Attention metrics in India are still a minor factor in media planning: only 17% of Indian marketers rank attention quality among their top three media-allocation metrics, while 81% prioritise reach or incremental reach. The findings come from the Beyond Reach report, launched by Publicis Media India and MMA India and reported on October 9, 2026.
Lumen supplied India attention benchmarks for the study, which also found that 86% of marketers would likely shift budgets if strong attention evidence showed better brand memory.
What Does the Beyond Reach Report Say About Attention in India?
Some 69% of marketers say attention is absent from their media plans or does not influence media decisions. The biggest barrier is measurement: 92% rank the lack of reliable or standardised attention measurement among their top three challenges, and 100% believe an agreed industry standard would speed adoption. On creative, 94% say it is at least as important as placement in earning attention, but only 14% systematically adapt creative to different formats and lengths.
How Do Attention Levels Differ Across Media in India?
Lumen’s India benchmarks measure attentive seconds per 1,000 impressions: Instagram Reels about 692, YouTube skippable video 1,957, YouTube non-skippable video 3,579, connected TV 7,286 and linear television 7,771. The report says the benchmarks are not meant to rank media effectiveness, only to show how similar impression volumes yield different attention levels.
Industry Reaction and Expert Commentary
Lalatendu Das, CEO, Publicis Media South Asia, said: “Reach will remain fundamental to any media strategy.” Moneka Khurana, MD and BOD, Marketing + Media Alliance (MMA) India, said: “Brands today can be seen everywhere, but being seen is not the same as being noticed.”
What Should Indian Marketers Do Next?
The data suggests marketers have appetite to change but lack a common yardstick. Watch for any industry-wide attention standard and for brands piloting attention-based buying alongside reach.
Frequently Asked Questions
What percentage of Indian marketers prioritise attention quality?
Only 17% rank attention quality among their top three media-allocation metrics, versus 81% who prioritise reach or incremental reach.
What is the main obstacle to using attention metrics?
Some 92% of marketers cite the lack of reliable or standardised attention measurement among their top three challenges.
Who published the Beyond Reach report?
It was launched by Publicis Media India and MMA India, with Lumen supplying the India attention benchmarks.
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