Visual attention allocation and advertising outcomes in digital video advertising: evidence from an eye-tracking study

Purpose Digital video advertising competes for customers’ limited attentional resources by presenting multiple stimuli simultaneously in real time. Drawing on the elaboration likelihood model, stimulus–organism–response theory, and the limited capacity model of motivated mediated message processing, this study aims to examine how visual attention affects ad recall and attitudinal responses among young consumers. Design/methodology/approach A within-subject eye-tracking experiment involving 66 young consumers was conducted using two digital video advertisements. Visual attention was measured through transformed fixation time (TFT), transformed fixation number, and average gaze duration (AGD) across predefined areas of interest. Logistic regression was used to assess the effects of attention allocation on advertising outcomes. Findings Product-related AGD emerged as the strongest predictor of ad recall, indicating that sustained attention to product cues enhances memory formation. Endorser-related fixation frequency positively influenced attitude towards the advertisement, whereas prolonged gaze duration on endorsers negatively affected attitudinal responses. Brand-related attention did not significantly influence recall or attitudinal outcomes. Practical implications The findings suggest marketers should prioritize product visibility while carefully managing endorser exposure to enhance overall advertising effectiveness. Originality/value This research conceptualizes digital advertising effectiveness as attention allocation and distinguishes between attention frequency and attention depth, using eye-tracking measures.