Indiana State University Newsroom

Members of the Scott College of Business will partner with the College of Business at the University of Akron to examine how consumers pay attention to digital video and television advertising.

Dr. Terry Daugherty, Dean of the Scott College of Business, and Dr. Milton Soto-Ferrari, Assistant Professor of Operations & Supply Chain Management, will represent Indiana State University. 

TVision Insights, a leader in audience measurement, partnered with the Journal of Advertising Research (JAR), seeking proposals from scholars to help advance the industry's understanding of audience attention utilizing their demographically representative panel of more than 13,000 people across 5,000 US homes.

The ISU and UA team will investigate audience attention using predictive analytics and machine learning to compare traditional broadcast television to internet-connected viewing experiences, like streaming platforms. The goal is to develop interrelated best-practice recommendations for marketers seeking effective attention-based advertising.

"The project is exciting because the internet-connected video is everywhere with the potential of this work groundbreaking for advertisers. People have more control today than ever before over how they access, watch, and even share video content, so the need for brands to effectively break through and resonate with consumers makes attention a critical factor. Collaborating with a leading company is a unique opportunity to bring industry and academia together." Daugherty said.

This partnership between industry and some of the nation's most prestigious scholars will examine complex real-world issues using TVision's cutting-edge technology that gathers second-by-second data. Some of the largest brands in the world, top media networks, and streaming platforms rely on TVision research.

"I am thrilled to be a part of this innovative project that harnesses the power of data-driven insights to improve consumer experiences. The TVision/JAR partnership fosters a collaborative research environment that will undoubtedly lead to more effective and impactful marketing strategies. I am eager to dive into the data and contribute to the industry's future through this exciting initiative." Soto Ferrari said.

In total, 33 academic teams worldwide applied, with only eight awarded access. The other seven teams are Northwestern University, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Southern California, University of Houston, Emory University, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and the University of South Australia.