The news: The advertising industry is moving from “opportunity to see” to “proof of impact.” The new IAB and MRC Attention Measurement Guidelines formalize a shift long visible in audience behavior in which people respond to what they feel, not what they scroll past, per MarTech.

Gen Z is the clearest signal. Data from Edison Research and SiriusXM Media shows the ads that grab their attention spark emotion and identity, not the number of ads they see. Humor (49%), music they love (49%), inspiration (42%), and honesty (42%) outperform traditional hooks. This reveals attention is earned through resonance, not reach.

Zooming in: Viewability remains the baseline for ad measurement, but attention metrics add a diagnostic layer that shows how audiences experience an ad. 

The framework spans four methods—data signals, visual tracking, physiological and neurological observation, and panel studies—giving marketers a shared language for measuring engagement depth and quality.

• MRC accreditation is now open, pushing vendors toward validated, transparent approaches.
• Attention reframes media buying metrics around experience, not impressions.
• It becomes a predictive tool for creative performance and a bridge from exposure to outcomes.

The caveat: Each advertising platform offers different signals—scrolling and sound on mobile, gaze on CTV, sentiment in social, limited telemetry in audio. Fragmentation makes cross-channel comparisons uneven and could keep attention from becoming a true universal currency.

What this means for advertisers: Attention standards raise the bar so it’s no longer enough for an ad to be seen—it needs to elicit an emotional response. 

Brands targeting specific demographics should design creative around their emotional triggers, measure attention as a quality metric, and build media plans that prioritize resonance over reach.