Quality over Quantity

Does anyone remember the old days, when commercials would pop up unannounced during TV shows and movies? The commercials would pop up at the most suspenseful time, resulting in a groan from the viewer. On a positive note, they provided a great opportunity for a washroom break or to fill up the popcorn bowl.

Today, there are increasingly more methods to watch shows without the annoyance of ads—with the exception of the Super Bowl which seems to have become an ad mecca.

In a recent Nielson survey, 62% of respondents found ads on video-on-demand annoying or distracting and 65% said they would like to block them. Adblocking has been growing rapidly, especially on desktops and mobile devices. PageFair reported that the total lost revenue from adblocking grew from $5.8 in 2014 to $10.7 billion US in 2015. People’s decision to switch off ads has become a big concern to publishers that rely on advertising to deliver quality content online.

Ironically, another report published by the International News Media Association, says that reaching the adblocking segment with low volume, permission-based advertising is producing more positive results than the alternative pushy formats. This suggests that adblockers can be leveraged as a high-value segment that can be connected to premium brands – provided the method for reaching them is just right.