Advertisers, Consumers Disagree Over Which Ads Work

advertising effectiveness

Advertisers are a little out of touch with consumers when it comes to what each groups thinks is effective.

New research by Harris and the LinkedIn Research Network shows advertisers believe “ads that make me stop and think” (53%) are most effective.

This, despite the decades-old truism I heard from my college journalism professor Ben Crane: In media, emotion trumps intellect.

The most shocking stat, though, was this: 26% of advertisers believe ads whose tone mirrors the program they’re wrapped around are effective, compared with just 7% of consumers who feel that way.

What’s with the huge disconnect?

For that matter, consumers are 23% less likely than advertisers to perceive “stop and think” ads are effective.

Are consumers ill-informed? Or is it the advertisers?

And if this same disconnect with consumers trickles down to social media, what are the implications of the rush of advertisers onto Twitter, Facebook and other social platforms?

  • edwardmoore

    Great article. Looking at the numbers, the consumers were very low in their response to “thinking” they had been sold by these types of ads. (highest being 34%) No disconnect, just good salesmanship (or ad copy).

    This tells me that consumers can be sold by these types of ads and they don't even realize it. Several categories were close to twice as many sales as consumers thought and one was at almost 4 times the sales.

    This is great information and I appreciate you sharing it with the World.

    To your health,
    Edward Moore
    http://twitter.com/EdwardMoore

  • http://thelostjacket.com Stuartfoster

    I'm betting on a combination of both depending on the breakdown of who was surveyed.

  • http://dannybrown.me Danny Brown

    Is it maybe to do with diminishing attention spans? We're working long hours, have family commitments, friends, social networks, downtime, beer time… the list goes on. We don't want adverts to make us think – books, documentaries and news stories do that. Instead, show me your product, entertain me and get the heck outta here.

    Or maybe that's just the simple Scottish lad in me coming out… ;-)

  • http://www.EdwardMooreLive.com Edward Moore

    Great article. Looking at the numbers, the consumers were very low in their response to “thinking” they had been sold by these types of ads. (highest being 34%) No disconnect, just good salesmanship (or ad copy).

    This tells me that consumers can be sold by these types of ads and they don't even realize it. Several categories were close to twice as many sales as consumers thought and one was at almost 4 times the sales.

    This is great information and I appreciate you sharing it with the World.

    To your health,
    Edward Moore
    http://twitter.com/EdwardMoore

  • http://thelostjacket.com Stuart Foster

    I'm betting on a combination of both depending on the breakdown of who was surveyed.

  • http://dannybrown.me Danny Brown

    Is it maybe to do with diminishing attention spans? We're working long hours, have family commitments, friends, social networks, downtime, beer time… the list goes on. We don't want adverts to make us think – books, documentaries and news stories do that. Instead, show me your product, entertain me and get the heck outta here.

    Or maybe that's just the simple Scottish lad in me coming out… ;-)

  • http://mediaemerging.com Scott Hepburn

    Your point about consumer perceptions of ad effectiveness being too low is a good one. I agree that ads can motivate consumer purchase behavior without consumers being aware of it. The research — and centuries of advertising practice — bears it out.

    Whose analysis do you think is more valid? While I think consumers underestimate ad effectiveness, I think advertisers overestimate. Hey, we have to justify our paychecks, right? ;)

  • http://mediaemerging.com Scott Hepburn

    Your point about consumer perceptions of ad effectiveness being too low is a good one. I agree that ads can motivate consumer purchase behavior without consumers being aware of it. The research — and centuries of advertising practice — bears it out.

    Whose analysis do you think is more valid? While I think consumers underestimate ad effectiveness, I think advertisers overestimate. Hey, we have to justify our paychecks, right? ;)

  • http://mediaemerging.com Scott Hepburn

    Your point about consumer perceptions of ad effectiveness being too low is a good one. I agree that ads can motivate consumer purchase behavior without consumers being aware of it. The research — and centuries of advertising practice — bears it out.

    Whose analysis do you think is more valid? While I think consumers underestimate ad effectiveness, I think advertisers overestimate. Hey, we have to justify our paychecks, right? ;)