Creative Units and Attention

Creative tactics deal with the ways in which words and pictures are used in advertising in order to deliver the message. A very important thing here is the fact that meaning in communication is dependant upon many things beyond the obvious content of the message. So, we must pay attention at the tactics used to create an advertisement because the easier the target audience processes and understands the message, the more likely it is achieved the desired communication effect. The most important creative tactics are those for attention and those for learning.

Tactics for attention

When we consider what creative tactics can help maximize attention, particularly initial attention, we must be concerned not only with how advertising is put together, but also with the effect of the creative unit chosen (for example, the size of a print advert or the length of a radio or television commercial). The creative unit must be considered in terms of the best way to deliver a message.

Creative Units and Attention

The most important factor in terms of creative units for generating attention in radio and television advertising is the length of the commercial. Attention to both radio and television commercials is directly related to length. Longer commercials stimulate greater attention than shorter ones, but the relationship is not proportional. For example, while a 60-second commercial will gain more attention than a 30-second one, the increase in attention is only about 20 per cent, not double; and while a 15-second commercial attracts less attention than a 30-second one, it will generate about 80 per cent of the attention of a 30-second commercial, not merely half. The same rule applies to print advertising. Thus, larger ads tend to attract more attention than smaller ones, but not proportionately.