Advertising is the least trusted source of information about brands and services among consumers, according to a report from Kantar Media.
As advertising becomes increasingly targeted based on online activity, consumers are at risk of being put off by ads that feel too intrusive, per the report.
When asked which sources they particularly trusted, the lowest percentage (38%) of respondents cited advertising.
This response tracks in the context of the advertising industry’s longstanding issues with consumer trust and enjoyment, particularly in the US.
Respondents from each of the countries surveyed trusted advertising the least, with those in Germany, China and the UK being particularly distrusting of ads.
The trust consumers have in advertising is at risk of deteriorating further, as the use of consumer data becomes more frequent and potentially insensitive.
Overall, more than half (54%) of respondents agreed that targeted ads based on past online activity are intrusive.
This was felt particularly strongly by those respondents older 65, among whom 6 in 10 (61%) agreed. Read the rest at Marketing Charts.
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