(Report) Gaming Delivers Unmatched Attention, Emotion, and Brand Impact
As content ecosystems continue to fragment, identifying environments and formats that can capture sustained consumer attention has become a strategic priority for brands and their agencies. In this context, Gameloft for brands unveils a new study designed to validate a key intuition: understanding the drivers that make gaming a high-performing territory for advertisers.
Two studies were conducted in parallel, combining cutting-edge technologies to observe gamers’ reactions to in-game advertising formats in real-life conditions. One focused on measuring visual attention with the Mediamento Institute using eye-tracking technology (Tobii glasses), and the other on measuring emotional reactions with ActFuture using iMotions technology.
In an increasingly saturated digital landscape, gaming once again proves to be a unique environment. Here, attention is not passive; it is active. Results show a +18.1% higher level of sustained and positive attention on in-game video ad compared to traditional Pre-Roll video ad, confirming gaming’s ability to create genuine moments of focus.
"By combining our scientific methodology and eye-tracking technology with business insight, this research enabled us to deliver reliable attention metrics, along with key findings and actionable outcomes. In this Mediamento study, interactive in-game video ads captured attention for 92.2% of their viewable duration, compared with 88.4% for YouTube pre-roll video ads,” said Dorothée Rieu, PhD in Neuroscience, Founder and CEO of Mediamento Institute.
Another key finding relates to emotion. Gaming not only captures attention, but it also deeply engages players. The study shows that gaming generates 2.2 times as many positive emotions related to happiness as YouTube, largely driven by the interactive and immersive nature of the experience.
“Gaming creates a level of emotional intensity that few media can match. Because players are active, not passive, every interaction carries meaning. In gaming, emotion drives immersion, strengthens memory, and shapes the connections players build with brands over time. What people feel is what stays with them, and ultimately what drives action,” said Isabelle Fabry, Founder & CEO of ActFuture.
This combination of high positive attention and strong emotional response translates directly into measurable performance for advertisers:
- +25% brand recall
- +35% brand affinity
- +12.8% purchase intent
(vs. YouTube pre-rolls)
“It’s no longer about how many impressions you deliver, but how many truly make an impact. Our study shows that real media value comes from the ability to capture attention and turn it into genuine engagement and action. That’s where gaming stands apart. In an immersive environment where people are truly engaged, one meaningful interaction can outweigh thousands of impressions that simply pass by,” says Hugues Ossart, Senior Global Marketing Director, Gameloft for brands.
For brands and media agencies, gaming is emerging as a strategic lever to address key market challenges: capturing attention, enhancing memorability, driving engagement, and ultimately triggering action.
This study reinforces COMBO's value proposition, Gameloft for brands’ offering, designed to help brands activate more engaging and effective advertising experiences within premium gaming environments. By leveraging attention and emotion, COMBO! enables brands to turn each interaction into measurable impact, from recall to action.
Download the whitepaper here.
