Survey Says Consumers Want Information, not Entertainment

by Dec 14, 2001, 12:00 AM

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Consumers' views of advertising have changed in the last six months, according to an email survey released today by the Yellow Pages Research Institute (YPRI), the new research arm of the Yellow Pages Publishers Association (YPPA). More than nine out of 10 consumers surveyed said they prefer informative advertising to entertainment-based sources of advertising.

The survey addressed consumers' changed attitudes toward the advertising they consider when making purchase decisions. Fully 92% of consumers said they prefer advertising that is informative, giving the facts without too much hype, rather than advertising that is entertaining.

Over the last six months, consumers say they have turned more to informative sources like the Internet, direct mail, newspaper advertising and the Yellow Pages compared to television and radio. The Yellow Pages is one of the original and still among the most utilized search engines on the Internet.

Substance Over Style
Apparently, trust and reliability also hold greater significance in consumers' decision-making processes. When asked what forms of advertising they considered to be reliable and trustworthy, consumers ranked the Yellow Pages second. Traditional entertainment-based forms of advertising, such as television and radio, ranked near the bottom. Based on the survey results, it appears consumer attitudes have shifted over the last six months. Whether as a product of the weakened economy or the events of September 11, consumers ready to make a purchase apparently consider doing so more carefully than they might have six months ago.

“With the holiday season upon us, it is compelling to see that not only the way people shop has changed, but the way they make decisions and the way they consider advertising has changed as well,'' said John A. Greco, Jr., YPPA President and CEO.

Information Seekers
When making a purchase, most respondents to the survey said they were more likely to consult information-based advertising than they would have been six months ago. Approximately 40% of consumers said they were more likely to consult the Yellow Pages or a newspaper ad, while a majority said they would be more likely to consult the Internet. These consumers are seeking out resources that will help them in their decision-making process; they are not making impulse buys.

According to the YPRI survey, while consumers find value in a wide variety of media, and might consult a number of different resources before they decide to make a purchase, 74% said they considered information-based advertising most valuable when they are ready to buy. Only 20% of consumers cited radio and television as having the most valuable information when they are ready to make purchase decisions.

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