Eye tracking drives Toyota’s click to conversion up by 77%

An attention optimised campaign from global automotive company Toyota used eye tracking algorithms aimed at driving action from consumers toward its hybrid electric car models. This case study illustrates how eye tracking is becoming an integral part of informing and understanding consumer attention for campaigns. 

“The usage of eye-tracking data in order to understand attention is becoming increasingly popular within the advertising industry today,” said Emelie Löfdahl, Director Attention Data at eye-tracking company Tobii. 

“Measuring gaze points is now an essential part of the process for activation, optimisation and evaluation to understand audiences and we will all soon see it as an integral part of every campaign in the future.”

Challenge

Toyota wanted to drive consumer action with a campaign for its hybrid electric car models, but was faced with the challenge that the majority of viewable display ads are not seen by online users. 

Marketing network The&Partnership, GroupM’s Xaxis, and WPP’s Acceleration, teamed up with eye-tracking company Tobii to build an attention optimisation algorithm that powered a performance display campaign for Toyota.

Solution

Tobii delivered data from its online eye tracking panel, including data on which placement IDs have historically received high attention. The data was broken down into numerous dimensions such as weekday, time of day and ad size. The four-strong team used the data to create a performance algorithm that takes into account the likelihood of attention.

In summer 2022, the algorithm was used in a campaign with A/B testing. A control group was served a viewable impression without the attention optimisation algorithm and a test group was served the same impression but with the algorithm. 

Results

The outcome of the A/B testing was a 77% lift in click to conversion rate and a 23% increase in conversions.

Toyota used the attention optimisation strategy to inform consumers how far its hybrid electric car models can travel powered by electricity. This initial awareness campaign delivered a 64% uplift in ad recall, 60% higher consideration from consumers and 23% higher campaign attribute perception when compared to the control group. 

As a result, Toyota decided to expand its highly optimised, always-on campaign to achieve lower funnel performance as well.

“Viewability is a standard performance metric in the digital advertising industry,” commented Elias Bjerkeryd, Nordic Product Director at Xaxis. “It is used as a first step in optimisation, both in upper and lower funnel campaigns. It is logical, as an ad is worthless if it can’t be seen. But a viewable ad that is not seen is also worthless. This is why it is vital to understand where ads get attention and not just viewability.”