Why Shorter Brand Exposures Demand More Touchpoints: A Formula for the Attention Economics

By Nicc Lewis

Introduction: The Breakthrough Marketers Have Been Waiting For in Attention Economics

For the first time in decades, we finally have a quantifiable model that explains what we’ve always felt intuitively in marketing:

An impression on LinkedIn is not the same as an impression on TikTok.  A Gen X viewer does not pay attention the same way a Gen Z or Gen Alpha viewer does.

And now,  we can measure why.

Across platforms, formats, and generations, the key variable isn’t reach or CPM… It’s attention density.

To understand this, we introduce two formulas:

BA ∝ N × E × A

N = K / (E × A)

Where:

• BA = Brand Awareness

• N = Number of exposures

• E = Exposure duration

• A = Attention coefficient (platform × generation)

• K = Awareness threshold

This formula is not theoretical; it transforms how marketers evaluate channels, plan budgets, build content, and tailor KPIs to different generational audiences.

Why a Formula for Attention Matters Right Now

We live in the most fragmented attention environment in human history. A Gen X professional reading a LinkedIn article may give you 45 seconds of focused attention. A Gen Alpha TikTok viewer may flip past your ad in 7 seconds,  with partial focus at best.

Both count as a “view.” Only one truly builds recall.

The industry’s biggest fallacy has been treating impressions as equal units. This formula spells out why that assumption collapses across generations and platforms.

The Formula Explained

1. Brand Awareness Is Proportional to Attention (especially in Content Marketing)

BA ∝ N × E × A

Awareness grows when a brand achieves more exposures (N), longer exposure duration (E), and higher attention quality (A).

2. Required Exposures = K / (E × A)

N = K / (E × A)

This is the key to the entire model.

It says:

• Shorter exposure = more exposures required

• Lower attention = more exposures required

• Low-attention generations (Gen Z, Gen Alpha) multiply your frequency needs

• High-attention channels (LinkedIn, long-form) reduce them

This is how brand building actually works.

Practical Example: LinkedIn vs TikTok

Let’s assume we want 1000 awareness units (K = 1000).

Platform	Generation	Exposure Duration (E)	Attention Coefficient (A)	Required Exposures (N)
LinkedIn	Gen X / Millennial	45 sec	0.8	≈ 28
TikTok	Gen Z / Gen Alpha	7 sec	0.4	≈ 357

Calculations:

LinkedIn:

N = 1000 / (45 × 0.8) ≈ 28

TikTok:

N = 1000 / (7 × 0.4) ≈ 357

The Result: A 13× Difference in Attention Efficiency

This isn’t opinion. It’s math.

A single well-read LinkedIn post may deliver the same awareness as several hundred TikTok views.

And now marketers can plan accordingly.

Generational Attention Profiles (A-Scores)

A = Attention Coefficient (0 < A ≤ 1)

Generation	Typical Platforms	Attention Pattern	Example A
Gen X	LinkedIn, long-form content	High focus	0.7–0.9
Millennials	IG Reels, YouTube, LinkedIn	Moderate focus	0.5–0.7
Gen Z	TikTok, Shorts	Fast switching	0.35–0.5
Gen Alpha	TikTok, Roblox ads	Ultra-short focus	0.2–0.4

These A-scores shift attention from a soft concept to a measurable input.

Strategic Implications for Marketers

1. Campaign Planning: Frequency Must Be Weighted by Attention

A TikTok view is not equal to a LinkedIn view. A Gen Alpha view is not equal to a Gen X view.

Looking only at raw impressions is a guaranteed way to misallocate budget.

2. Channel Selection: Pick for Both Reach and Depth

You might choose:

• TikTok for viral reach

• LinkedIn for trust and recall

• YouTube for balanced awareness

• Podcasts for deep attention

The formula helps quantify why each channel behaves differently.

3. Generational Segmentation: Build Content for Attention Reality

Gen X might need fewer, deeper exposures. Gen Alpha needs many shorter exposures,  but with creative built for rapid encoding.

This leads to precision marketing, not generic personas.

4. KPI Redesign: Move Beyond “3 Impressions Per Week”

With this model, you create awareness-weighted frequency targets:

• Gen X on LinkedIn: 3–5 exposures

• Gen Z on TikTok: 20–40 exposures

• Gen Alpha on TikTok/YouTube Shorts: 30–50 exposures

Finally, KPIs reflect attention in reality.

The Attention Economy in Practice

Scenario 1: B2B SaaS Whitepaper (Gen X Decision-Maker)

E = high A = high N = low → High awareness efficiency per exposure.

Scenario 2: Instagram Reels (Millennial Professional)

E = medium A = medium N = moderate → Balanced awareness building.

Scenario 3: TikTok (Gen Alpha)

E = very low A = low N = very high → Awareness requires cumulative repetition.

This explains why so many short-form campaigns fail to translate into brand recall; the math simply wasn’t on their side.

What About Virality?

Yes, TikTok can make a brand explode overnight. But virality is a reach spike, not a recall engine.

Long-term brand memory comes from consistent exposure × attention, not one-day velocity.

This formula doesn’t dismiss virality; it contextualizes it.

Actionable Framework for Marketers

1. Audit Your Attention Mix

Assign each channel an E and an A score. Estimate how much each truly contributes to brand memory.

2. Reweight All Media Plans

Stop buying impressions. Start buying E × A.

3. Recalibrate KPIs

Update awareness goals based on generation + channel behavior.

4. Balance Reach and Depth

• TikTok & Reels = Top-of-funnel reach

• YouTube, LinkedIn, articles, podcasts = Depth, trust, recall

5. Rebuild your Funnel Math

Your new awareness model is:

Awareness Efficiency = E × A

Required Frequency = N = K / (E × A)

This becomes your new planning standard.

Finding your formula for success

Marketers have always suspected that impressions are not equal. This model proves it,  mathematically.

Brand awareness is built by: Exposure × Duration × Attention.

The shorter the exposure, the lower the attention, the more exposures you need.

So the next time someone tells you they got 100,000 impressions on a short-form channel, ask:

What was your E × A?

Because attention ,  not impressions ,  is the real currency of modern marketing.