View: An Eye-tracking Study of Print Advertisements

Abstract

This research investigates how agricultural communications students view animal agriculture print advertisements using eye-tracking technology. The advertisements are constructed of a minimum of four areas of interest (AOIs) and are analyzed using eye-tracking metrics (time to first fixation, fixation duration, and fixation count) and scanpath entropy. Eye-tracking technology is a growing phenomenon in the advertising industry, but the data isn’t always readily available. The purpose of this study is to determine how agricultural communication view print advertisements and if they view them differently after experiencing an introductory graphic design course. Students completed a demographic questionnaire and were eye-tracked during the first week of their introductory graphic design course and were then eye-tracked a second time using an identical eye-tracking test at the end of the semester. The eye-tracking test was designed so the participants had five seconds to view each of the eight advertisements.Based on eye-tracking metrics, participants, on average, viewed all AOIs within the advertisement in less than four seconds and the image produced the highest fixation count. The logo AOI produced the greatest scanpath entropy, meaning it had the most information loss during viewing. Evidence from this study led to recommendations for graphic designers to include a dominant, attention-attracting element in their designs along with attention-holding elements to keep a viewer engaged in the design. For education, graphic design instructors should consider curriculum revision based on the results of eye-tracking studies.