Optimizing Urban Visual Identity: Eye-Tracking Insights for Outdoor Advertising Management

In addition to architecture and infrastructure, urban outdoor advertising also shapes urban visual identity, serving as a prominent carrier of public information and visual stimuli. However, excessive or poorly designed advertisements disrupt the cityscape and contribute to visual pollution and cognitive overload. Leveraging computer-based eye tracking, this study examines the visual and cognitive effects of outdoor advertising designs within urban contexts. Key eye-tracking metrics, including total fixation duration, fixation count, time to first fixation, and first fixation duration, are measured to analyze the influence of various variables on visual attention and user experience, such as color contrast, text complexity, information hierarchy, and spatial layout. The findings reveal that high-contrast, text-heavy designs hinder visual flow and increase mental effort, while visually balanced layouts improve legibility and reduce cognitive burden. These results offer actionable insights for optimizing urban visual identity and enhancing the clarity, comfort, and coherence of outdoor advertising. By integrating perceptual data into urban design strategies, this research provides a data-driven approach to smarter, more human-centered advertising management and urban aesthetic governance.