Venatus Delivers 5x Higher Video Ad Attention by Activating Audiences “In the Zone”, Lumen Research Finds

Partnership confirms Venatus generates outstanding attention outcomes for video advertisers

LONDON and CHICAGO and NEW YORK, March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Venatus Media today announced new analysis of digital media results across video ad campaigns, showing the company delivers up to five times higher attention by activating audiences it finds “In the Zone.”

The findings reveal the value of audiences “In the Zone,” meaning users interacting within high-focus gaming, sports, and entertainment environments where Venatus technology can assess and respond to user mindset, context, and timing. When these conditions converge, Venatus activates messaging to users in a distinct cognitive state characterized by immersion, intentional engagement, and receptivity to video advertising.

Independent analysis conducted by Lumen Research, the attention technology company, measured actual visual attention and confirmed that Venatus formats produce materially stronger attention metrics for advertisers.

Specifically, the study found that audiences “In the Zone” 

• Are nearly twice as likely to view an ad versus benchmark in-stream formats
• Watch ads four times longer: Eight seconds on average, versus industry benchmark of two seconds for standard digital video
• Generate up to five times higher Attention Per 1,000 Impressions (APM) than standard digital video benchmarks 

These gains reflect measurable shifts across Lumen’s core attention metrics of % Viewed, Average View Time, and APM (Attention per Mille), demonstrating that Venatus does not simply reach users within gaming content but reaches them in a fundamentally different cognitive state.

“Attention isn’t evenly distributed across digital media,” said Nick Hugh, CEO of Venatus. “What we first observed in gaming, and have now built into our technology, is that there are environments where attention behaves fundamentally differently than anywhere else on the web. When audiences are ‘In the Zone,’ attention is sustained rather than interrupted, making each impression inherently more valuable.”

Mike Follett, CEO of Lumen Research, added: “Our methodology uses eye-tracking to measure the reality of attention to advertising. The Venatus results show attention to advertising is a function of attention to content: the more absorbing the environment, the more attention extends to the ads. High-quality, highly relevant content creates the conditions for high attention, highly effective advertising.”

The study evaluated performance at a format and environment level, consistent with Lumen’s global attention models, which show that attention outcomes are driven primarily by environment and format.

Venatus will continue to expand its technology capabilities to further refine how “In the Zone” audiences are identified and activated across premium immersive environments.

About Venatus
Venatus Media is the advertising growth engine where premium games, sports, and entertainment content thrive and brands meet audiences In The Zone. Engineered for outcomes, Venatus helps publishers and advertisers win in immersive, high-focus environments by combining predictive attention systems, adaptive optimisation, and purpose-built ad formats that invite engagement without disrupting the experience. Venatus operates at the intersection of content, mindset, and commercial impact, powering measurable outcomes and lasting value across today’s and tomorrow’s most engaged communities. Founded in 2010 with operations across the UK, Europe, North America, and APAC, Venatus is built for audiences In The Zone – where audiences lean in and outcomes play out. Learn more at www.venatus.com

About Lumen

Founded in 2013, Lumen Research helps media buyers minimise ad waste and maximise return. Lumen’s attention technology is powered by the world’s largest proprietary eye-tracking data from 50+ countries, delivering actionable attention predictions and custom attention models that help advertisers invest in working media and drive real outcomes. For more information, visit www.lumen-research.com

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SOURCE Venatus