All banners are not built the same

A recent graphic shared by Dan White and Elena Jasper highlights a sobering stat from Lumen Research: digital display banners rank last in attentive seconds per 1,000 impressions - just 667 seconds.

That number reflects the current state of most banners: static, built only for clicks, and easy to scroll past. But it also reveals something deeper:

The format isn’t the problem. The execution is.

When banners match behavior, attention follows

Not all banners are static placeholders hoping for a click. Some are built with attention in mind - using formats that reflect how people actually use digital media.

• They invite interaction.

• They respond to touch.

• They ask questions.

• They offer choice.

In short: they invite participation.

In one recent campaign we ran in Sweden, a conversational Cavai banner invited people into a dialogue using a simple opening question. The ad was tracked by Lumen in real-time and delivered in a high-impact mobile format.

The result?

1,497 attentive seconds per 1,000 impressions.

That’s more than 2× the average for standard display. Nearly on par with DOOH. And not far from video formats typically considered "high attention."

What drives attention is what people do

Attention isn’t only about what appears on screen - it’s about what happens between the person and the screen. People don't give attention because an ad is present. They give it because they’re engaged.

• Swiping.

• Dragging.

• Scratching.

• Answering a question.

• Choosing an option.

These are actions. And action is what signals attention. When people engage, they’re more likely to remember the message, associate it with positive emotion, and take action later.

Execution changes everything

Most banners fail not because they’re digital - but because they’re built to be ignored.

That’s why format choice matters. Not all display is created equal. Not all banners deserve the same outcome.

We’ve seen banners outperform video. We’ve seen interactive formats drive stronger brand recall than static assets. We’ve seen attention double - just by asking a question. This changes how we think about planning. It changes how we brief creatives. And it absolutely changes how we interpret performance data.

Let’s stop lumping all banners into the same bucket. The next time a format gets dismissed, ask: Was it the channel - or the creative choice inside it?