Kiwis Actively Avoiding Digital Advertising - Survey

Kiwi consumers are becoming skilled at avoiding advertising in new forms of media and are utilising technology to assist them according to a recent survey.

The independent Reachmedia survey into Kiwi perceptions of advertising surveyed 1000 New Zealanders and found that a majority 57% will deliberately record television programmes so they can fast-forward through the commercials.

But a more recent development includes the growing use of other devices to pass the time while TV commercials are playing. Three quarters (74%) said they use their smartphone, tablet, or laptop to keep them entertained while ads are on air.

Kiwis love of channel surfing during ad breaks is also alive and well with eight in ten (85%) New Zealanders admitting they will actually leave the room or change channels when television commercials air.

As early adopters of technology it should be no surprise then that Kiwis have also taken steps to reduce the amount of radio ads they listen to. Twenty four percent  of those surveyed said they use an internet radio service to avoid hearing radio commercials and more than half (55%) will switch to another station when hearing radio advertisements.

The research also showed that a significant number of respondents (85%)  said they skip the advertisements that are sometimes shown before online videos.

The CEO of Reachmedia Greg Radford said that while advertising avoidance is nothing new in society, the implementation of technology in Kiwi consumer viewing strategies has become more widespread than expected.

“The research showed that New Zealand consumers are adopting more sophisticated behaviours when it comes to their consumption of broadcast media. In particular we are seeing a broadcast audience which is able to utilise technology to avoid advertising - either by switching to a portable device or by programming a set top box so advertising can be bypassed," he says.

-ENDS-