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Brand Reset at MAD//Fest: Rethinking Video Attention for Long-Term Brand Growth

Our blog
August 5, 2025

Back in 2019, dentsu transformed the advertising landscape with the launch of the Attention Economy project. Fast forward to today, and we at Carat are picking up the baton to do it again with Brand Reset, the industry’s largest ever attention-based study into the sales impact of NextGen video advertising.

Attention has become a core metric for driving short-term performance marketing; we know this. But what about the long-term brand value and winning the hearts and minds of consumers, not just their wallets?

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At MAD//Fest 2025, Carat, in collaboration with Lumen and Kantar, took to the stage to explore how attention relates to both short-term gains and long-term brand success. The session featured insights from:

  • Bram Meuleman, Global Head of Strategy, Carat
  • Les Binet, CEO, Binet Consulting Ltd
  • Ewa Zawol, Partnership Transformation Director, dentsu
  • Mike Follett, CEO, Lumen Research

Together, they unveiled preliminary findings from Brand Reset and discussed all things attention and next gen video, offering marketers a bold new playbook for the fragmented, algorithm-driven video ecosystem we now inhabit.

Three key findings revealed at the MAD//Fest panel:

1. The Playing Field is Levelling

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Linear television continues to deliver up to 8% long-term sales uplift. However, NextGen Video platforms are catching up fast, with some already delivering 5% uplift – signaling a rebalancing in video effectiveness.

2. Tiny Moments, Big Impact

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Just 5–10 seconds of genuine attention is enough to drive long-term sales. This challenges the long-standing assumption that longer viewing always equals greater value.

3. Tunnel Through the Funnel

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To accelerate consumers through the mid-funnel, brands should invest in high-attention environments where viewers engage for 10+ seconds. These moments are proving highly effective at prompting action.

The session also addressed key concerns among marketers, such as uncertainty over channel investment, the changing nature of video consumption, and the need for better education around the evolving media landscape.

What’s Next?

The full Brand Reset research – rich with actionable insights for brands looking to succeed in the new video era – will be released in October 2025. To stay ahead of the curve, now is the time to rethink your video strategy with attention at the core.