--- title: When It Comes to TV, Video Completion Does Not Equal Audience Attention description: When it comes to measuring user attention, it is important for marketers to remember that television experiences are fundamentally different from digital experiences. Since the advent of digital data collection, many marketers have correlated video completion rate with viewer attention. image: https://www.tvisioninsights.com/hubfs/pexels-photo-276700.jpeg --- [![TVision Logo](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/hs-fs/hubfs/TVision%20Brand%20Guidelines/TVision_logo_color_rgb_whiteText.png?width=1804&height=202&name=TVision_logo_color_rgb_whiteText.png "TVision Logo")](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/) News # When It Comes to TV, Video Completion Does Not Equal Audience Attention August 27   |   News Originally Published in [Broadcasting & Cable ](https://www.broadcastingcable.com/blog/when-it-comes-tv-video-completion-does-not-equal-audience-attention) When it comes to measuring user attention, it is important for marketers to remember that television experiences are fundamentally different from digital experiences. Since the advent of digital data collection, many marketers have correlated Video Completion Rate (e.g., a video played from start to finish) with viewer attention, and built their performance strategy around Video Completion Rate (VCR) as a KPI metric. When it comes to television, however, TVision Insights wondered whether or not VCR truly is an accurate measure of attention. Our research shows that, for television, video completion has little bearing* *on viewer attention. In fact, by optimizing for video completion metrics alone, you’re just as likely to reach an attentive viewer as if you did no optimization at all. Video completion rate does not help you to find an attentive audience. **Why the Difference Between Digital and Television Is So Important** First, some background: consider the distinct nature of digital versus television. At its heart, digital media is an *active “lean forward” *experience, while television consumption is a more passive*, “lean back” *one. With digital, the user taps or clicks to watch a video on a device typically in closer proximity than a television might be, and so completion rate can be a strong indicator of user attention. But once a television is turned on programs and commercials will air whether anyone is in the room or not. While completion rate works as an attention indicator on digital, it fails for TV measurement because of the passive experience. There have been attempts to solve for this problem. Networks and brands use surveys and sales data to determine ad effectiveness. And in recent years, many marketers have used digital measurements as proxies for TV attention. *Set-top box data is a more apples-to-apples comparison with digital VCR metrics. However, this approach is fundamentally flawed because set top boxes measure household tuning activity, while it is individual viewer attention that really matters.* **Results of the TVision Study**TVision has built a panel with in-home technology that detects when people are in the room and measures when their eyes are on the television screen. We looked at eyes on-screen in comparison to program and/or ad completion rates, and then ran correlations to see if there was a relationship. Based on this analysis, if programs or commercials air to completion, there is no correlation with the level of viewer attention paid to that program or commercial. ![](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Capture6452.png?width=849&height=268&name=Capture6452.png) Additionally, a recent national [partner study](https://thearf.org/category/news-you-can-use/when-longer-isnt-necessarily-better/) between TVision Insights and the Advertising Research Foundation (ARF) found that *attentive *exposures result in 18% greater unaided awareness than ratings alone, across a variety of industries. This attention-driven awareness evolves into sales. *Attention*, therefore, is a valuable metric for marketers to employ in sales-focused planning and buying strategies—not video completion. Moving forward, understand that optimizing for video completion will not necessarily put your marketing resources to good use. Instead, optimize for attention. [![TV and CTV Attention Report](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/3023204/5eeec174-ffb8-4a4a-81d3-9e747704521a.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/3023204/5eeec174-ffb8-4a4a-81d3-9e747704521a) ![LinkedIn](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/hubfs/Assets%202018%20-%20S2/illustrations-icons/linkedin-icon.png) ![Twitter](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/hubfs/Assets%202018%20-%20S2/illustrations-icons/twitter-icon.png) ![Facebook](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/hubfs/Assets%202018%20-%20S2/illustrations-icons/fb-icon.png) ## More resources from TVision [blog](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/resources/tag/blog) [TVision's New TV Attention and Creative Impact Report](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/resources/tvisions-new-tv-attention-and-creative-impact-report) Today TVision, the company measuring every second of TV and CTV viewer engagement, released the H2 2025 State of Streaming Report. The semi-annual State of Streaming Report is the industry's best resource for insight into attention and engagement with streaming apps, content and ads. [Read More](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/resources/tvisions-new-tv-attention-and-creative-impact-report) [blog](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/resources/tag/blog) [TVision Insights Enters Definitive Agreement to Be Acquired by Viant Technology](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/resources/tvision-insights-enters-definitive-agreement-to-be-acquired-by-viant-technology) Today TVision, the company measuring every second of TV and CTV viewer engagement, announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Viant Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: DSP), a leader in CTV and AI-powered programmatic advertising, in a transaction valued at $40 million. The deal, expected to close in Q2 2026, brings TVision's second-by-second, person-level attention data, co-viewership signals, and in-room presence measurement directly into Viant's buying platform. [Read More](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/resources/tvision-insights-enters-definitive-agreement-to-be-acquired-by-viant-technology) [blog](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/resources/tag/blog) [TVision's New State of Streaming Report Reveals How Context, Pod Position and More Impact Viewer Engagement](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/resources/tvisions-new-state-of-streaming-report-h2-2025) Today TVision, the company measuring every second of TV and CTV viewer engagement, released the H2 2025 State of Streaming Report. The semi-annual State of Streaming Report is the industry's best resource for insight into attention and engagement with streaming apps, content and ads. [Read More](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/resources/tvisions-new-state-of-streaming-report-h2-2025) [![The TV and CTV Attention Report](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/3023204/6b181378-6650-4289-8bad-aa2394689443.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/3023204/6b181378-6650-4289-8bad-aa2394689443) ### Find Your Brand's TV Performance Or try these: [Geico](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/search-results?brand=Geico), [Amazon](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/search-results?brand=Amazon), [Progressive](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/search-results?brand=Progressive), [State Farm](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/search-results?brand=State%20Farm), [T-Mobile](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/search-results?brand=T-Mobile) ## Get in Touch Need more info, have a question or want a demo? Tell us a little bit more and we'll respond shortly. ## Stay Up to Date The TV landscape is changing quickly. 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