• Australians consider offline channels more trustworthy, better quality, and better for attention

• YouTube is the favourite ad platform of global marketers and Amazon and TikTok for global consumers

Sydney, 5 September 2024: Australians continue to be a challenging audience for local advertisers​ according to Media Reactions 2024 by Kantar, released today. The annual study exploring the evolving media landscape reveals that Australians remain more sceptical of advertising compared to the global average with offline channels largely driving positive perceptions as more ‘trustworthy’, ‘better quality’, ‘fun and entertaining’ and ‘better at capturing attention’. Online is driving the negative perceptions in Australia led by ‘repetitiveness’.

Offline channels continue to dominate equity rankings in Australia led by Cinema, OOH, Digital OOH, POS, Sponsored Events, Magazines and Newspapers – all consistently highest across gender, age and income measures, as well as among household decision-makers of various categories including Motor Vehicles, Personal Finance and Travel. Cinema reveals perceptions of ‘fun’, ‘high-quality’ and ‘attention-grabbing’, and OOH and Digital OOH are perceived as ‘innovative’ and ‘attention-grabbing’.​ While influencer content ranks the highest among online channels in Australia it has dropped its raw equity score despite rising globally.​

Compared to global averages, Media Reactions also reveals that Australians are more likely to positively regard advertising that’s funny, humorous or tells an interesting story, underpinning the role of offline channels in driving positive advertising perceptions. “These channels are where humour and good storytelling has traditionally come to life,” says Kantar Australia Head of Media, Sharon Hilton. “Recognising the role of humour and a good yarn and their lasting impact on brands and audiences opens the opportunity for advertisers to really consider how can they best work together to tell a consistent and cohesive story to really engage Australians.”

“In addition, while local marketers continue to see influencer content as the top channel for attention, the number of consumers who agree has declined in the last year, widening the gap between advertiser and audience. While marketers say that influencer content will see the largest proportional net gains in advertising expenditure along with social media stories, they must think about how to incorporate humour and storytelling into that influencer content to really boost trust and engagement and improve long-term ROI.”​

There are also several key global findings from Media Reactions 2024 for marketers to consider. These include:

• Amazon and TikTok tie for consumer preference: Amazon ads are perceived as more ‘relevant’ and ‘useful’, whereas TikTok ads are perceived more as ‘fun’. However, neither brand features in the top five ranking among marketers. Netflix, measured by Kantar as an ad platform for the first time this year, achieves a top five position among both consumers and marketers, helped by its top three position for brand safety among marketers. YouTube has solidified its position as the top choice for marketers.

• Mixed attitudes towards GenAI: 62 per cent of global consumers and 68 per cent of marketers are positive about GenAI more broadly, but the same feeling doesn’t yet extend to AI-generated advertising. While 71 per cent are not ‘bothered’ by AI-generated ads, consumers are not so sure with two in five (41 per cent) saying that AI-generated ads do ‘bother’ them.

• Good news for advertisers as consumer receptivity grows: Ad receptivity among consumers has been growing for the past decade as marketers find the sweet spot for nascent formats through trial and error and consumers are normalised to seeing ads on more channels. Almost half (47 per cent) are now receptive to ads, up from only 24 per cent in 2020. This increase of nine percentage points on 2023 (38 per cent) is the highest change since 2020.

• Generational stereotypes are a myth: The brands most preferred by consumers vary significantly and there are some surprises: Gen Z prefers ads on Amazon, Facebook and Google, while among Millennials and Gen X, Snapchat comes out on top. Older generations also welcome ads on TikTok, which appears in the top three among both Gen X and Boomers.

• Marketer confidence in X (formerly known as Twitter) has declined significantly driven by brand safety concerns and poor innovation and trust perceptions. A net 26 per cent of global marketers’ plan to reduce ad spend on X in 2025 – the biggest recorded pullback from any major global ad platform. Just four per cent think ads on X provide brand safety (Google tops at 39 per cent). X is outside of the global top ten for ‘trust’ and ‘innovative’ compared to YouTube (most trusted) and TikTok (most innovative for the fifth year running).

• POS ads become consumer favourites: POS ads hold the top spot replacing sponsored events in terms of global consumer preference. POS ads are seen as particularly ‘’trustworthy and ‘useful’ and don’t hold negative connotations such as being ‘intrusive’. Other favoured global consumer channels include cinema, sponsored events, newspapers and OOH.

“Campaigns reaching more receptive audiences are seven times more impactful,” says Sharon Hilton.

“It’s so important for marketers to find the sweet spot between the right channel, the right media brand and the right format. To thrive in today’s fragmented environment, brands must do more than understand shifting cultural and media dynamics – they need to care about their creative quality and make sure they’re customising it for the right environment. That means finding opportunities to stand out meaningfully, meet consumers in their diversity, and connect with audiences in more authentic and impactful ways. In Australia, that most definitely means looking at how telling an interesting story that resonates with consumers or makes them laugh – in our own local style of humour – can underpin the creative with aplomb.”

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