Life Would Be So Sweet If You Were Marketing To Goldfish

I’ll be brief here (for obvious reasons).

A 2015 Microsoft study found human attention spans are now almost a second shorter than that of goldfish.

Our attention spans have shrunk from 12-seconds in 2000, to 8.25-seconds in 2015.

Why? Smartphones, information overload, a constant barrage of 360-degree messaging, the ever-increasing pace of modern life, obsessive behaviors–– the average office worker checked his email 30-times an hour, and so on.

Goldfish don’t have smartphones, deadlines, or Gmail. A big event for them is food or a new diver toy in the bowl. 

No wonder their attention spans kick humanity’s ass.

Our attention spans are going to continue shrinking, which means one thing for marketers–– if you’re vying for attention, you’d better have something special to say.

Messages that are empathetic, interesting, and enriching.

Otherwise, you’re just creating noise. And you’re not nearly as riveting as goldfish food.

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Patrick Scullin is an empathetic adman and founder of ASO Advertising.

He has two blogs: Empathetic Adman (marketing pontification) and The Lint Screen (satire, smartassery humor, pop culture ramblings, and advice for people getting hip replacements).