Further, the survey states that 34% of Indian consumers are cutting the cord with traditional TV services, while 27% are considering it but haven’t yet done so.
The survey, titled Consumer Perceptions of Ads on Streamers Survey 2024, was conducted online in India by YouGov and focused on consumers who watch video content at least once a month, including streaming content. 1,005 respondents participated in the 10-minute online survey from January 19, 2024, to February 5, 2024.
“It’s important to get the ad experience right because consumers will cancel a subscription based on the ad experience. This research is a wake-up call for many streaming media platforms to transform their approach to building an ad business,” said Dave Simon, General Manager, Growth Initiatives, Moloco.
“Consumers have a strong appetite for relevant, personalised ads that enhance the viewing experience. These ads are influencing their behaviour and decision-making process. These combined trends signal the need for a more personalised approach to advertising on streamers, driven by leveraging advanced machine learning at scale.”
“Indian consumers do not mind watching that extra ad that can lower or entirely remove the subscription fee to watch content—this insight got validated when this survey showed that two-thirds of Indian consumers chose lower fees in exchange for watching ads. What’s even more interesting is that approximately . 80% of customers prefer personalised ads, which significantly influence their decision-making process.” Siddharth Jhawar, General Manager, Moloco India,. According to the survey, people are moving away from traditional TV and towards streaming media platforms, particularly on mobile devices.60% of Indian consumers report that a mobile phone is the device most commonly used for personal streaming, compared with 26% for smart TVs, 11% for laptops and PCs, and 3% for tablets.
The survey also revealed that 44% of consumers prefer interesting and relevant ads to enhance their viewing experience. Further, 41% of consumers have cancelled a subscription specifically because of the ad experience.
Pre- and post-roll ads are ranked most acceptable compared with mid-roll and banner or display ads, while banner or display ads and mid-roll ads are perceived as the most intrusive or disruptive.
Ads on streaming platforms are influential in the decision-making process for product or service purchases, with 83% reporting some level of influence, the survey notes.
“The ad experience is clearly important, especially with consumers not just adjusting to ads on streaming media platforms but embracing ads,” said Vanessa Khoo, Senior Research Manager, YouGov.
“In addition, this research showed that consumers find ads compelling and influential in their overall decision-making process for product purchases. This study also showed that personalised ads can actually enhance the overall viewing experience.”
