Lumen Research

Lumen Research measures when people see ads and how long they attend to them, then uses attention data to inform advertising decisions. Its platform brings online and offline attention measurement into one dashboard, with metrics and custom reports for campaign planning. Lumen Attention Bidding is a pre-bidding algorithm that works with a customer's selected DSP to buy ad units predicted to attract attention. The model predicts attention at intervals of 100 milliseconds of visual exposure. Lumen Spotlight uses opt-in webcam eye-tracking studies on laptops and mobile devices; results can include heatmaps, gaze plots, view orders, audience surveys, and attention reports. The company describes coverage across social, digital, gaming, TV/VOD, out-of-home, point-of-sale, print, audio, and packaging. Its LAMP tag is client-side JavaScript that collects impression-level placement data and estimates attentive seconds. Lumen says its ad measurement software does not collect, store, or report personally identifiable information and is GDPR-compliant. The company positions its offering for data-driven advertisers seeking to reduce wasted ad spend and improve returns. Pricing is not published; prospective customers are directed to request a demo or meeting. Lumen was founded in 2013 and is headquartered in London.

Lumen Research connects attention measurement, creative testing, and media buying tools for advertisers working across varied channels. Teams should request a demo for pricing and confirm whether their selected DSP fits Attention Bidding.

Lumen Research suits data-driven advertisers who want attention measures and creative reporting across multiple advertising channels. Its opt-in webcam studies may also suit teams seeking eye-tracking results for creative testing.

Lumen Research is an advertising technology suite that measures attention and connects creative research with campaign planning and media buying. It is best suited to data-driven advertisers coordinating campaigns across channels. Its main strength is carrying attention signals from research into buying; its custom pricing and demo-led sales process make it a poor fit for teams seeking an immediately priced self-service tool.

Overview

Lumen measures whether consumers see ads and for how long, then uses those signals to inform advertising decisions. Its dashboard brings together attention measurement across online and offline environments, with tools for planning, creative testing and pre-bid buying. That connected approach is most useful to advertisers who want a common attention framework across campaign research and execution, rather than a standalone creative-testing product.

The LAMP measurement tag is client-side JavaScript added to creative. It collects impression-level placement data and estimates attentive seconds. Lumen says its attention model combines placement and attention data to predict attention every 100 milliseconds of visual exposure. The company also says its ad measurement software does not collect, store or report personally identifiable information and that its collection, storage and processing are GDPR-compliant.

Key features

Measurement and planning

The self-service planning platform supplies attention metrics and custom reports for campaign planning. Bringing online and offline measurement into one dashboard can help teams coordinate activity across formats, though the broad channel coverage is most valuable to advertisers actually running cross-channel campaigns.

Creative research and media buying

Lumen Spotlight uses opt-in webcam eye-tracking tests on laptops and mobile devices. Creative reports can include heatmaps, gaze plots, view orders, audience surveys and attention metrics, giving teams several ways to examine how an ad attracts attention. Testing covers social, digital, gaming, TV/VOD, out-of-home, point of sale, print and packaging; the wider creative-input and ad-platform coverage also includes display, video, streaming and audio.

Attention Bidding is a custom pre-bid algorithm that works with a customer's selected DSP to buy ad units predicted to receive attention. This links the measurement proposition to media buying, but advertisers need to confirm that their chosen DSP fits. Lumen does not name a required DSP on its media-buying page. The company says a 2023 PwC audit found its Attention Model drove higher engagement and conversion than viewability optimization, a validation claim relevant to teams evaluating attention-led buying.

Pricing

Lumen Attention Technology Suite: custom pricing; request a demo. The suite is paid, and prospective customers are directed to arrange a demo or meeting rather than choose a published plan. Lumen does not publish a free plan or trial, so buyers should request pricing and confirm the scope and commercial terms before committing.

Platforms

Lumen supports Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, web and an extension. Its opt-in webcam testing uses computers and phones, including through a browser extension or mobile app for panel users.

Who it's for

Lumen is aimed at data-driven advertisers seeking to reduce ad waste and improve advertising returns. It is a stronger fit for teams that can use attention research, campaign planning and DSP-based buying together across multiple channels. A team that only needs a narrowly scoped creative tool, or cannot use its selected DSP with Attention Bidding, should compare alternatives before choosing the suite.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Connected workflow: Measurement, planning, creative research and pre-bid buying can support decisions from ad assessment through execution.
• Broad channel coverage: The platform addresses online and offline formats, including TV/VOD, out-of-home, print and packaging as well as digital and social.
• Multiple creative outputs: Heatmaps, gaze plots, view orders, surveys and attention reports give teams varied ways to review opt-in eye-tracking tests.
• Privacy position: Lumen says its ad measurement software does not collect, store or report personally identifiable information and is GDPR-compliant.

Cons

• Custom pricing: Buyers must arrange a demo or meeting instead of comparing published plan prices.
• DSP fit needs checking: Attention Bidding relies on the customer's selected DSP, so its buying benefit depends on compatibility.
• Opt-in webcam research: Spotlight's eye-tracking tests depend on participants opting in and using a laptop or mobile device, which may not suit every research setup.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison of Ad Creative Testing Tools, start with the category list. AdTest.AI is a paid alternative with a free trial and monthly credit-based Creator and Starter plans; consider it when a defined per-test allowance is a better fit than Lumen's custom-priced suite. Predis.ai is another paid option with a free trial and a Core plan billed yearly; consider it when its stated credits, brand allowance and channel publishing fit your needs.

RealEye is a paid, trial-offering webcam eye-tracking alternative with a Basic annual plan that includes unlimited studies and 20 own participants per month; it may suit teams whose priority is online eye-tracking studies. AdCreative.ai offers paid plans, a free trial and a Starter plan billed yearly with monthly credits, one brand and one user; consider it for a more defined creative-generation plan. Vidmob has no free trial and offers a Slate plan priced per brand by annual impression volume; it may suit advertisers evaluating a brand- and volume-based arrangement.

Motion is a paid alternative with monthly Starter and Pro plans; consider it when its stated ad-spend tiers and unlimited seats better match your buying setup. Marpipe has a free plan and supports web and extension, making it worth considering when a free entry point matters. SaliencyLab offers a free plan with 10 analyses per month, up to three per day, and one teammate seat; it may suit teams seeking a capped free way to review visual attention.

Verdict

Choose Lumen if your advertising team wants to connect cross-channel attention measurement and opt-in creative research with attention-led buying through a selected DSP. The case for it is the breadth of that connected workflow; the main reasons to look elsewhere are custom pricing and the need to verify DSP fit.