Eye-tracking Research w/ JCDecaux NZ Billboards

Tristan Cotterill

Leading Out-of-Home company JCDecaux has unveiled results from a new eye-tracking study in New Zealand that overwhelmingly confirms that its large format billboards outperform competitors’ formats and sites on the key engagement metrics of time and attention and deliver strong brand recall for advertisers.

Conducted by eye-tracking company AccessHQ in Auckland, the innovative study was designed to address advertiser concerns regarding the viewability of different media channels, in this case outdoor formats and their ability to attract audience attention.

Participants in the study wore scientifically developed, discreet eye-tracking glasses to record their eye movements as they were driven along two different commuter routes. The recorded data was correlated with infrared eye-tracking of their pupil position to understand viewing and engagement with outdoor advertising in a real life situation.

Eye-tracking is a powerful tool for exploring how people respond to and interact with outdoor advertising, and its influence in the buyer decision making process.

Access HQ’s GM Customer Insights and Eye-Tracking, Greg Barnett told us “Eye-tracking allows us to see through their eyes in an unobtrusive way. We see what they see and are able to record and evaluate that behaviour.”

Participants were not aware they were taking part in a study for outdoor advertising to allow the capture of natural behaviour, but were familiar with the route to ensure the experience reflected the journey of a regular commuter.

The high traffic routes around Auckland covered a range of precincts including retail, business, industrial, entertainment, CBD, motorway and the airport. A selection of outdoor advertising from both JCDecaux and competitors allowed participants to see a balance of formats and locations with 683 opportunities to see JCDecaux sites and 578 opportunities to see competitor sites.

Of the 1,750 total views analysed, JCDecaux sites across all precincts were shown to be more viewable than competitors, delivering greater attention and high recall. The research results comprehensively demonstrate that JCDecaux’s high-quality, large format sites are more memorable, more impactful and inspire audiences to engage with brands.

Specifically, JCDecaux sites delivered:

· Heightened overall attention +60% uplift versus competitors
· Longer average viewing length +35% uplift versus competitors
· More views on average +38% uplift versus competitors
· Greater overall impact versus street furniture +65% uplift

In addition to real time eye tracking, participants were interviewed immediately afterwards and 75% of respondents correctly named JCDecaux advertisers they had seen on the route, unprompted. When prompted with a list of advertisers, 96% correctly named JCDecaux advertisers seen on the route.

JCDecaux New Zealand Country Head, Mike Watkins, said “The results prove that superior network quality and strategic placement of JCDecaux sites command greater attention across all precincts tested. Proximity to traffic lights, panel orientation and full viewability are key to our offering.

“JCDecaux’s philosophy and strategy is about deeply understanding our audience and creating memorable campaigns for advertisers to connect in meaningful ways. This study is another example of the focus we have on global innovation and insights at JCDecaux and we are bringing that expertise to the New Zealand market.”

The eye-tracking study also showed the overall attention score for JCDecaux digital large format sites (58%) out performed street furniture (57%) for pedestrian audiences:

· JCDecaux Digital Large Format is twice as effective as Small Format in overall attention score

· JCDecaux Digital Large Format holds attention for more than twice as long as Street Furniture

· JCDecaux Digital Large Format commands a significantly higher number of views than Small Format.

JCDecaux large format sites outperformed street furniture across all metrics among people travelling in cars.

Auckland was chosen for the study as an innovative, globally connected city representing 33% of the New Zealand population and 38% of National GDP.


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