How Consumers View Advertising – The 2017 Survey

Ten thousand.

That’s the estimated number of ads that the average consumer sees every day. And it’s not slowing down, as new channels and new technology means the volume of advertising is going nowhere but up.

With all that noise, how do we know which ads consumers pay attention to, trust and actually act on? In an attempt to answer that, Clutch surveyed more than 1,000 U.S. consumers to determine their level of trust in contemporary advertising, and how it influences their purchasing behavior.

“TV is the most influential medium for advertising. About 60% of consumers are likely to make a purchase after seeing or hearing a TV advertisement,” the report notes, and that’s followed by print ads, online spots and social media ads, in that order.

When it comes to trust, traditional media has it in spades over digital:

The least trustworthy? Ironically, it’s the newest forms of advertising – online and social media – that are least trusted. For brands, these findings are important. Millennials are more influenced by ads overall than older generations. And as Generation Z begins to come of age and become avid consumers, we know that trust is a huge deal for them.

To tap into this market effectively, brands must be willing to shift their thinking about branding and marketing. They must hold themselves to the same high standards that Gen Z insists on. They are insisting on being taken seriously … and brands that can earn their trust will earn their loyalty.

To stand out in the sea of 10,000 ads a day, what does a brand have to do? Creativity and relevance are important, of course. But if consumers don’t trust the ads they view, you could be wasting your money engaging them. 

Reconsider traditional channels like TV, print and radio … the trust factor just can’t be denied.