One second doesn’t sound like enough time to accomplish much. It’s barely enough time to glance at the clock, recognize a familiar face, or notice that the coffee pot is empty.

But new research into Digital Out of Home messaging - the kind of visual messaging people encounter on digital screens in public places (like AutoNetTV screens in service centers) - suggests one active second can be enough to begin building brand memory and influencing sales.

That matters in a service center because customers are surrounded by one-second moments. They look up from their phones. They walk past a menu board. They wait while an advisor prints an estimate. They glance at a screen between sips of coffee. Most of those moments feel insignificant. Together, they can shape what customers notice, remember, ask about, and ultimately approve.

The lesson is not that every sale happens in a second, but that making the most of those seconds can open the door. And, that the right medium and message can dramatically change the impact of those seconds.

What the new attention study found

QMS and attention-measurement firm Amplified studied how people naturally encountered Digital Out of Home, or DOOH, messaging in real-world environments. The project analyzed more than 400 hours of footage collected, and over 12,000 real-time biometric views from participants.

The standout finding was speed. Traditional digital channels typically need about 2.5 seconds of active attention before measurable effects begin to appear. But digital screens outside of the home began producing measurable brand and sales outcomes at around one active second.

The researchers also found that attention did not have to end with an immediate response. Active attention could support both short-term sales effects and long-term memory at the same time. In other words, a glance can do two jobs: influence what someone does now and help shape what they remember later.

For a service center, the message is simple: a screen can attract a customer’s eye, but the message still has to make sense.

The service center version of the one-second effect

Imagine a customer waiting for an oil change. A short animation showing dirty brake fluid appears on the waiting-room TV. The customer may not watch every second, but the image of contaminated fluid and the words “brake fluid protects stopping performance” register.

Twenty minutes later, the service advisor mentions that the customer’s brake fluid is due. Now the recommendation isn’t delivered cold. The customer has a visual reference. The term sounds familiar. The benefit already has a place to land.

That is the practical power of a glance. It can create recognition before the conversation begins.
Recognition reduces the mental work required to process a recommendation. Instead of starting at “What is brake fluid?” the conversation can begin closer to “Is mine due?” That may seem like a small difference, but it changes the customer from a passive recipient into a participant. Now they’re engaged. It’s personal.

AutoNetTV’s vehicle-owner research shows what can happen when that visual explanation continues. After viewing AutoNetTV service videos, 97% of vehicle owners said the videos increased their understanding of the service. Another 95.7% said the videos increased their comfort accepting recommendations and their confidence making service decisions. And 91.9% said the videos increased their desire to ask whether their vehicle needed the service.

The DOOH research explains how quickly attention can begin doing useful work. The AutoNetTV research shows where clear automotive education can take it: from a glance, to understanding, to a better question, to a more confident decision. From, “Nah, I’m good”, to, “Yeah, let’s get that done.” 

Do not ask one screen to do the whole job

A common mistake is treating a waiting-room TV like a solo salesperson that must close the deal by itself. But that misses too many other opportunities.

Think of visual messaging like a relay race. The waiting area TV earns attention and creates familiarity. The digital menu board at the service counter makes options easier to compare. The Hunter Data Board (with tire and alignment results) helps the advisor connect the message to the customer’s actual vehicle. A follow-up email or text with service videos reinforces what was discussed. Car Care videos embedded on your website with an appointment scheduler ties understanding to action. Each touchpoint carries the message a little farther.

This is why consistent visual communication across the vehicle owner’s journey matters. A customer may first notice a cooling-system message on the TV, see the same service described on a digital menu board, and later receive a short video from the advisor. No single exposure has to carry the entire explanation. The touchpoints work together.

The goal is not to surround customers with more noise, but rather to repeat one useful idea in a recognizable and memorable way. And you don’t need anything complicated to apply the one-second lesson. Start by looking at your retail space, your website, and other customer touchpoints you already have.

The best evidence of effective visual messaging may not be a customer staring at the TV. It may be the question that comes later: “Is that something my vehicle needs?”

As Orland, a service advisor customer in MA, recently told us, "People get curious and ask questions about the services they see on AutoNetTV, which obviously helps out because it brings attention and awareness. It gets the customers engaged and curious about the services they see. It's bringing awareness to them from the services they see. The more questions they ask us, the more they're engaged with us, and the more information we can provide to them. Sometimes when they find out about a service and ask for more information on it, they'll tack it onto the service they came in for originally."

Those are signs that the content is doing its first job: creating recognition and giving the advisor a stronger starting point.

One second won’t replace a good advisor, a clear inspection, or an honest recommendation. But one second can make the next conversation easier. It can plant a useful idea, build familiarity, and help a customer recognize why a service matters before the price becomes the only thing they see.
In a busy service center, attention arrives in glances. Make each one count.

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