Millennials have love/hate relationship with online video ads


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Joseph O'Halloran

| 13 May 2016




Millennials are more than twice as likely to share ads they like and 23% more likely to enjoy ads they find relevant but are also the demographic most likely to install ad blockers, says research from Unruly.



unruly millennial 13 May 2016 The global study from the video ad tech company found that with global spending powers of $2.45 trillion, millennials are one of the most highly sought-after advertising demographics.

Yet while, just like with other surveys,Unruly found millennials are more likely to enjoy and share video ads than any other Internet users, they are also the generation most likely to install ad blockers and put video ads on mute. The digital-native age group is turned off by poor quality advertising, with 93% considering ad blocking software in the future. Nearly three-fifths say they use ad blockers because they feel they see too many ads, half complain that they see the same ads over and over again. A further 43.1% feel ‘creeped out’ by ads which follow them around the Web and four-fifths will mute a brand’s video ads, the demographic most likely to do so.

The survey also found that millennials demand authenticity from brands, and three-quarters lose trust in a brand if an ad feels fake. Yet on the upside, 27% said that they are more likely to feel happy and 25% more likely to feel inspired when watching video ads than average.

“For advertisers wanting to connect with millennials, this is a high-risk, high-reward demographic. millennials are digital-first trendsetters,” explained Unruly Co-CEO Sarah Wood. “Get it right with this uber-connected audience and you have the potential to unlock widespread reach and powerful advocacy. Get it wrong and they are unforgiving: if you appear inauthentic or interrupt them with ads, they will actively avoid your brand. [millennials are] looking to clean up their online experiences by installing ad blockers. This presents a great opportunity for the advertisers who take the time to create content that cuts through to engage and inspire.”