The Incredible Shrinking Attention Span
In the fast-paced world of advertising, one thing has become increasingly clear: the American attention span is shrinking. Much like the dog from the classic Disney movie, “UP,” voters are in a constant state of “Squirrel!”
With countless distractions vying for a voter’s attention—from smartphones to streaming platforms—campaigns must adapt their strategies. Recent studies suggest that the average American’s attention span has decreased to around eight seconds, a trend that reflects our ever-busy lives. However, when looking at the data from millions of ad impressions served – that number is likely lower online. On Facebook and Instagram you’re getting just a few seconds on a video and, last cycle, the gold standard for a 30-second ad to be watched to completion was around 50%.
With information constantly bombarding us, voters are becoming more selective about what they watch and engage with. This reality presents a challenge for campaigns, who must now create persuasive messages in an increasingly limited timeframe.
The 15-second ad format continues to prove itself as a powerful tool in our communications arsenal, and not just for digital and social media.
Why 15-Second Ads?
“Brevity is the Soul of Wit” – William Shakespeare.
The beauty of a 15-second ad lies in its brevity. Less is often more and condensing a message into a concise format forces creativity to flourish. When writing a 15-second script, you are compelled to strip away the superfluous, honing in on the core message and delivering it with clarity and punch. We often joke that you can say a lot in 15 seconds if you don’t try to say too much.
Capturing Attention Quickly
The 15-second format is perfect for capturing attention quickly. These ads can hook viewers in the first few seconds, making it easier to engage audiences who are prone to scrolling past longer content. When you have only 15 seconds, every frame counts, driving the need for visually striking and compelling storytelling.
Versatility Across Platforms
As voters increasingly migrate to digital platforms, shorter ads align perfectly with how content is consumed online. Social media channels, such as Facebook, Instagram, Snap, and YouTube, are thriving on brief content, allowing brands to integrate seamlessly into voters’ feeds without overwhelming them.
Two for the price of one.
Generally speaking, on broadcast television and cable, 15-second ads are half the price of a 30-second ad for the same number of Gross Rating Points. So you get 2 ads for the price of 1.
Retention and Recall
Studies from the Journal of Advertising Research have shown that shorter ads can lead to better retention rates. When voters aren’t overwhelmed by information, they are more likely to remember your brand and message. A memorable visual can stick with viewers long after they’ve finished watching.
Case Study: All 15’s on the Raul Torrez for Attorney General
It was nearly an impossible task for Raúl Torrez in the Democratic primary for Attorney General in New Mexico in 2022.
Raúl’s opponent was a statewide officeholder who had twice the cash, nearly every endorsement from every corner of the state, and polling that showed that after the informed ballot Raul was losing by a whopping 27 points. To illustrate the uphill climb Raúl faced, his opponent won the non-binding pre-primary convention 62% to 38%.
A cookie-cutter campaign would be a losing campaign for Raul Torrez. We needed to take calculated risks if we wanted to win.
Our strategy was to utilize a series of sharp, 15-second ads on TV (half the price of a 30-second ad); go up early, and define the terms of the race from the opening salvo as a contrast between a prosecutor and a career politician.
We were more aggressive than normal in having Raúl go directly after his opponent in the ads but it paid off.
On Election Day, despite a 2-to-1 cash deficit, Raúl Torrez won the highly competitive primary for New Mexico’s Attorney General by an amazing 7%.
Case Study: All 15’s in the Primary for Judge Janet Protasiewicz for Supreme Court
In the 2023 campaign for State Supreme Court in Wisconsin our candidate was Milwaukee Circuit Court Judge Janet Protaseiwicz. She was virtually unknown, with an impossible last name that no voter could pronounce.
In the Primary, Judge Janet faced a steep climb. Initial polling showed her polling a distant third with just 10% of the vote. The top two candidates in the primary would advance to the general, and there was a significant worry that two conservatives would battle each other. …. They were much better known as a former Supreme Court justice (Daniel Kelly) and a current national celebrity judge (Jennifer Dorow) who was just off 24/7 news coverage in the state after her televised trial of the Waukesha Parade Massacre case.
In our first ads of the primary or Janet, our campaign made sure everyone knew the Protasiewicz name, how to pronounce it, and the stakes of the election (abortion, fairness, and public safety).
We ran the entire primary with 15-second ads to drive repetition and boost her name ID. It worked. Following the primary, money was not longer a problem and the race became the most expensive State Supreme Court campaign in American history. We won on election day, flipping the balance of the court. It was named Campaign of the Year from the American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC) and “Best Campaign of 2023” from Daily Kos Election. And, it all started with our 15-second strategy in the Primary.