Attention Economy Report

What You'll Find in the Report

1ADVERTISING COST INFLATION

  • CPC rose by 5.2%, CPM by 11.3% year over year
  • Google Ads: increases of up to 31% between 2022-2024
  • Declining effectiveness alongside rising costs

2THE ATTENTION ECONOMY PHENOMENON

  • Herbert Simon's theory
  • Attention as the new currency
  • Fragmentation and shortening of the attention

3GEN Z REJECTS TRADITIONAL ADVERTISING

  • 66% use ad blockers
  • Average attention span: just 1.3 seconds
  • They value authenticity above everything else

4GAMING AS THE NATURAL RESPONSE

  • 3 billion gamers, 50% watch livestreaming
  • Average attention span measured in hours
  • Measurable business results

A guide to the new marketing reality

Traditional advertising costs more and delivers less. Modern marketing focuses on attention metrics instead of superficial data. This report uses research from IAB Europe, Nielsen, and Comscore, alongside data from 1,000 campaigns, to provide proven solutions. The attention economy is the current reality for brands. Gaming provides a space where audiences give brands minutes of attention rather than seconds. Case studies in this report show results like a 33% sales increase and 26 minutes of brand interaction.

Did you know that...

36%

Only 36% of consumers trust traditional advertising

68%

of consumers believe traditional advertising is untrustworthy

85%

of surveyed marketers consider gaming a high-quality advertising medium

Reportcreatedby:

Wiktoria Wójcik
Wiktoria Wójcik,
Founder & co-CEO,
New Game +
Szymon Kubiak
Szymon Kubiak,
Founder & co-CEO,
New Game +
Daria Rupniewska
Daria Rupniewska,
Head of Client Solutions,
New Game +
Justyna Barwińska
Justyna Barwińska,
Branded Games Leader,
New Game +
Jakub Chilimończyk
Jakub Chilimończyk,
Head of Creative Team,
inStreamly
Cezary Dobrowolski
Cezary Dobrowolski,
Brand Manager,
inStreamly

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The Attention Economy as the New Marketing Reality: A Guide for Brand Managers

Why attention rules marketing in 2026

Modern marketing requires capturing focus in an information-heavy world. The attention economy, once a theory by Nobel laureate Herbert Simon, now determines campaign success. As internet users experience shorter focus spans, metrics like reach and impressions no longer reflect communication value.

The rise of advertising costs

Digital advertising costs are rising while results decline. In 2024, average cost-per-click increased by 5.2% and cost-per-thousand impressions rose by 11.3%. Google Ads search costs reached $2.69 per click. Only 36% of consumers trust traditional ads, with trust even lower among Generation Z.

Reaching Generation Z

Generation Z resists traditional marketing. Most young people skip ads or use blockers, giving online ads only 1.3 seconds of active attention. Bulbshare research shows 92% of Gen Z values authenticity above wealth. This group has moved away from television and print toward digital, on-demand platforms.

Gaming as an engagement solution

Gaming and live streaming provide a path to engaged audiences. The global gaming market reached $219 billion in 2024 with over 3 billion players. Traditional online ads grab attention for roughly 2 seconds. Gaming integrations achieve much higher results. For example, PKO Bank Polski saw 26 minutes of interaction in Fortnite, while Mountain Dew reached 47 minutes per day.

New metrics for effectiveness

IAB Europe 2024/25 identifies attention metrics as a primary trend. Modern marketing measures how long a person interacts with a brand and the value they perceive. Data shows 85% of marketers view gaming as an effective channel, while 89% report a positive impact on performance.

Business results from gaming

Case studies show the impact of gaming on sales and brand health. PKO Bank Polski earned 590,000 map views in Fortnite with 26 minutes of engagement per player. Mountain Dew saw a 33% sales increase and a 28% rise in brand affinity through its creator program. Research indicates gaming campaigns can increase online orders for beverage brands by 45% and sales in racing games by 20%.

New Game +: A media system for attention

New Game+ provides a system to maximize attention through gaming culture. The approach uses three pillars. PREPARE combines marketing strategy with game development. CREATE uses technology to build new formats. PLAY provides media solutions to grow brand awareness. With 1,000 completed campaigns across 15 countries, New Game+ treats gaming as a primary destination for brand success.

Download the Report

"The Attention Economy as the New B2B Marketing Reality" provides industry data and practical insights. Learn to design engaging campaigns and measure the real value of audience focus. Download the report to see how brands earn minutes of attention.