Online ads fail, as public sees red

More than a third of British consumers are frustrated by the overwhelming amount of online advertising, with many recalling only one ad a day and admitting to having a knee-jerk negative reaction to most.
That is the rather stark conclusion of a new consumer study by performance marketing technology company Criteo, which suggests that as online advertising reaches saturation point – and consumers’ attention span continues to wane – personalisation techniques have never been more important to break through the noise.
The study, conducted for Criteo by Censuswide, analysed responses from more than 2,200 UK adults over the age of 16 on their attitudes and behaviours towards online advertising. The importance of personalisation, repetition and colour emerged as the most common elements that convert consumers from browser to buyer.
According to the findings, only 40% of respondents between the ages of 16 and 34 confirmed they instantly feel ‘positive’ when they see an online ad and this reduces to just one in six for those aged over 55.
When it comes to gender, men are more likely to feel ‘extremely negative’ almost instantly, compared to less than 10% of women and a quarter only need to see an ad once to actively start disliking a brand. Whether it is an ad for a company they recognise or not, consumers make snap judgements and know instantly if they love or hate that brand, the study claims.
“The immediate reaction consumers have to brands is forcing marketers to revaluate how they appeal to their target audience. Age, gender and demographic, coupled with advances in technology, have formed the basics of targeted advertising, but with the industry hitting saturation point, brands need to start adopting neuroscience and personalisation techniques to appeal to the individual’s subconscious and emotional triggers,” said Criteo managing director for Northern Europe Jon Buss.
Meanwhile, nearly a quarter of UK adults said red makes them notice an online advertisement most. It is the colour more commonly used by brands to promote sales or offers and continues to be effective as nearly half of respondents are drawn to ads about flash sales. However, there is a clear gender split: women (22%) are more attracted to colour-rich ads compared to men (15%), with purple creating the greatest divide.
Web psychologist Nathalie Nahai said: “Colour is a powerful tool for persuasion. Red, for example, is the only colour that universally ignites an emotional and physiological response in people. It’s arousing, increases the heart rate, and in western culture is typically interpreted as a sign of good value.”
While consumers are frustrated by the sheer number of online ads, a third of Brits (33%) said on average they need to see an ad up to five times before they start to feel positive about that company. That said, young people are quicker to like a brand than older generations. One in 10 16- to 24-year-olds only need to see an ad once to feel positive, while a third of over 45s can take on average between 2 and 5 times before an ad resonates positively.
Repetition coupled with personalisation is key to driving ad response rates, the study claims. A third of respondents who recalled seeing an ad carried on to do more research on the product/service or visited the website or app. More than any other age group, nearly a quarter of 25- to 34-year-olds have made a purchase straight from an ad and would do it again. While 16- to 24-year-olds feel ads are more relevant to them than one year ago.
Nahai continued: “Subconsciously, we tend to rely on what’s immediately in our mind to drive our decision making. ‘Availability bias’, as it’s known, is a mental shortcut that relies on immediate examples that arise in a person’s mind when evaluating a specific topic or decision.
“Tapping into that bias through emotionally arousing content, repetition and personalisation are vital for effective targeted advertising, but as consumers become more sophisticated about online tracking, brands need ensure they are handling their advertising with integrity and transparency.
“While advances in technology and data analytics have breathed new life into targeted advertising, understanding how the brain works and applying neuroscience techniques to modern methods like personalisation will create a deeper understanding of a brands consumers, and ensure ads are delivered in a way that resonates with consumers,” concluded Buss.