Background: This study explores the visual and persuasive elements that drive Generation Z's attention and engagement with branded content within TikTok's dynamic short-form video format. As TikTok has emerged as a dominant force in digital media consumption among young audiences, understanding how this demographic interacts with branded advertisements becomes essential for both marketing practice and media research. The study draws on theoretical frameworks including the Elaboration Likelihood Model, Attention Economics theory, and theories of visual attention to understand engagement processes in algorithm-driven environments.
Methods: This study employed a mixed-methods design combining eye-tracking and follow-up qualitative interviews. Twenty Gen Z participants (ages 18-26) completed 30-45-minute TikTok scrolling sessions viewing 41 branded advertisements embedded within organic content (appearing every fourth post), during which eye-tracking data was collected to assess visual attention patterns. Five advertisements were selected for detailed analysis based on recall frequency. Following exposure, semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore participants' cognitive and emotional responses in greater depth.
Results: The combined analysis revealed four key engagement patterns. First, a critical three-second engagement threshold emerged, with advertisements sustaining attention beyond three seconds demonstrating substantially higher completion rates. Second, platform-native visual aesthetics generated longer viewing times than high-production content, with text elements serving as first fixation points more frequently than human faces. Third, strategic authenticity combining creative originality with transparent commercial intent achieved positive engagement. Fourth, emotional coherence through coordinated design elements proved more effective than high-intensity sensory approaches for maintaining engagement.
Conclusion: Gen Z engages most with branded advertisements that achieve strategic authenticity through creative execution while respecting platform conventions. These findings demonstrate how established communication models require adaptation for algorithm-driven social media environments. The identification of text-first attention patterns, the inverse relationship between production quality and engagement, and the effectiveness of transparent commercial intent paired with creative value challenge conventional advertising assumptions and provide evidence-based guidance for short-form video advertising effectiveness.