The advertisement played. But it doesn't stick in anyone's memory — Why are cinema ads so powerful? Examining the conditions for "being seen" through new research and dissatisfaction on social media

Was That Ad Just Displayed? The High Cost of "Unseen Ads" Revealed by Canadian Study

When you open your smartphone, ads flow in one after another. But if asked about the name of a product you saw a while ago, could you answer immediately?

In the advertiser's management screen, it is recorded as "delivered." Meanwhile, the recipient might be scrolling to the next post without even noticing the ad.

A study in Canada has been published that views this gap as an issue of advertising costs.

On October 6, 2026, Cineplex Media, which handles cinema advertising, and Amplified, which researches attention to ads, released the Canadian version of "The Eye-Watering Cost of Dull Media," estimating the annual efficiency loss caused by media environments that struggle to capture attention at 1.52 billion Canadian dollars.

"Dull Media" here does not simply mean boring ads. It refers to environments where ads are displayed, but people pay little attention to them.

Before discussing the quality of an ad, does it have the opportunity to catch the eye? This study re-examines that entry point.

17.5 Seconds in Cinemas, 3.2 Seconds on Facebook—What Was Compared in the Study?

According to the announcement, the study measured 5,400 ad views using eye-tracking and facial detection among Canadian viewers in cinemas, on Facebook, and on the web. Additionally, about 360,000 ad interactions on platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok were estimated using a model.

This is important: not all 360,000 interactions involved direct measurement of people's gaze. Also, the number 5,400 refers to the number of ad views, not the number of participants.

In directly measured environments, the average active attention time per ad interaction was 17.5 seconds in cinemas, 3.2 seconds on Facebook, and 0.3 seconds on the web.

However, this cannot be read as "sales will multiply in cinemas." This is because comparison conditions such as ad length, format, and interaction circumstances also matter. The relationship between brand preference and memory handled in the study must also be distinguished from actual purchase amounts.

Still, it conveys that within the same expression of "delivering an ad once," there are different interaction experiences.

1.52 Billion Canadian Dollars Is Not a Tally of Lost Cash

The enormous figure is eye-catching, but its meaning should be noted.

The amount this time is not a sum of advertising losses from corporate financial statements but an estimate expressed in monetary terms of the difference in advertising efficiency due to how attention is gathered. The announcement explains that aiming for equivalent ad results in low-attention environments corresponds to an additional investment of about 25 cents per dollar spent.

In other words, it is not a uniform judgment that "25% of advertising costs are always wasted."

Japanese companies also have room to consider similar issues. For example, even if they can buy a large number of cheap ad slots and increase the number of displays, if it does not become an opportunity to get their brand known, the reasonableness of the investment cannot be explained by low cost alone.

Conversely, even expensive slots can be overpriced if they do not reach the intended audience. Both "is it likely to attract attention?" and "does it reach the intended audience?" must be considered.

Don't Conclude with "Cinemas Won"

When reading the study, attention should also be paid to the entity making the announcement.

Cineplex Media is a company that sells cinema advertising and has a business interest in the high valuation of cinemas. This does not mean the research results are incorrect. However, it should not be received under the same premise as a comparison by an independent third party.

The released announcement alone has limitations in sufficiently examining ad length, target brands, participant composition, and estimation uncertainties. If used for actual budget allocation, detailed conditions should be confirmed and verified against one's own products and customers.

In the first place, the purpose of advertising is not singular.

The necessary information and manner of contact differ when wanting people to remember a new brand name versus showing purchase options to those already looking for a product. The result of obtaining a long attention time alone does not determine the priority of all ads.

What should be considered from this study is not "which medium is absolutely superior," but rather "are you buying contact that suits the purpose?"

Reactions on Social Media—Agreement in the Advertising Industry and Audience Frustration

The social media reaction to this Canadian announcement itself, as confirmed within the scope of a public search, has not gathered enough to judge a trend. Therefore, the following introduces posts related to the study and existing user voices regarding cinema advertising separately.

See Posts on Reddit

On LinkedIn, Jolene Sng highlighted the preceding "The Eye-Watering Cost of Dull Media," stating that TV ads have left a deeper impression on her than endlessly scrolling ads. At the same time, she noted that the discussion favors TV.

In the comments section, there are voices appreciating the monetary backing and reactions from those who have long held the same view. Some perceive the study as putting into words the reality that is hard to capture with just the number of ad displays.

On the other hand, cinema audiences have a different perspective.

In the Cineplex-related community on Reddit, a post made in December 2025 about "20 minutes of ads and trailers" received complaints about long ads and repeated commercials. There were also voices expressing that their mood was dampened by ads when they came to enjoy a movie.

Conversely, there are comments showing understanding that ad revenue supports cinema operations.

These are neither direct rebuttals to the study nor representative public opinion surveys of the entire audience. However, they prompt consideration that the "viewable environment" desired by advertisers and the "comfortable viewing experience" desired by audiences do not necessarily align.

Being Seen and Being Liked Are Different

An ad caught your eye. You remembered the product name. Still, discomfort might linger.

Turning up the volume to grab attention, repeating the same video, obstructing operations—these methods might draw the eye, but what impression they leave afterward is another matter.

The dissatisfaction on social media indicates that "gathering attention alone does not equate to success."

When evaluating ads, it is necessary to consider in stages whether they were noticed, whether the content was conveyed, how the brand impression changed, and whether it led to purchases or inquiries.

Since viewers' time is being used, it must also be questioned whether the information or enjoyment returned is commensurate with that time.

What Japanese Advertisers Can Reassess

According to Dentsu's "2025 Japan Advertising Expenditure," Japan's total advertising expenditure is 8.0623 trillion yen. Internet advertising expenditure is 4.0459 trillion yen, accounting for 50.2% of the total advertising expenditure, surpassing half for the first time.

Even in Japan, where investment in digital advertising is significant, it makes sense to consider both the volume of distribution and the quality of interaction. However, the Canadian estimate cannot be directly applied to the Japanese market to calculate "Japan's loss amount."

As practical implications, three points can be considered.

First, in addition to reporting the number of displays and clicks, confirm how much the ad content and brand were conveyed. If you look at the reasons for the increase in numbers, it becomes easier to narrow down areas for improvement.

Next, change the expression according to the display environment. In scenes that pass by quickly, the order of information you want to convey becomes important. If you assume viewers who watch without sound, check if it can be understood with just visuals.

And before increasing the number of distributions, confirm whether repetition is becoming a burden. There is room to verify not only increasing contact with the same person but also whether it is reaching new people and how changing the frequency affects results and impressions.

These are not conclusions proven by this study in Japan but rather considerations drawn into Japanese advertising operations from the issues raised.

What advertisers are buying is the space on the screen and the opportunity to play. However, what they truly seek is the understanding, memory, and choice beyond that.

Before increasing advertising costs, what should be confirmed is the tactile sense of how people perceive the ads beyond the large number of display counts lined up in the management screen.

Source URL

1. Aktiencheck: Introduction of the research announcement on October 6, 2026.
   https://www.aktiencheck.de/news/Artikel-New_Canadian_Research_Estimates_Dull_Media_Costs_Advertisers_More_Than_1_5_Billion_Annually-20149805

2. GlobeNewswire/Cineplex: Primary announcement of the research. Explanation of measured cases, model estimates, attention time, equivalent additional investment amount, and research methods.
   https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/10/06/3375538/0/en/new-canadian-research-estimates-dull-media-costs-advertisers-more-than-1-5-billion-annually.htmlglobenewswire.com

3. Amplified: Official introduction of the Canadian edition study. Clearly states the efficiency loss of 1.52 billion "Canadian dollars" annually.
   https://www.amplified.co/resources/cost-of-dull-canadaCanada Edition

4. LinkedIn/Jolene Sng: Impressions and comments on preceding related research. Not a direct reaction to the Canadian edition announcement.
   https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jolenesng_the-cost-of-dull-media-dr-karen-nelson-field-activity-7472461124890939392-MWO6Jolene Sng

5. Reddit/r/cineplex: User discussion on the length of cinema ads and trailers. Introduces both dissatisfaction and understanding of ad revenue.
   https://www.reddit.com/r/cineplex/comments/1pv5baj/cineplex_ads_and_trailers_are_20_minutes/reddit.com

6. Dentsu: Official announcement of "2025 Japan Advertising Expenditure." Source of Japan's total advertising expenditure, internet advertising expenditure, and composition ratio.
   https://www.dentsu.co.jp/en/news/release/2026/0305-011006.html