Consumers want ad-supported streamed content, but not just any ads | WARC | The Feed

Consumers want ad-supported streamed content, but not just any ads

UK consumers are more than willing to watch ad-supported streaming content – but if you want them to watch the ads to the end, make sure they’re relevant to what people are watching.

New research from digital ad verification company Integral Ad Science (IAS) finds that 83% of consumers are prepared to watch ads in exchange for free streamed content. And 56% of people say they plan to do just that over the next 12 months.

The context

• Just 19% of streaming viewers usually watch ads to the end; but that number shoots up when contextual targeting is used. Over half (54%) of consumers said they’d watch an ad all the way through if it’s relevant to the content they’re viewing.
• Cost is the big factor in ad acceptance, with almost two-thirds of consumers saying they want to save money (30% think they already pay too much for subscription streaming services). Even so, 78% of UK consumers now have access to Netflix, followed by Amazon Prime (53%) and Disney+ (39%).
• Being able to skip ads was cited by almost half of consumers as the reason they prefer streaming to linear TV. And almost two-thirds said they prefer the shorter ads on streaming services, as well as the shorter ad-break format.

Key quote

“Free, ad-supported streaming services can differentiate themselves with both price and content, offering a clear opportunity for brands to connect with consumers, if relevancy and frequency are prioritised” – Nick Morley, EMEA Managing Director, IAS.