• by Laurie Sullivan  @lauriesullivan, November 12, 2024

Gen X and Baby Boomer generations are most receptive to digital ads when it comes to making purchases, according to data from a study released Tuesday.

Data from LoopMe, which uses artificial intelligence (AI) to improve brand advertising performance, shows that 37% of consumers between the ages of 45- and 54-year-olds, and 40% between the ages of 55 and 64 make purchases from ads they see online at least every few months.

The percentages were greater than the 31% average, which was determined by combining responses related to frequency including weekly, monthly and rarely.

The question asked -- “how often do you make purchases from ads you see online?” based on the frequency -- determined the average.

LoopMe surveyed 1,318 U.S. consumers. The study was fielded from October 15 through 28, 2024, around the thirtieth anniversary of the first ad that appeared on Wired magazine’s website HotWired on October 27, 1994. The goal was to understand sentiment regarding online advertising.

Hectic consumer schedules during the holidays will likely encourage many to click on an ad if it means saving time when researching information about a product or making a purchase. At this time of year, they are more likely to exchange relevant ads and free online content for information about themselves.

Some 26% of the 45- to 64-year-olds surveyed were “happy” to see advertising in exchange for free online content on the condition that ads are not intrusive. On average, 13% of this demographic prefer viewing ads to pay to read content. 

The research also analyzed U.S. consumer perceptions of ad placement on the page. The study identified that shoppers were more likely to notice ads embedded within the content itself, with 17% of all consumers stating it was where they most frequently noticed ads.

About 10% noticed the ad at the top of the page, and 8% noticed it at the bottom of the page.

While 33% of consumers feel ads have become too intrusive and overwhelming, younger shoppers welcome the increased relevancy and personalization of ads, with 14% of 18– to-24-year-old shoppers and 17% of 25– to-34-year-old shoppers feeling positive.