Dentsu has released a major new research report, The Brand Reset, aimed at restoring the importance of long-term brand building in a digital landscape increasingly dominated by short-term performance metrics.

The study argues that marketers’ growing obsession with clicks, conversions, and immediate ROI has pushed brand building to the margins, despite its proven long-term value. In response, Dentsu sets out to re-establish the link between attention, brand equity, and both short- and long-term sales outcomes.

Drawing on a large-scale study of 40,000 respondents across the US and UK, the research analysed video advertising performance across ten major digital platforms, including TikTok, Snapchat, Pinterest and Spotify, alongside Linear TV.

Using passive eye-tracking technology, the study measured real-time visual attention, capturing how long viewers actually engaged with ads. These insights were then linked to brand perception and sales outcomes using tools from Kantar.

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Digital video proves long-term impact

One of the report’s central findings challenges a long-standing industry belief: that only Linear TV delivers lasting brand impact. According to the data, both short- and long-form digital video advertising can generate multi-year brand-building effects from a single exposure.

Linear TV still leads, delivering a 4.5 per cent long-term sales lift, compared to 2 per cent for digital video. However, when cost efficiency is considered, some short-form digital formats outperform TV, achieving lower cost per 1 per cent of long-term sales lift.

Connected TV also emerged as a strong contender, delivering a 3.21 per cent long-term sales lift, close to Linear TV’s 4.43 per cent. This finding addresses a key concern among marketers, nearly half of whom previously questioned whether streaming platforms could match traditional television in effectiveness.

The power of a single exposure

The research shows that even a single ad exposure can drive between 1 per cent and 5 per cent additional sales over three years, alongside short-term gains of up to 15 per cent within three months.

Marketing effectiveness expert Les Binet, who advised on the study, said the findings align with established theories on memory, emotion, and long-term advertising impact.

Why voluntary attention wins

The report also reframes how marketers should think about attention. While non-skippable ads guarantee exposure, their impact plateaus quickly. Skippable ads, on the other hand, become more powerful when viewers choose to keep watching.

This distinction highlights the value of voluntary attention over forced exposure, suggesting that brand equity is built more effectively when audiences willingly engage with content.

The 20-second ceiling

Another key insight is that attention has limits. After roughly 20 seconds of active viewing, additional time delivers minimal incremental value for long-term brand impact.

This finding raises questions about the effectiveness of longer ad formats, particularly when most viewers do not watch ads in full.

A new planning framework

At the core of the report is Kantar’s Meaningful, Different, Salient (MDS) framework, now directly linked to attention and sales outcomes.

• Salience can be built with short bursts of attention, often under three seconds
• Meaning and differentiation require longer, more engaging formats
• Brand size matters, with larger brands converting attention into results more efficiently

The framework provides marketers with a structured way to balance short-term performance with long-term brand growth.

A shift the industry can’t ignore

The Brand Reset positions itself as the start of a broader industry rethink. Future research will explore the role of platform algorithms, the cumulative effect of repeated short exposures, new frequency models, and the growing influence of on-demand video.

For marketers under pressure to justify budgets, the report offers something critical: evidence. It shows that brand building is not a luxury, but a necessity, even in an era dominated by algorithms and performance dashboards.

The implication is clear. Digital platforms are not just performance channels; they are capable of delivering long-term brand value, often more efficiently than traditional media.

The real question now is whether marketers will act on that evidence, or continue optimising for short-term gains at the expense of long-term growth.