Branding

Research on moment-to-moment attention suggests that "pulsing" brand cues—inserting the brand visually for short, repeated durations—is superior to continuous static branding (like a permanent watermark) or a single long block at the end. Continuous branding often triggers "commercial avoidance" mechanisms (the brain identifies it as an ad and tunes out). Pulsing maintains total brand exposure levels while allowing the viewer's attention to reset and return to the narrative, reducing the likelihood of skipping or "zapping". Read more: [[Moment-to-Moment Optimal Branding in TV Commercials.pdf]]

​The primary advantage of long-form advertising is persuasion without skepticism. When viewers are deeply engrossed in a story (high narrative transportation), they suspend their disbelief and are less likely to counter-argue against the brand's message. Overt branding that interrupts the plot (e.g., a character stopping to praise a product unnaturaly) breaks this spell. Research shows that high brand prominence is acceptable only if it is integral to the plot; otherwise, it reduces persuasion. Read more: [[Narrative Transportation, A Systematic Literature Review and Future Research Agenda.pdf]]