product (fire; the wheel; vegan food; divorce lawyer; non- fat ice-cream; salvation; the iPhone). Everyone loves it. It’s the absolute best! You must try it!.”

CHAPTER 1: Paying Attention.

Attention. What exactly is it? Who is paying for it? How much are they paying for it? And how do you measure it in a reliable way?

(Enter Stage Left- “The Attention Merchant”)

The goal of any“Attention Merchant”(like your’s truly) has always been to take a piece of information/communication about a product/service and to communicate/talk about it, in the most precise, effective and interesting way possible.

(Enter Stage Right- “The Consumer”)

The consumer pays attention to the information/communication, and if of all goes well- they act on it. Hallelujah!
It’s the perfect transaction. But then…

(Drum roll…)
(Enter stage right- : Attention Recession!)

In the digital age, every moment has become more precious because the modern consumer doesn’t have as much attention to pay.

What the modern consumer is telling us with the threat of the looming thumb hovering over their phone screen (ever ready to scroll to the next shiny object) is-: “Get to the point!”; “Get to it fast!” and “Get to it effectively and interestingly”

Clear, Quick, effective and Interesting.

Advertising has shifted radically in form and shape in a relatively short period of time.
The modern influencer talking to us through a screen, promoting the use of a product/service is the human embodiment of an advertisement. Information wrapped in a more relatable and human form.

But even they need to be loud and effective enough to influence consumer behaviour.

How do you engage with someone who has to deal with millions of bytes of information every few seconds? We need to make a connection. We have to talk about things that the consumer cares about and things that reinforce their values.

This is the challenge of creating a piece of communication in the modern age.
It's not enough to communicate anymore. It's important to break through the clutter and communicate with innovation.

What should an attention merchant do? How do we get the consumer to pay attention in a constantly shifting world?
I don’t think we have all the answers yet. But I am very excited to be here in this time of flux.
To look for, discover, invent fresh ways of telling stories and communicating with the consumer.
To innovate.

It's a symbiotic relationship.
Advertising shapes consumer behaviour and consumers in turn shape advertising behaviour.

We are constantly defining and redefining who we are- what we like; how we love, live, eat, exist, celebrate, and experience life.

We, as creators, get to be a part of this movement.

Exciting times.

 DISCLAIMER: The views expressed are solely of the author and Adgully.com does not necessarily subscribe to it.

Also Read: Equinox Films creates a powerful Airtel’s Commercial