COVID-19 Store Closures Force Brands, Retailers To Personalize Ads

COVID-19 has completely changed how brands advertise online. Personalization is more important than ever.

H&M can’t run the same ad in NYC and Miami due to the differences in the states' re-opening. A one-size-fits-all approach turns off customers, yet only 3% of brands today personalize across channels.

Consumer acceptance of personalization is at an all-time high. Innovid, an omni-channel advertising and analytics platform built for television, commissioned a study polling more than 1,000 people to determine how they feel about personalized ads during COVID and why they would click on an ad to purchase the product.

Some 40% of consumers participating in the survey said they have made a purchase in 2020 as a direct result of a personalized ad.

About 31% of consumers said they are now more loyal to brands that provide a personalized experience, and 29% said they are more likely to purchase via ads if the ads are personalized. 

The study cites Kohl's, Target, Walmart, Disney, Nintendo, Spotify, YouTube, Ford, Jeep, Subaru, Toyota, Dunkin' and McDonald's as some of the brands that are correctly personalizing messages.

Key findings from the survey also suggest: 

  • 43% said it was important that the ads they see amid COVID are personalized
  • 30% said they’d be more likely to buy something if an ad was personalized
  • 45% said social media wins when it comes to where people want most to see personalized ads
  • Walmart, Apple, Nike, Target, and Kohl's top the list for retailers doing the job well.
Consumers say they pay most attention to personalized social ads, but 17% cite video ads, 17% cite TV ads, 13% cite banner ads, and only 2% cite audio ads. 

Events, offers and products of interest gain more attention than other types of personalized ads. Some 41% said personalized event ads draws their interest, followed by 38% who cited product offers, 34%, new products; 26%, ads about local community and business; and 21%, ads that teach them more about relevant topics or subjects.

Contextual ads, at 39%, are most appealing; followed by demographics at 31% and behavioral at 29%. 

Consumers are 34% more likely to click on personal ads when they serve up on a mobile device, followed by ads on a PC at 33%, other at 6%, ads on smart TV at 4%, and ads on gaming consoles at 1%.

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