YouthInsight.
Eight out of every ten (81%) young people hate ads, according to the I Hate Ads Report by YouthInsight and We Are Different.
The report unpacks what drives trust and purchase intent with the next generation of consumers. It polled 1,000 Australians aged 14 to 29.
“There’s a clear disconnect between traditional brand marketing and the cultural cues young audiences value today,” said YouthInsight research Director, Dr Hande Akman.
“The research shows high exposure isn’t translating to engagement, trust or action.
“A desire for more authenticity, less polish, and content from trusted voices shows young people want to feel more respected and engaged, opposed to simply being broadcasted to.”
The report found four key themes of Gen Z consuming advertisements for brands to consider.
Most (81%) of Gen Z say they hate ads and 60% find them intrusive. Only 28% of young people want fewer ads overall, so it’s not the presence of branded content that’s leading to hate, rather the type of content they’re being served.
Forty per cent aqree that over-polished ads make them trust a brand less, whereas content that feels authentic, teaches something new and/or shows the ‘behind the scenes’ of a brand is enjoyed by Gen Z.
Gen Z rank content creators (41%), influencers (28%) and media outlets (25%) as their most trusted sources.
AI chatbots / LLMs rank relatively low (13%) on perceived trust.
Cost of living is impacting Gen Z's expectations from brands with almost half (45%) saying they want more discounts in the future.
Beyond the financial, 33% of Gen Z want more useful information, 34% want more creative content and 30% want more funny content.
“Cultural fluency and earned attention are non-negotiables for brands trying to reach the next generation. Marketers have an opportunity to embrace a more authentic, unpolished and engaging style of storytelling,” said We Are Different founder and director, Stuart Terry.
“That means shifting marketing dollars toward strategies that build trust and engagement. Earned attention isn’t a tactic anymore, it’s business critical.
“The emphasis on trusted sources to help shape both opinions and purchase intent should send a clear message to brands.”
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