Receptive Audience and Effective Channels Make Great Ads Thrive, Kantar Study Confirms

Campaigns are seven times more impactful among a receptive audience, therefore establishing which channels and platforms are most effective for a brand is crucial. This is one of the key findings of Media Reactions 2021, the global consumer ad equity study released by Kantar. It is based on a survey of over 900 marketing professionals and 14,500 consumers across 23 markets worldwide. Interested in further insights from the study? Read on:

• The digital explosion: Digital media better integrated into our lives. For the second consecutive year, consumers across the globe reported being most receptive to ads on TikTok, followed by Amazon, Instagram, and Google. TikTok continues to top Kantar’s global ad equity rankings showing incredible growth, with the number of consumers exposed to ads on the platform almost doubling, from 19% to 37%. As in 2020, TikTok is seen as the platform with the most ‘fun and entertaining’ ads, but also with too many ads, as reported by some. The advertising formats with the greatest improvement in consumer receptivity were online and mobile games, showing the largest YOY increase in ad-equity measurement – up 5% – while ads on music streaming services followed, with an increase of 3%. 
• Trust – a key component in consumer receptivity. Alongside cinema and social media stories, consumers now find gaming advertisements to be more “trustworthy,” “relevant,” and “useful” — as well as “fun and entertaining.” While considered slightly less innovative, YouTube, Google, and Facebook are still the most trusted social media platforms. TikTok had a higher innovation rating but is not as trusted. Instagram straddles the line, while remaining equally trustworthy and innovative.
• Localizing strategy – crucial to brand success. Global media brands’ ad equity is on average ahead of local brands. However, this picture varies immensely across markets. In markets such as Argentina, Japan, the Netherlands, the US and South Africa, the average ad equity of local media brands is higher. In 16 of the 23 surveyed markets, a local, regional or localised version of global media brands ranked first in 16 of the 23 markets. For example, consumers perceive global digital media platforms as being less saturated with ads, and local brands as being more careful with their targeting practices. Global media brands’ advertising is also seen to be slightly more relevant and innovative, and local brands’ ads as more trustworthy. 
• The platform – an integral part of the message. Advertisers can boost the power of their communications by choosing the right environments, according to Pablo Gomez, Head of Creative and Media, Kantar Singapore .The survey reveals that channels vary by region and market. For example, ecommerce and POS ads are especially popular in Europe, whereas consumers in APAC prefer magazine and podcast ads. Among marketers, online video ads lead in each region, but there are differences between other preferred media channels. Overall, online video formats, influencer content, and social media ads are currently the main focus of most global marketers. 
• “The Innovator’s Dilemma”: TikTok not yet fully trusted by marketers. In line with Clayton Christensen’s award-winning book, the study points to the dilemma for marketers becoming how much they should embrace newer, innovative platforms and formats, and how much they should stick with tried and trusted media. Marketers favour channels and platforms they believe provide both trustworthy and innovative advertising environments. The survey reveals that among the global brands, Instagram best manages this balancing act, while YouTube, Google and Facebook are trusted platforms considered slightly less innovative. TikTok is not yet trusted by marketers as much as the more established platforms, but it has made enormous improvements in the past year. It remains comfortably the most innovative place for ads, and trust has doubled, so many more marketers are now positive about placing ads on the platform.

Kantar’s study confirms that issues like brand safety, media transparency and measurement matter enormously to advertisers. Similarly, new ad formats and new targeting and reporting features will help drive innovation perceptions. 

Novelty Media’s SmartAdd is an innovative and impactful media channel endorsed by mobile operators, therefore 100% brand safe. Furthermore, it utilizes the least intrusive digital format as the ad load is balanced towards entertaining and not irritating. Keep following our Marketing Bites to discover all the benefits of our solution and stay on top of your advertising strategy.