Media contacts: Gareth Thomas / Mike Frier, ebuzzing@capellapr.com / 020 7924 5656
WEB MUST STAY FREE, BUT ADS NEED TO IMPROVE, SAY CONSUMERS London An ad-‐free internet would cost each of us at least £140 a year, a sum which 98% of UK web users say they would never pay, new research1 from Ebuzzing reveals. But, whilst consumers see watching ads as a necessary trade-‐off to keep the Internet free, the quality of online advertising -‐ in particular video ads -‐ must improve, especially to keep younger consumers engaged, the study concludes. Online video advertising is booming in the UK2, as brands follow consumers online. However, today’s Internet users have developed lightning quick reflexes to avoid video advertising they do not wish to watch. The study, which surveyed a nationally representative group of more than 1,400 UK consumers, revealed 63% of web users skip online video ads 'as quickly as possible', a figure that rises to 75% for 16-‐24 year olds. Over a quarter of all respondents (26%) said they mute their sound and one in five scroll away from the video. 16% use ad blocking software and 16% open a new browser window or tab. For younger people, the incidence of ad avoidance was higher in all cases3. Respondents were asked which factors would make them more likely to watch online video ads, with 34% saying the ad ‘should be relevant to me’ and one in five (20%) saying ‘being able to select the ad I watch’ was important, rising to 38% for 16-‐24 year olds. 26% said the ad should be ‘funny or entertaining’ and 21% wanting short ads (less than one minute). 16% said ads should be relevant to the content being consumed at the time. Jeremy Arditi, Managing Director, UK at Ebuzzing said: "It’s clear the ad industry has a major role to play in keeping web content free, and we should listen to what consumers are telling us if the industry is to continue producing enjoyable video advertising experiences. Engaging, creative, user-‐ friendly formats are better for advertisers, publishers and users alike, and as an industry we should look to drive growth by developing more video ad formats which enhance the user experience, such as outstream." Page 1 of 2
Media contacts: Gareth Thomas / Mike Frier, ebuzzing@capellapr.com / 020 7924 5656
The study also looked specifically at the mobile app sector and found that 77% of consumers never upgrade to paid for versions of free mobile apps. Arditi continues, "Publishers of mobile apps will remain heavily reliant on in-‐app advertising to fund their content creation. That means the same rules apply – they must give consumers ads that offer choice, relevance, entertainment and brevity.” Notes to editors: 1. Ebuzzing commissioned Censuswide to interview 1,427 UK web users in August 2014. 2. The UK online video advertising market grew 63% to reach £325m last year. Source: IAB 3. Which of the following do you do to avoid online video ads? (age breakdown)
I skip as quickly as I can I mute my sound
All 63% 26%
16-‐24 75% 38%
25-‐34 67% 30%
35-‐44 62% 31%
45-‐54 62% 23%
55+ 60% 20%
I scroll away from the video I use ad blocking software
20% 16%
20% 18%
21% 17%
21% 12%
20% 15%
19% 17%
I open a new browser window or tab
14%
21%
23%
13%
11%
11%
About Ebuzzing Ebuzzing is a video ad platform that is solving one of the biggest problems in the industry, the lack of premium video inventory. The company specializes in creating innovative video advertising inventory for publishers, at scale, and has invented the concept of ‘outstream’ video. Outstream advertising sees ads distributed within all types of content, and moves away from the forced, interruptive nature of pre-‐roll. The company is currently present in the US, LatAm, Europe and Asia, working with many of the FORTUNE 500 brands. Ebuzzing rolls out its campaigns across its global publisher partners including Hearst, Reuters, The Financial Times and Nikkei, leveraging its platform and focusing on innovative formats, contextual targeting and advanced analytics. Ebuzzing’s turnover reached $70 million in 2013, and will exceed $100 million in 2014 (proforma numbers). /ENDS Page 2 of 2