the thought

Kathleen Destino

I recently read an article that referenced the following statistics taken from a study by Mintel International.

44% of people reported that they typically avoid watching TV commercials
40% change the channel when a commercial comes on
37% say that all TV advertising annoys them
37% say they don’t like advertising in general
33% remember the products when shopping (yeah for advertisers!)
29% say they find TV advertising interesting
26% say advertising is a waste of their time

What’s with all the negativity? Mintel’s study attributes it to the growing number of networks and channels to watch as well as the growing popularity of DVR services which allow viewers to skip commercials.

I think maybe it’s because of the negative nature of the statements. The majority (71%, in fact) of these statements are positioned negatively. Perhaps, if the respondents had been presented with more positive questions, we would have a more positive view of the way people understand TV commercials.

So I ask… Do you like commercials that make you laugh? Do you like commercials that make you think? Do you pay attention to artistically inclined TV commercials? And will you talk about those commercials to your friends and co-workers later? It is, as they say, all about engagement these days.