Excellent 🚀 Let’s dive into Week 1 of your 12-week master course. I’ll treat this as if you’re
reading a professional handbook + workshop guide. You’ll get detailed lessons, examples,
exercises, and reflection prompts.
🎬 Week 1 – Attention, Perception &
Memory
How to make your video ad impossible to ignore and unforgettable in the viewer’s mind.
Lesson 1.1 – The Science of Attention
🔑 Core Idea:
People are bombarded with 6,000–10,000 brand messages daily. Most are ignored. Your first
job: interrupt the autopilot.
🧠 Psychology:
Selective Attention Theory – People notice only what matches their goals/emotions.
Bottom-up attention triggers (automatic): movement, contrast, faces, novelty, loud
sounds.
Top-down attention triggers (intentional): relevance, usefulness, personal interest.
🎥 How to Apply in Video Ads:
1. Use Faces & Eyes – The human brain is hardwired to notice faces.
o Example: Old Spice Man looking directly at the camera.
2. Create a Curiosity Gap – A question or incomplete story that makes viewers want to
know more.
o Example: Geico’s “Unskippable” ads — start mid-situation, you want to see the
resolution.
3. Surprise or Disruption – Something unexpected in the first 3 seconds.
o Example: Dollar Shave Club CEO walking through warehouse with absurd
humor.
📌 Case Study: Old Spice “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like”
Starts with eye contact + direct address.
Fast cuts = keeps attention.
reading a professional handbook + workshop guide. You’ll get detailed lessons, examples,
exercises, and reflection prompts.
🎬 Week 1 – Attention, Perception &
Memory
How to make your video ad impossible to ignore and unforgettable in the viewer’s mind.
Lesson 1.1 – The Science of Attention
🔑 Core Idea:
People are bombarded with 6,000–10,000 brand messages daily. Most are ignored. Your first
job: interrupt the autopilot.
🧠 Psychology:
Selective Attention Theory – People notice only what matches their goals/emotions.
Bottom-up attention triggers (automatic): movement, contrast, faces, novelty, loud
sounds.
Top-down attention triggers (intentional): relevance, usefulness, personal interest.
🎥 How to Apply in Video Ads:
1. Use Faces & Eyes – The human brain is hardwired to notice faces.
o Example: Old Spice Man looking directly at the camera.
2. Create a Curiosity Gap – A question or incomplete story that makes viewers want to
know more.
o Example: Geico’s “Unskippable” ads — start mid-situation, you want to see the
resolution.
3. Surprise or Disruption – Something unexpected in the first 3 seconds.
o Example: Dollar Shave Club CEO walking through warehouse with absurd
humor.
📌 Case Study: Old Spice “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like”
Starts with eye contact + direct address.
Fast cuts = keeps attention.
