Consumers who saw or heard ads in the latest awareness campaign from the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) were more than twice as likely to trust the ad industry and most advertisements compared with those who weren’t exposed to the campaign.
That is according to the latest results from the campaign, revealed at a webinar hosted by the ASA and the Advertising Association (AA) on Thursday.
The findings also revealed that consumers who saw or heard ASA ads had higher trust across all media types.
For example, trust in online ads jumped from just 15% among those who weren’t exposed to the ads to 36% among those who did. Trust in TV, meanwhile, rose from 31% to 46%.
The multi-channel campaign was developed by the ASA in partnership with the AA’s Trust Working Group. Media planning was by EssenceMediacom, with creative by Leith. Brands including Tesco, Marmite, Irn-Bru, Lloyds and Churchill were featured in the activity, which ran on TV, print, online, cinema and OOH.
Chaired by the IPA and Isba director-generals Paul Bainsfair and Phil Smith, the AA’s Trust Working Group has an agenda that includes rebuilding public trust in UK advertising.
The ASA campaign has become a key part of reaching that goal, given research from ad industry think-tank Credos has identified that people are more likely to trust advertising when they are aware it is regulated.
Why ‘world view and media socialisation’ are critical to trust in ads
“We’re delighted that our UK-wide cross-media ad campaign continues to drive trust in the ASA and, by extension, trust in the ad industry,” said ASA chief Guy Parker. “Awareness and buy-in of the ASA system is a key strand in our new five-year strategy and our ad campaign plays a crucial role in helping achieve our ambitious targets.
“The ongoing support of our partners, agencies, brands and media is invaluable. Our ads resonate with audiences and help land our messages, including that the ASA regulates advertising claims on social media and companies’ own websites. Crucially, trust in the ASA continues to be significantly higher among those who say they have seen or heard our ads than those who haven’t. That’s more reason to look forward to the next phase of our campaign.”
