• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, September 12, 2024

Here’s some bad news for publishers and advertisers who think they understand their audiences.

Forty-four percent of consumers feel ignored by advertisers, judging by The New American Consumer 2.0, a study from audio firm iHeartMedia, conducted by Morning Consult, Advertiser Perceptions and Critical Mass Media.

Moreover, many shoppers are “creeped-out” by firms that they find are using hyper-targeting, data and AI – with 67% who hate being "targeted" by ads. Yet 70% feel the ads they are served are irrelevant despite targeting.

At the same time, consumers feel neglected, and this may be an opportunity: 72% will not want to buy from brands that are ignoring them. And 75% are willing to pay a little more to support brands that share their values. 

"We marketers have more data at our fingertips than ever before, yet almost half of American consumers are feeling ignored," says Gayle Troberman, CMO of iHeartMedia. "As marketers, we have to be careful not to let our personal perception guide our marketing decisions.”

Personal perceptions? Yes. 

"The key here is for us as marketers to check our own biases at the door,” adds Conal Byrne, CEO of the iHeart Digital Audio Group. “We see this all the time – for example, when marketers who live in big cities and don’t commute as often as the average American don’t necessarily understand the huge role that broadcast radio and podcasts play in people’s lives, particularly in the car." 

Byrne continues, "Consumers spend about one-third of their media time with audio, but marketers lag in matching that time with media spend – and often underestimate the real usage of broadcast radio, which makes up over two-thirds of all audio listening." 

This sounds a little dubious. Marketers are consumers, too, and members of both groups may reside in cities. But there are differences, judging by this research: for instance, consumers enjoy hunting, fishing and buying lottery tickets, while marketers enjoy pickleball and tennis.

What’s more, consumers save for purchases of $100 or more, seeking approval and doing research weeks or even months before they buy. In contrast, marketers can pluck down a credit card for purchases, even those for more than $1,000, in hours or days, without anyone’s permission. 

To continue this brand stereotyping, marketers are more attracted to designer labels and accessories, while consumers favor brand name paper towels and premium-grade meat.

The findings were presented at iHeartMedia’s AudioCon 2024.

The researchers surveyed 2,202 U.S. consumers between May 3 and May 5, 2024.