Study: 94% of Consumers Across the US, UK, and Canada Prefer Contextual Ads Over Identity-based Ads

GumGum, the leader in contextual-first advertising technologies, released survey results from 3,000 consumers across the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada to further understand consumer behaviours and preferences with video ads.

Video advertising spend will account for 86% of new display dollars over the next three years, according to an eMarketer forecast. However, a significant disconnect remains between how ads are delivered and what truly resonates with consumers. GumGum, the leader in contextual-first advertising technologies, today released survey results from 3,000 consumers across the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada to further understand consumer behaviours and preferences with video ads.

“To put an end to this pattern, we’re using AI to analyze the billions of data points within the GumGum Platform every day to better understand the digital environment and mindset a consumer is in so that they want to watch the ad instead of skip it and move on.”

Marketing Technology News: MarTech Interview with Meghann York, Global Head of Product Marketing @ SAP

Key findings from GumGum’s survey include:

• Preference for Contextual Relevance: Nearly all (94%) consumers prefer contextually-relevant ads over those based on browsing history.
• Aligned Interest Wins: 42% find ads related to their current interests (contextual) are the most valuable type of advertising.
• Support for Privacy: Over one-third feel privacy is the most important factor of advertising experiences, while approximately one-third put relevance on a par with privacy, saying both are equally important.
• Increased Engagement: Almost 80% are more likely to engage with ads that match the content they are viewing.
• Viewer Experience Priority: Over 55% said video ads that are contextually relevant – and short and concise – are memorable for them.

Marketing Technology News: Optimizing Demand Generation with AI: Where to Start and How to Scale

To best meet the growing consumer demands for non-invasive, relevant advertising experiences, GumGum’s recently launched Mindset Graph is engineered to do just that. Mapping billions of data points across contextual cues, creative elements, and viewer attention metrics, the Graph delivers ads that match the context and mindset a consumer is currently in. Powered by the Graph, GumGum’s enhanced suite of video solutions – including instream, outstream, and overlay formats – are designed to stop viewers in their tracks with engaging content that mirrors the moment they’re in. This unique approach leverages page-level and video-level contextual analysis to match an advertisement with its surrounding environment as precisely as possible.

“Let’s face it: online video experiences today aren’t working and video is only becoming more prominent,” said Ken Weiner, Chief Technology Officer at GumGum. “Advertisers are facing poor ad performance, wasted impressions, and growing viewer dissatisfaction. To put an end to this pattern, we’re using AI to analyze the billions of data points within the GumGum Platform every day to better understand the digital environment and mindset a consumer is in so that they want to watch the ad instead of skip it and move on.”

By focusing on high-quality, relevant video ad placements, GumGum not only upholds stringent brand suitability standards, but also ensures that these standards do not compromise the reach and impact of ads. This commitment is further underscored by GumGum being the only independent ad tech platform to achieve MRC content-level accreditation for contextual analysis, brand safety and suitability across display, mobile web, and CTV.