Consumers avoid ads when possible; follow influencers' suggestions

A majority of U.S. consumers take steps to avoid advertisements on podcasts, video streaming and live TV platforms.

According to Nielsen’s 2023 Consumer Survey Report, more than six-in-10 consumers (64%) said they intentionally take actions to avoid ads on free, ad-supported video services. A similar number of consumers (59%) are “somewhat” or “very likely” to subscribe to a streaming service that allows them to bypass ads completely.

With a majority of consumers skipping advertisements, marketers are also challenged by the fact that inflation is still impacting spending power. Nearly all (95%) of the 3,000 U.S. consumers surveyed said that inflation is affecting their buying power.

Nearly 60% of consumers report that they are equally or more inclined to buy products endorsed by influencers they follow. A higher number of consumers (68%) said they are at least somewhat likely to buy a product if a brand engages with them in a personalized way. 

“With rising inflation concerns and a growing number of consumers avoiding ads,  it’s imperative that marketers focus on the most impactful campaigns,” said Arica McKinnon, VP of commercial growth and strategy at Nielsen. “To address these concerns, marketers should look to leverage influencer networks and personalized marketing tactics, while also taking into account consumer behavior, to optimize messages and campaigns that resonate.”

Consumers said that if a brand provides “relevant, valuable content” beyond selling their product, such as a blog post around how to best enjoy the type of product they sell, 63% of consumers are somewhat, very, or completely likely to buy a product. To do so, social media continues to attract consumers’ attention. More than half (55%) of those surveyed said they are at least somewhat likely to evaluate a new provider, brand or product based on a social media ad or content.