Consumers Enjoy Interactive Ads, Want Rewards In Return

According to the findings of a new poll I saw this week, while consumers generally enjoy interactive advertisements, they expect to gain something in return for becoming engaged with ads.

The survey from Kantar Media interviewed 9,000 people from six European countries – the UK, Ireland, France, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands – and revealed that overall consumers are interested in interactive out-of-home ads, with three-quarters of those in possession of a smartphone having interacted with an ad at least once.

However, many people are still unaware of this type of technology and the possibilities it provides. Respondents were asked how familiar they were with various mobile interactive technologies and the results show that QR codes are the most widely recognised and most frequently used. NFC stands at the other end of the scale with less than 6% being aware of the technology and slightly more than 1% having actually used it.

An important conclusion that emerged from the survey is that consumers expect a ‘value exchange’ as a reward for interacting with out-of-home ads. Most often, the public would like to get money or entertainment in return.

More than half of those polled say they are more likely to pay attention to out-of-home ads compared with other forms of advertising, with two in three defining the channel as a “welcome distraction” while travelling. Approval rates are the highest among the 18-34 age group and among smartphone owners.