Even 'Ad Intolerants' Watch Ad-Supported Services, But Enthusiasm For New AVODs Is Modest
- by Karlene Lukovitz @KLmarketdaily, December 21, 2022
Even consumers who describe themselves as intolerant of advertising in video streaming services watch ad-supported streamers, according to Hub Entertainment Research’s latest survey on attitudes toward advertising.
As in previous Hub surveys, this one — conducted in November among a U.S. census-balanced sample of 3,000 consumers 14 to 74 who …
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It's no secret that I am ad-intolerant, which is why we DVR everything ad-supported, live or scripted, to avoid interruptions. Netflix is a special case because (like HBO) much of its content is designed for quality or binge novelty, not simply as "spot carriers" for ad buyers and sellers, most of whom fail to discern the utter intrusiveness (and who pretend that targeting ads will magically make everyone watch alone). As linear channels die off, it becomes more of a game of working the mute button to silence annoying ads. Of course, the secret to avoiding ads in live shows is to switch to other live programs or just wait 20 minutes or so to begin watching.
Douglas, as it happens, you are part of a small minority---perhaps 5-10% of the population---that feels so strongly that all TV content that you and they wish to consume should be ad-free that they take the trouble to avoid them as you describe. Of course, these avid ad-avoiders don't seem to care that without ads, they wouldn't have even those presumably worthwhile shows to watch.
But setting that aside, the advertisers and time buyers know that ads are an intrusion, though in the case of "linear TV" the programmers make it a point not to interrupt scenes with ads and the producers comply by structuring their shows so viewers are not annoyed by chaotic intrusions---more or less like a Broadway play which has short pauses between scenes. Are theatre-goers up in arms over those delays? No, they accept them---just as most viewers accept periodic commercial breaks as the price for having shows they want to see available to them.
Of course there are limits and channels which employ overly cluttered breaks generally penalize their advertisers by haveing more folks leave the room or pay no attention to their sales pitches---but even so, a fair amount get through---enough to produce ad awareness---and sales. That's why it continues.