Is the conventional wisdom that consumers will go to great lengths to avoid advertising actually a driver of video subscriptions and viewing behavior? Is ad avoidance a contributor to the success of paid ad-free SVOD services?
While ad-free services are indeed gaining subscribers, ad-supported FASTs are also seeing increases in usage. And past research by Hub and others has shown that under the right circumstances, viewers do engage with ads, and often find them of value.
This study evaluates viewers’ perceptions of various ad formats and experiences, and how those perceptions vary by video provider.
Overall, the goal of this study is to determine whether or not viewers are averse to advertising in general, or to specific types of ad formats, or the way they’re served up. Are there circumstances under which consumers welcome advertising?
The findings will provide a deeper understanding of advertising’s impact on the overall viewer experience, and provide insights on how to optimize the experience on ad-supported platforms to maximize viewer engagement and minimize viewer churn.
The study is conducted among 3,001 U.S. consumers age 14-74 who watch a minimum of 1 hour of TV per week.