Visual Coding of Banner Animation – Two Mechanisms Tested: “Distinctiveness” and “Motion Effects”.

This study investigated the effect of banner animation on search-reaction time for banner ads. The purpose of the experiment was to test two competing theories about banner animation effects: distinctiveness theory and motion effect theory. All participants (N = 31) in a 2 (Animation) x 2 (Banner Type) x 4 (Number of Animated Distractors) within-subjects factorial experiment were participated in a Web banner search task. Each subject completed a total of 72 trials. In each trial, the subject was shown a target banner and asked to search the target in the mist of distractors that were arrayed in a subsequent display. In the half of conditions, the targets were animated while in the other half of the conditions, the targets were present static. Results of the search time showed no main effects for animation and distractor numbers supporting the motion effect theory. Both theoretical and practical implications of the key findings were discussed. ..PAT.-Conference Proceeding [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]