Skippable or non-skippable? Pre-roll or mid-roll? Visual attention and effectiveness of in-stream ads

Abstract In-stream ads are one of the most common ad formats on the Internet nowadays, especially on YouTube. However, there has not been enough research on visual attention and advertising effectiveness, especially regarding the effect of ad position, and whether skippable or non-skippable ads are more effective. Therefore, with a 2 (skipping characteristic: skippable/non-skippable) × 2 (ad position: pre-roll/mid-roll) between-subjects experimental design, we investigated the effect of skipping characteristic and ad position on visual attention and effectiveness (i.e., brand recall, attitude, and intrusiveness) of in-stream ads. The findings bring conceptual contributions to the domain of advertising. Through theories of interactivity, duration of exposure, and moment of interruption, we show the superiority of non-skippable and pre-roll ads concerning visual attention and advertising effectiveness. Moreover, we identify excessive visual attention in the skip button location. Thus, we envision new insights and discussions on the topic, including practical implications.