Last Sunday’s Academy Awards telecast brought many memorable moments, from an adorably authentic Girl Scout cookie sell-a-thon to often heated comments about diversity and inclusion. Many brands tried to grab viewer attention, often through the use of celebrities or humor. One of, if not the, most popular ads of the night also wins our award for the most attention-grabbing television or digital ad of the week. Android’s “Good Friends”, a delightful animated takeoff on the game Rock, Paper, Scissors, tops our list with an Attention component score of 732.

Three of the top five ads in this category aired on Oscar night, including American Express and Squarespace, while the other two on the list are digital versions that are longer than their TV counterparts and also successfully commanded attention.

Top Five Attention-Grabbing Ads from February 25 – March 2

Android’s “Good Friends” portrays an animated rock, paper, scissors at school and ultimately has the feel of an anti-bullying PSA. Through a simply animated story, the three characters overcome differences and become friends. With an Attention component score 14% above the software category norm, the ad’s message clearly broke through, as illustrated in the ad personality below. When asked about the Single Best Thing about the ad, the Visual Scenes were the top response, followed by the Music, and the Characters.

Viewer verbatim comments for the ad demonstrated that the message, while not named the best thing, came through and made an impact. There were also indications that while the characters grabbed attention, some viewers expressed confusion over the connection to the brand.

The second most attention-grabbing ad, American Express’ “The Day” also aired during the Oscars. Capitalizing on star power, the ad shows Tina Fey hilariously purchasing exercise gear. The ad delivered an Attention score 13% above the credit card category norm, with Characters overwhelmingly named the Single Best Thing about the ad with 46%. One male viewer commented, “I thought Tina Fey’s character was funny and it kept my attention long enough to see what the card is all about. The offer featured was short and to the point, which I think is important in advertising.”

Under Armour’s ad highlighting the intensity level of the training the “USA Women’s Gymnastics” team delivered strongly on breakthrough with an Attention score 11% above the Apparel norm. The ad analyzed here is the online version that clocks in at 1:40, adding to the attention-grabbing value. Viewers named the Visual Scenes (30%) and the Message (17%) the best things about the ad. Many viewer comments described the video as “inspiring” and “motivational”, though some expressed confusion over whether it was an ad for the Olympics, rather than the brand.

Squarespace aired “Field Story” during the Oscars and the ad also delivered on Attention, scoring 11% above the Websites norm. Following the travels of a photojournalist around the world and through wars, the ad’s Visual Scenes are what grabbed attention, with 40% of people naming them the Single Best Thing. Though successful at grabbing attention, the ad was light on brand recognition. One viewer commented, “Very striking and dramatic ad. I was drawn into the action and towards the character but it didn’t really tell me what the product was that the brand was advertising. If you didn’t catch the fine print at the end, you’d be clueless.”

Our final ad on the list is an adorable portrayal of a toddler, who with the right early childhood care, might run for President in 2064. YMCA’s “Zoe for President”, a :50 digital spot, delivered 5% above the Corporate Branding norm, and was also driven by Change more than any of the other ads on the list. This viewer comment captured a popular theme:

“What a great ad for YMCA. This ad showing the little one-year old and what her life could be like in the future is she gets the right child care, mentoring, help, etc. was inspiring. This ad shows just how important community involvement is in helping children grow up and do well and the YMCA is a great program and needs to be supported and donated to. Great ad.”

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