TV Advertising Clutter Grows 16% In Five Years
Global TV advertising clutter rose 16% from 2001 to 2005, according to new research from Initiative.
Overall, this means that globally, television viewers now watch 65 more commercials a week (or nine more a day) than they did at the beginning of the decade.
Worldwide, the average adult is exposed to 484 commercials a week, or 69 ads a day.
The US is the biggest “culprit” in terms of clutter, says the report, with a rate of 789 ads per week. Initiative says that: “[this] can be explained in the US by the lack of legislation allowing almost unlimited commercial advertising on TV.”
Initiative adds that along with a lack of restrictions, clutter has been driven by a proliferation of cable and satellite channels.
In addition, agencies are devising ever more shorter ads, meaning that viewers are bombarded with an increasing amount of spots.
However, the report says that in black spots such as the US, Spain and Indonesia, clutter has either reached a plateau or lessened slightly.
Yet in maturing markets such as Central and Eastern Europe, TV clutter has grown by 43% over the past five years, with the increase being driven by Bulgaria (112%), Latvia (61%) and Poland (57%).
Meanwhile, the lowest TV clutter regions in the world are Lebanon and the Nordics, with the Lebanese seeing fewer commercials in a week than US citizens do in a day.
The Nordics, Austria and the UK benefit from fewer advertising spots per minute, tougher regulation and having channels that are not funded through advertising.
With regard to PVRs, Initiative says that whilst audiences still “appreciate advertising that is attractive, relevant and entertaining,” high clutter is one of the factors that encourages ad-skipping.
Sue Moseley, managing director at Initiative Futures, said: “New technology means that consumers now have total control over their TV viewing. Despite this, research shows that people still enjoy watching advertisements, which is reassuring for clients.
“However, with ad-skipping eventually becoming the norm for new generations, advertisers need fresh thinking and skills to prevent this from happening, as well as striving to minimise high clutter levels across the world.”
