Beyond attention spans: Cognitive lock-in and awe experiences in short-video advertising among informavores

Short videos are reshaping the digital landscape and opening a new frontier in digital marketing. By fostering binge-watching tendencies, cognitive lock-in, and stronger influence over consumer attention and choice, short videos create conditions for sustained engagement. Drawing on Media Systems Dependency Theory (MSDT), this study introduces a new zone phase construct and advances an integrative conceptual model that explains how the psychological mechanisms operating among short video users generate immersive experiences. Using a mixed-methods design that combined inductive exploration with deductive testing, we developed and empirically validated the model through statistical analysis. The study clarifies the drivers of habitual short video use and offers creative, actionable insights for practice. Overall, the findings yield clear implications for digital marketing strategy and make a compelling case for the strategic deployment of short videos to enhance commercial viability.