Microsoft identifies 3 multi-screen "personas" which brands must know

Microsoft research reveals consumers require different ad experiences depending on their "attention styles".

Now that 86% of consumers are multi-screening when watching TV, gaming or browsing the internet, brands must create ad experiences that are in tune with this shift in audience behavior, says a new report from Microsoft.

The Attention Spans study found that almost half (47%) of Millennials studied have high selective attention which is due to their ‘multi-screening’ behaviours and outlined three natural attention ‘personas’ which reflect consumers’ use of digital technology:

  • Ninja: when consumers compartmentalise tasks so they can control their attention. Individual activities are allocated specific devices and usually work and play are kept completely separate
  • Pragmatist: when consumers show some degree of compartmentalisation but use attention skills to combine activities, rather than having rigid rules to organise their day
  • Ambidextrous: when consumers regularly blend tasks together across devices to do household admin, work and social media activities at the same time

Each persona reflects consumer usage of technology and outlines how they approach everyday tasks, helping brands to understand the new rules around connecting with people in a multi-screen world.

Owen Sagness, UK General Manager for Microsoft Advertising and Online says: “Our study indicates that people are adapting their attention skills according to a broad range of demographic and lifestyle factors, such as age, vocation or time of day.

“As consumers shift their behaviour to handle multiscreen environments, agencies too must shift their approach to audience engagement. In addition, agencies must invest in technologies like programmatic and data analytics. Those acting on this insight will reach audiences at the right moment, with the right type of content across the right devices, driving greater results and ROI for brands.”

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