New research commissioned by Pinterest from Amplified Intelligence discovered that the key to successful ad campaigns may be an overlooked metric: total attention.

The Amplified Intelligence analysis involved participants from Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, the U.K. and the U.S. Researchers found that, while brands often focus on active attention, passive attention strategies are just as important and can be potentially more efficient, driving 6.7% more attentive seconds per dollar than active attention strategies.

Active attention is defined as eyes on the screen and on an ad, while passive attention refers to eyes on the screen around the ad but not directly on it. By optimizing for total attention, which combines active and passive attention, brands can drive stronger outcomes, according to the research firm.

Active attention is produced by tactics like big TV moments or high-impact digital sponsorships, however the study showed that passive attention is more subconscious, like someone listening to background music while doing another activity. From a marketing perspective, passive tactics aren’t quite as obvious, but they can still drive meaningful outcomes.

Amplified Intelligence says people shift between active and passive attention modes all day without realizing it. For brands, that means there’s a constant cycle of introduction and reintroduction as people come across messages and products over time. Active attention strategies provide awareness, teaching people something they didn’t know, while passive attention tactics are constant reminders and reinforce something already learned and keep a brand top-of-mind.