Attention Quest: Winning The Game Of User Engagement
In Brief
In the six-second attention economy, brands win not by interrupting but by integrating—turning ads into engaging, interactive experiences, especially within games where real connection happens.
What do people want now? To scroll. TikTok, Instagram, YouTube shorts – this is where users are these days, rapid-consuming content. The human attention span, once capable of holding long conversations and reading through weighty novels, is now squeezed into a six-second window. Not because we’ve suddenly turned into goldfish, but because TikTok’s AI has deciphered that this is all it takes to win, or lose, user focus.
From a marketer’s standpoint, the implications are brutal: catch interest in under six seconds or miss out entirely.
But what if instead of “trying to catch attention” ads will aim for in-context engagement?
From Scrolls to Stories: The Gamechanger of Interactive Worlds
Shipt, a delivery service, created a time-limited back-to-school experience in Voldex’s Driving School, a super popular Roblox racing game. The result? 27 million minutes spent by users delivering virtual goods. Those many, many minutes were spent enjoyably by potential customers of Shipt. They were not trying to avoid and skip ads, they were brand-engaging.
Traditional marketing, the kind that assumes you’ll sit through a 30-second pitch or a multi-paragraph explainer, crumbles under this new reality. In today’s “attention economy,” brands aren’t just competing with other brands; they’re competing with everything that’s online. A dog video. A trending meme. A text from mom. Every second is a battleground, and you’ve got six of them to make your mark.
And in this environment, merely being seen isn’t enough. You need to be felt. Eyeballs are cheap; engagement is currency. Fail to deliver immediate, relevant, and entertaining value, and you’re just more digital noise. Ask Floyd Mayweather’s NFT buyers, Logan Paul’s CryptoZoo backers, or the many memecoins that flamed out after an influencer boost. Lesson learned (the hard way): attention without connection amounts to nothing.
Six seconds in the attention economy isn’t short—it’s an eternity in goldfish years. But unlike goldfish, your audience remembers what you made them feel.
When in game, do as the gamers do
Now, here’s the twist: not all hope is lost. In fact, one medium thrives in this chaos of gaming. While the rest of the internet chases ever-shorter attention spans, games do something radical: they hold attention. Players don’t just watch; they participate.
And guess what? It works.
The 2023 Anzu Lumen Attention Report finally put numbers to what many in the space suspected. Gamers viewed 85% of in-game ad impressions compared to a dismal 43% across traditional digital formats. Even better? Those ads sparked a 7% bump in purchase intent, climbing to 14% for challenger brands. That’s not a banner ad, that’s a result.
Why does it work? Because these ads don’t interrupt. They enhance. They’re often made by gamers, for gamers, and respect the space. Want an extra life? There’s an ad for that. Want to unlock a secret level? Complete a branded challenge. Ads that aren’t friction, but fuel.
Engagement through gameplay activates memory, choice, and emotion—the holy trinity of long-term brand connection.
Fortnite’s branded skins (remember the Nike Air Jordans?) and Travis Scott’s in-game concert didn’t just promote – they became events. In Roblox, which is the current north star of brand activations, Gucci had a garden, Beetlejuice held an afterlife party, and NARS Cosmetics did a Color Quest and a Sweet Rush. These campaigns didn’t fight for attention; they deserved it.
Engaging with the future
What’s next? Imagine branded quests where players can uncover digital collectibles, unlock lore-tied items, or explore storylines where brands don’t just exist – they matter. A fast-food joint in a cyberpunk city that serves up actual rewards? A treasure chest that leads to a brand-themed mini-game?
When a player wins a branded item, that’s not just exposure. It’s a memory for them. And a connection made for the brand.
Brands need to stop trying to hijack attention with louder ads and start embedding themselves into the worlds users care about. Think product placement, but with purpose. Think less interruption, more integration. Ads should be a part of the game, not a break from it.
In the six-second economy, the rules have changed. Attention isn’t bought, it is earned. Not through noise, but through relevance, interaction, and above all, participation.
Gaming teaches us that ads and engagement aren’t parallel lines. They can intersect if the cards are played right. For brands that understand this, the path forward is clear: stop chasing eyeballs. Start crafting adventures.
Your six seconds start now.
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About The Author
Joana Barros is the Marketing Director of My Neighbor Alice, a web3 gaming platform. Joana has over 10 years of experience in gaming and Web3, specializing in community engagement, brand growth, and strategic partnerships. Before immersing herself in the Web3 space, Joana spent five years as a Project and Marketing Manager at Microsoft and later ventured into entrepreneurship as a founder. Her deep understanding of innovation and digital ecosystems allows her to craft impactful campaigns that connect brands, players, and blockchain technology. Thriving in fast-paced environments, she is passionate about building inclusive communities and shaping the future of gaming and web3.
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Joana Barros is the Marketing Director of My Neighbor Alice, a web3 gaming platform. Joana has over 10 years of experience in gaming and Web3, specializing in community engagement, brand growth, and strategic partnerships. Before immersing herself in the Web3 space, Joana spent five years as a Project and Marketing Manager at Microsoft and later ventured into entrepreneurship as a founder. Her deep understanding of innovation and digital ecosystems allows her to craft impactful campaigns that connect brands, players, and blockchain technology. Thriving in fast-paced environments, she is passionate about building inclusive communities and shaping the future of gaming and web3.
