Overexposure is making UK consumers 'apathetic' towards ads
A report from Kantar has shown that consumers are suffering from ad fatigue, with bombardment and oversaturation putting the UK ad industry at risk.
The study found that Brits' perception of advertising has been tainted by repetitive and obtrusive ads
The research firm's Dimensions report, found that almost three quarters (73%) of UK consumers had seen the same ads 'over and over again'. As a result, just 11% said they 'enjoyed' advertising.
Kantar commissioned the report to examine the risks facing the advertising industry as a result of over-targeting. It is based on the findings of 5,000 consumers in five markets with a combined total ad spend of $352bn.
The study found that Brits' perception of advertising has been tainted by repetitive and obtrusive ads, with more than half (55%) saying they felt 'apathetic' towards advertising, an increase of 2% on 2018's figure. On the flip side, 61% of people conceded they were open to receiving ads relevant to them.
The report also looked into ad-blocking technology, and found use remains steady. Despite this, the study detailed how better content was continuing to pull consumers towards subscription offers with paid-for TV and video services on the rise.
As one of the 58 brands who contributed to the report, Eve Mattresses’ chief marketing officer Cheryl Calverley said: “What you can’t see from data is the damage you might be doing by re-targeting people endlessly with your products.”
On the matter of rebuilding consumer trust, Kantar’s UK chief executive, Mark Inskip said there needed to be: "More responsible use of data across the industry."
He added: "By adopting an integrated approach, balancing niche targeting capabilities with mass marketing tactics, brands can provide consumers with a helpful, additive experience.”
The findings of the report echo concerns raised by top brand marketers about oversaturation. Back in 2017, P&G's Marc Prichard warned of the content "crap trap," and advised brands and agencies to dig themselves out of exposure overload by creating fewer, but better, ads.
Earlier this year, the thinktank Credos and Advertising Association president Keith Weed launched a study that aimed to tackle consumer trust in advertising. It presented similar findings to the recent Kantar report.
For Credos, bombardment of advertising messages was found to be the biggest issue of all the public concerns about advertising and accounts for half of the ‘negatives’ in the search.