The magic of cinemagraphs: Investigation of different image formats in online product presentation

Abstract

© International Conference on Information Systems 2018, ICIS 2018.All rights reserved. A cinemagraph is a special type of animation characterized by the contrast and coexistence of motion and stillness due to artificial manipulation. Cinemagraphs have attracted visual artists and marketers and have been widely used in online marketing campaigns. However, the effects of cinemagraphs in online product presentations require further examination. This study plans to examine the potential effects of cinemagraphs in online product presentations by comparing them with photographs and short animations. In addition, we aimed to examine the visual processing of cinemagraphs using eye-tracking technology. Drawing on the competition for attention theory, the attention-guiding principle, and incongruity theories of curiosity, we hypothesize that these different image formats have different effects on human visual attention and product interest. We then propose a laboratory experiment to test our hypotheses. Finally, potential theoretical contributions and practical implications are discussed.