Engagement measures the extent to which a consumer has a meaningful brand experience when exposed to commercial advertising, sponsorship, television contact, or other experience.
In March 2006 the Advertising Research Foundation defined Engagement as "turning on a prospect to a brand idea enhanced by the surrounding context".[1] The ARF has also defined the function whereby engagement impacts a brand:
Engagement is complex because a variety of exposure and relationship factors affect engagement, making simplified rankings misleading. Typically, engagement with a medium often differs from engagement with advertising, according to an analysis conducted by the Magazine Publishers of America. [2]
Related to this notion is the term program engagement, which is the extent that consumers recall specific content after exposure to a program and advertising. Starting in 2006 U.S. broadcast networks began guaranteeing specific levels of program engagement to large corporate advertisers.[3]
Consumer Engagement is the ultimate point in which a brand and a consumer connect in order to offer a true experience related to the brand's core values. It is a long term connection that must be enhanced over time.