The latest
Ad Reaction research from Kantar Millward Brown doesn't present the prettiest picture of
digital advertising. Three-quarters of British internet users think there are more ads than just three years ago, and two in three say they are more intrusive. One in three goes further to say they
are "irritating."
The rise of multimedia has not had a massive impact because only a quarter -- 27% -- think ads help remind them of a brand, compared to 34% globally. However, on a slightly more
positive note, a third of UK consumers feel that ads are better at telling stories than they were three years ago.
So, we have many more ads that are getting in the way -- but they are, at
least, managing to tell better stories.
At the same time, there is a disconnect in the research, as digital marketers believe targeting is twice as important as consumers actually find
it. The takeaway is that a negative experience of being targeted is always far more memorable than being accurately targeted.
There are a bunch of interesting findings from the research,
but these are the standouts for me. The UK is becoming saturated with more and more advertising, which consumers are now finding can get in the way.
One only has to go for a quick surf to find
the British public is right in highlighting the issues we all face. Just try reading an article on The Mirror or The Express. Units pop up in front of you, the page scrambles as you
scroll down, and worst of all, there are auto-play video ads you can't even ignore by scrolling away. Times all this annoyance by ten if you're on a mobile device.
It's probably little wonder
that one in five Brits now block ads, and although I have little sympathy for digital freeloaders, I do think they are a bellwether sign publishers need to pay close attention to.
Regular
readers will know I'm a big fan of the work of the Coalition for Better Ads. The organisation is there pumping out information on what publishers should already know. Big units that cover up the
content and video that play automatically should be ditched because they simply annoy users too much.
This AdReaction research would back up that more people are feeling increasingly
frustrated by intrusive advertising formats as they try to browse the web.
For Kantar Millward Brown an additional observation is that advertising works best when run on an integrated,
cross-channel basis. In fact, integrated campaigns, marketers reveal, work 31% better. Interestingly, the best combination is TV and Facebook or TV and Outdoor.
It's not just interesting
because TV is present in both combinations, but because we're dealing with clearly defined channels here that have a segment -- a slot for advertising that doesn't intrude beyond that slot. You don't
get a pop-up for ice cream appearing as the news headlines are read out and Facebook has a clear slot for ads that don't leap out of their box and it never automatically play audio. It's the same with
outdoor. A poster or screen is limited. It's there on the wall or on a walkway, and doesn't leap out and tap you on the shoulder.
The big takeaway? Consumers are becoming fed up with too
much internet advertising, which they are beginning to see as intrusive.
They respond best to cross-channel campaigns where there is a time and a place for ads that respect the main purpose
for why they are providing their attention.