Commentary

Bargain Hunters Start With Newspaper and Magazine Ads

According to a recent Adweek Media/ Harris Poll, 23% of adult Americans believe that newspaper and magazine advertisements are where they can find the best bargains. 18% believe online advertisements are most likely to help them find the best bargains. 10% say direct mail and 12% catalogs, 11% television commercials, and just 2% say radio. And, 34% of Americans believe the type of ad makes no difference when they are looking for the best bargain.

When looking for the best bargains, different age groups have different ideas of where to look:

  • 18-34 year olds are more likely to say online ads (22%) and television commercials (17%) are the best places to go
  • 35-44 year olds go online (26%)
  • 24% of those 44-54 and 33% of those 55 and older say newspaper and magazine advertisements those are media most likely to help them find the best bargain

Advertising Most Likely to Help Find Bargain - Age (Base: All U.S. adults; % of Category Respondents)

 

Age

 

Total

18-34

35-44

45-54

55+

Newspaper/Magazine advertisements

23%

15%

16%

24%

33%

Online advertisements

18

22

26

17

12

Direct mail and catalogs

12

13

13

14

10

Television commercials

11

17

12

8

7

Radio

2

2

3

< .5

1

None- the type of ad makes no difference

34

31

31

36

36

Source: Harris Polls, January 2010

Among the genders, women are more likely than men to say newspaper and magazine advertisements, and direct mail and catalogs are more likely to help them find a bargain. Men, on the other hand, are more likely to say online advertisements are more likely to help them find a bargain.

There is also an interesting educational difference in the media people believe can help them find the best bargains:

  • One-quarter of those with a high school education or less say newspaper and magazine advertisements are more likely to help them find a bargain, compared to 20% of those with at least a college degree.
  • 29% with at least a college degree believe online advertisements are more likely to help them find a bargain compared to 12% of those with a high school education or less

Advertising Most Likely to Help Find Bargain - Gender & Education (Base: All U.S. adults; % of Category Respondents)

 

 

Gender

Education

 

Total

Men

Women

HS or less

Some college

College grad

Newspaper/Magazine advertisements

23%

22%

24%

25%

23%

20%

Online advertisements

18

21

16

12

18

29

Direct mail and catalogs

12

11

14

12

12

12

Television commercials

11

12

10

12

12

8

Radio

2

2

1

3

1

1

None- the type of ad makes no difference

34

32

35

36

33

31

Source: Harris Polls, January 2010

The report concludes that, while newspaper ads are still slightly ahead of others among all adults when it comes to bargain hunting, online is not far behind. And, online ads lead newspaper and magazine ads, as a source of information about bargains, among younger, better educated consumers, who are much more attractive to most advertisers.

Please visit here for additional information about the study.

2 comments about "Bargain Hunters Start With Newspaper and Magazine Ads".
Check to receive email when comments are posted.
  1. Luc-andré Cormier from Groupe Media V, February 1, 2010 at 9:26 a.m.

    Interesting information, although the logic of combining Newspapers and magazines escapes me. An Adweek survey, hugh?

  2. Douglas Ferguson from College of Charleston, February 1, 2010 at 11:32 a.m.

    Good news/bad news: The good news is that print is not quite dead yet. The bad news is, young people will not likely be weened away from their overwhelming online reliance.

    Print is here to go.

Next story loading loading..