Highlights From Adelaide’s The Business of Attention: The Future of Media Quality Metrics

Adelaide recently hosted The Business of Attention, an event where industry leaders came together to explore how attention metrics are transforming digital advertising measurement. The day showcased cutting-edge innovations, expert insights, and real-world success stories from across the media ecosystem.

Missed the event or want a recap? Check out our highlight reel with the day's top takeaways: 

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From engaging panels to inspiring keynotes, the event tackled the future of media measurement and activation. Here's a look at some of the key themes that emerged:

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Attention: The Key to a Healthier Media Market

In his keynote, Mobian CEO Jonah Goodhart described attention as the next frontier in measurement. He noted the mounting challenges in digital advertising—such as privacy concerns and ad fraud—and argued that traditional metrics no longer meet the demands of today’s landscape. “The complexity of digital requires smart measurement,” Goodhart said, positioning attention metrics as a leading solution to these challenges.

Building on this idea, Publicis Media CEO Dave Penski and Human Ventures Executive Chairman Joe Marchese examined how attention metrics could reshape media trading. Marchese emphasized that "attention is the currency" of modern advertising. 

Later, a fireside chat between Joe Zawadzki (FxM Chairman & Aperiam GP) and Marc Guldimann (Adelaide CEO) explored the economics of media quality. They discussed how quality metrics have the power to correct market inefficiencies and redefine the incentives that drive the attention economy.

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Publishers Are Tuning In

Premium publishers showcased their strides in adopting and operationalizing attention-based measurement. Industry leaders like Craig Kostelic (Condé Nast), Sara Badler (The Guardian US), Guy Griggs (The New York Times), Josh Stinchcomb (The Wall Street Journal), and Sahil Patel (The Information) shared insights into their progress and challenges.

Sara Badler captured the publisher perspective on adoption, saying, "Ultimately, we [publishers] want to, but we need interest from marketers ... It's just a question of where we think the most sophisticated buyers are that want to do this with us.”

The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal highlighted their successful attention guarantee initiatives. Josh Stinchcomb shared how WSJ's pre-election performance guarantees gave advertisers confidence during a historically volatile period. Gabe Dorosz (New York Times Advertising) discussed plans to implement AU floors for inventory selection, while Guy Griggs noted the overwhelming advertiser enthusiasm for The Times' AU guarantees: “We just started talking to partners about [attention guarantees], and we’re batting them off.”

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Programmatic Headway Scales Attention Activation

Advancements in programmatic activation were a major focus of the technical sessions. Paolo Provinciali (LinkedIn) and Casper Verhoofstad (Google) presented case studies demonstrating how attention optimization through Google DV360 improved display and video campaign performance. By dynamically increasing high-AU media and reducing low-AU media, LinkedIn maintained costs while significantly boosting ROI across channels.

A panel moderated by Ed McElvain (Mediahub Worldwide) tackled scalability on the supply-side. Mike McNeeley (Index Exchange) explained how real-time bidding facilitates attention-based investment decisions, while Michael Guzewicz (OpenX) shared innovative approaches, such as custom thresholds, to scale attention measurement across platforms.

The Great Debate: Standardization

A panel led by Claire Browne (Adelaide's Head of Research) explored the complexities of establishing attention measurement frameworks. Angelina Eng (IAB), Scott McDonald (ARF), and Daniel Slotwiner (DoubleVerify) debated the precise definition of "attention." While opinions varied, the panel reached a consensus: full standardization may not be necessary, but transparent methodologies and clear guidelines are critical for continued adoption.

Another panel, moderated by Olivia Morley (Madison & Wall), brought together Nicolas Grand (GroupM), Katie Secret (Outbrain), and Parvati Vaish (CSA/Havas) to discuss how shared language and data transparency are vital for scaling attention metrics across the advertising ecosystem.

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The Value of Attention in Media Planning

PHD's Malcolm Devoy shared PHD's approach to leveraging attention-based tools for smarter media planning. He identified a critical gap in media strategy, stating, "Attentive reach has been the missing KPI in the correlation from media objectives to business outcomes." Devoy urged teams to focus on ultimate business outcomes, cautioning that, "Attention is the vehicle, not the destination."

Over the course of the day, one message was clear: attention isn’t just another metric—it's becoming the cornerstone of tomorrow's media ecosystem. By redefining how media is measured, traded, and optimized, attention metrics promise to reshape the future of advertising.

Thank you to all our speakers and attendees for making this event a success. We look forward to seeing you next year!