The Influence of Persuasion Knowledge on Visual Attention to Product Placements

The practice of placing brands and branded products into the content of media programming is a costly endeavor. With high dollar-amounts at stake, it is important for marketers and advertisers seeking a maximum return on their investments to understand just exactly how effective their placements are. Given an understanding of placement costs, it would appear advantageous to examine if attention is being paid to placements as well as factors determining their effectiveness to audiences. This study used eye tracking to evaluate the influence of a viewer’s knowledge of persuasive intent (i.e., persuasion knowledge) on audiences’ attention towards integrated products within television programming. Results indicated no significant main effect of persuasion knowledge on visual attention.