The Consumer Tired: The Advertising Intrusion and its Impacts
The Consumer Tired: The Advertising Intrusion and its Impacts
Advertising, the fundamental pillar of the modern economy, faces an ever-increasing challenge: consumer fatigue. The intensification of campaigns, the invasion of several channels and the lack of personalization are making ads intrusive, generating disinterest and, consequently, affecting the effectiveness of marketing strategies.
Urgent rethinking is needed, as the ad industry’s “go broad” strategy cannot ignite consumer engagement
Two-thirds (66%) of consumers say that the majority of digital ads they see are irrelevant to their interests or needs, with 39% labeling those ads as “excessive.”
This is unlikely to come as a shock to the ad industry, where more than half (57%) of advertising professionals agree that the broad approach of “spray and or or for” for digital ad targeting simply “is not effective.”
This is according to a new study by Bango Audiences, based on US/UK data from 2000 consumers and 300 ad professionals, both internal and in-agencies.
Do people hate ads?
It’s been four years since the New York Times announced, “The advertising industry has a problem: people hate ads.” These more recent data from Bango suggest that little has changed.
In addition to being described as “excessive,” the study reveals that 32 percent of consumers label ads “Syria” and 27 percent as “intrusive.” 40% say they see irrelevant ads online every day, creating a sense of “bombing” – resulting in half (51%) failing to cancel or even block the brands responsible.
This widespread failure to target ad is actively damaging the reputation of these brands, with half (49%) of consumers reporting feeling negatively relative to them in response to their ads.
The advertising saturation:
The digital era provided an exponential growth of communication channels, allowing brands to reach the public in a more segmented and personalized way. However, this same abundance of options eventually became a problem. The proliferation of advertisements on websites, applications, social networks and even in physical spaces creates a saturated environment, in which the consumer is constantly bombarded with commercial messages.
Intrusion and loss of attention:
Intrusion is one of the main factors that contribute to the disinterest of the consumer. Ads in pop-up format, videos that start, banners that occupy much of the screen and other forms of invasive advertising interrupt the user experience, generating frustration and irritation. This constant invasion of digital privacy makes it difficult to concentrate and perform online tasks, leading the consumer to adopt measures to block them, such as the use of ad blockers.
The lack of relevance:
In addition to intrusion, the lack of relevance of the ads also contributes to the disinterest of the consumer. Generic messages, which do not connect with the interests and needs of the target audience, are easily ignored. Personalization, once seen as a solution to this problem, can become counterproductive if not performed ethically and transparently.
The Difficulties of Advertisers:
Growing consumer resistance to traditional advertising puts advertisers in a challenging situation. The search for new ways to connect with the audience, which are less intrusive and more effective, is a constant. Some of the main difficulties faced by advertisers include:
- Measuring return on investment: The difficulty in measuring the real impact of advertising campaigns, especially in a fragmented digital environment, makes the decision-making process more complex.
- Achieving consumer attention: The attention of the consumer is an increasingly scarce asset. Brands need to develop creative and innovative strategies to stand out amidst noise.
- Building lasting relationships: Building lasting relationships with consumers based on trust and relevance is critical to long-term success.
Less, better ads
While consumers are clearly fed up with poorly targeted online ads, it doesn’t herald the end of digital advertising as we know it.
Half of consumers (49%) agree that they actually like ads for products they are interested in, suggesting that instead of going in general with ad targeting, advertisers should remember that relevance is key. In fact, 40 percent of consumers said they would be more loyal to brands that have fewer ads but more relevant. This represents a significant award for any brand capable of going beyond the digital ad targeting “spray and pray”.
The future of advertising:
Given this scenario, the future of advertising is reinvention. Brands need to take a more humanized and personalized approach, seeking to build authentic relationships with their consumers. Some trends that may mark the future of advertising include:
- Programmatic advertising: The automation of purchase and placement of ads allows greater personalization and optimization of campaigns.
- Branded content: Creating relevant and engaging content that adds value to the consumer is an effective way to build brand and generate buzz.
- Influencer marketing: Partnering with digital influencers allows you to reach specific audiences more authentically and reliably.
- Augmented and virtual reality: These technologies offer new possibilities for interactive and immersive experiences.
Conclusion:
Consumer fatigue is a real challenge for advertising. However, this crisis also represents an opportunity for brands that can adapt to new market demands. By delivering relevant and personalized experiences, brands can build lasting relationships with their consumers and overcome the challenge of advertising intrusion.
Keywords: advertising, consumer, intrusion, disinterest, digital marketing, personalization, brand content, influencer marketing.
