What Are the Marketing Media Multitasking Behaviors Stacking?

What are the marketing media multitasking behaviors stacking? Learn how stacking reshapes engagement and boosts your marketing strategies.

Have you ever been watching a TV show but find yourself picking up your phone every few minutes to scroll through Instagram or reply to a message? You’re definitely not alone. That’s called media multitasking, and it’s super common these days. 

But there’s also something called stacking, which takes it a step further. Stacking is when you’re using different kinds of media at the same time, but they’re unrelated. Like, watching a YouTube video on your laptop, scrolling Instagram on your phone, and texting a friend all at once. 

For marketers, understanding digital marketing behaviors like stacking is a big deal. If you know how people juggle all this media, it can help you create better strategies to grab their attention. In this post, I’ll explain how stacking works, why it matters for marketing, and share some tips to make the most of it.

Lets get started.

What is Media Stacking and Why Does it Matter?

Let’s kick things off with a solid definition. Media stacking refers to the behavior where individuals engage with multiple media streams simultaneously, with no direct connection between them. Think of it like juggling, but instead of tossing balls in the air, you’re flipping between media platforms—TV, smartphone, laptop, social media apps, email, you name it.

This goes beyond the traditional idea of multitasking. When we multitask, we’re generally combining activities that are complementary. For instance, you might be listening to a podcast while driving—both activities serve a similar purpose, engaging you in passive content consumption. But stacking is different. It’s about splitting your attention between unrelated forms of media, and it’s becoming the norm for many digital natives.

For marketers, this trend is both exciting and challenging. It’s a chance to reach consumers in new ways, but it also complicates the process of capturing attention. After all, when someone is watching a YouTube video, scrolling through Instagram, and texting all at once, their attention is fragmented. How can you get them to focus on your message? That’s the million-dollar question.

Benefits and Challenges of Stacking

When I first started learning about media multitasking, I was struck by something strange: while it’s often seen as a negative—distracting, ineffective—there are some undeniable benefits to stacking. The real challenge is figuring out how to turn these benefits into marketing gold.

1. Increased Engagement, But at What Cost?

The main benefit of stacking is that it increases the sheer volume of media engagement. People are consuming more content than ever before. They might be watching a live stream, scrolling through Twitter, and texting all within the same 30-minute window. But here’s where things get tricky: research suggests that the more media we stack, the less focused we are on any single task.

In fact, some studies argue that multitasking—especially excessive stacking—can result in reduced comprehension and retention. This creates a paradox for marketers: while you have more opportunities to reach people, their ability to process your message may be compromised. So, how can you optimize your content to overcome this?

2. Understanding the Inverted-U Relationship

What I found fascinating was the concept of the inverted-U relationship between multitasking and marketing effectiveness. Essentially, there’s a sweet spot. Moderate multitasking can actually help increase motivation and engagement—think about it, when you’re consuming content across multiple channels, you might feel more connected to a brand or message. However, push it too far, and you overwhelm the person. Their cognitive load increases, and they’re less likely to absorb your message.

I remember testing this during a campaign I ran, where we designed ads that worked seamlessly across TV and smartphones. By keeping the content bite-sized and highly visual, we tapped into the sweet spot of moderate multitasking. Engagement skyrocketed, while confusion or frustration with the ads remained minimal.

The Science Behind Media Stacking

Now, let’s take a deeper look at the science behind stacking. Understanding why people stack their media will help you craft strategies that speak directly to them.

The Polychronicity Theory: Some People Just Love Multitasking

According to a study by Robinson and Kalafatis, there are three major types of media users based on their polychronicity—a fancy term for someone’s tendency to juggle multiple tasks at once. These types are critical to understand because they define how your target audience consumes media:

• Instinctives: These are the people who are naturally comfortable with media multitasking. They feel at ease switching between different platforms and are likely to engage with various media forms simultaneously. These users find comfort in the chaos. They might be watching a cooking show while chatting with friends on social media. For them, it’s not only possible—it’s fun.
• Connecteds: This group multitasks because it enhances their social connectivity. They thrive on combining media to stay engaged with friends, colleagues, or influencers. Their actions are driven by social needs, like checking Facebook while watching a live stream or texting while browsing news articles. For marketers, this behavior offers a massive opportunity: create content that’s social-first and interactive, encouraging engagement across channels.
• Information Seekers: These users prioritize multitasking when it helps them gather and process information. They’re likely to combine activities like browsing the internet with checking texts or social media updates. If you’re targeting Information Seekers, think about delivering content that’s informative and easily digestible across multiple platforms.

Why Does This Matter for Marketing?

Understanding the typology of multitaskers allows you to personalize your marketing strategies. For instance, while Instinctives may prefer fast-paced, attention-grabbing ads across multiple platforms, Connecteds might prefer content that feels more interactive, allowing them to engage with the brand in a two-way conversation.

How to Leverage Media Stacking in Your Marketing Strategy

By now, you may be asking, “How do I use stacking to my advantage?” Great question! Here are some actionable tips based on what we’ve covered so far.

1. Create Cross-Platform Campaigns

The most effective way to tap into stacking behavior is by designing cross-platform campaigns. If a person is watching TV while also scrolling through their phone, why not make both platforms work together? Let’s say you run a campaign on TV, but then have interactive elements on social media. For example, during a commercial break, you might ask viewers to take a quick poll on Instagram or share their thoughts on a hashtag. This method plays into stacking, ensuring the experience is seamless across platforms.

2. Design Snackable, Bite-Sized Content

Stacking is often fast-paced. People don’t have the luxury of sitting through a 30-minute ad. So, it’s essential to create snackable content—quick, digestible bits of media that don’t require too much focus. Whether it’s a 15-second Instagram story or a quick YouTube ad, short and impactful content will thrive in a multitasking environment.

3. Optimize for Mobile and Social Platforms

Mobile devices and social media are at the heart of stacking. Think about it: most media multitaskers are jumping from platform to platform on their phones. If your content is optimized for mobile and designed to work well on social media, you’re tapping directly into the behavior. For instance, using Instagram Stories or TikTok videos to complement a longer TV campaign can encourage users to engage during their “stacking” time.

Key Takings

• Media stacking is nothing to worry about—it’s actually something marketers can use to their advantage. 
• People are constantly juggling multiple screens and platforms, so instead of fighting it, marketers need to get creative. 
• The key is to understand how people multitask and build campaigns that work together across different devices. 
• It’s not about forcing them to focus only on you; it’s about meeting them wherever they are and enhancing their experience. 
• If you want to reach your audience, don’t rely on just one channel. 
• Use multiple platforms that fit together and complement their multitasking.

Useful Resources: 

1. Multitasking Damages Your Brain And Career, New Studies Suggest: This article explores how multitasking negatively affects your brain and career growth, backed by scientific studies. 
2. How Multitasking Erodes Productivity And Dings Your IQ: Learn how multitasking reduces your productivity and impacts your cognitive abilities.