Behind the Screen: Unpacking Consumer Resistance to Digital Advertising Thesis
Sundqvist, Henrik (2024)
2024
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2024112730620
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2024112730620
Tiivistelmä
This thesis explores consumer resistance to digital advertising, focusing on the psychological, behavioral, and contextual factors that contribute to negative attitudes and avoidance behaviors in consumers. Using a qualitative research approach, the data was gathered through structured email interviews with participants from various demographic backgrounds. The analysis identifies key themes, including ad intrusiveness, privacy concerns, ad fatigue, and the impact of personalization and ad relevance.
The findings reveal that intrusive formats such as pop-ups and unskippable video ads are significant drivers of resistance, as they disrupt the user experience and are often perceived as irrelevant or excessive. Privacy concerns emerged as a divisive issue, with some participants expressing anxiety over data collection practices, while others demonstrated resignation to the lack of online privacy. Behavioral responses such as ad-blocking, skipping, and subscription to ad-free services illustrate the growing consumer demand for less invasive advertising strategies or alternatives to advertisements.
The research highlights actionable insights for advertisers, emphasizing the importance of relevance, creativity, and user respect. Recommendations include reducing ad frequency, improving targeting precision, and adopting transparent, non-intrusive ad formats. These strategies can help mitigate resistance and foster more positive consumer engagement with digital advertising.
By examining the underlying causes of consumer resistance, this thesis contributes to a deeper understanding of how digital advertising can evolve to align more closely with consumer preferences. Future research could expand on these findings by incorporating larger, more diverse samples and exploring the influence of cultural and regional factors on ad resistance.
The findings reveal that intrusive formats such as pop-ups and unskippable video ads are significant drivers of resistance, as they disrupt the user experience and are often perceived as irrelevant or excessive. Privacy concerns emerged as a divisive issue, with some participants expressing anxiety over data collection practices, while others demonstrated resignation to the lack of online privacy. Behavioral responses such as ad-blocking, skipping, and subscription to ad-free services illustrate the growing consumer demand for less invasive advertising strategies or alternatives to advertisements.
The research highlights actionable insights for advertisers, emphasizing the importance of relevance, creativity, and user respect. Recommendations include reducing ad frequency, improving targeting precision, and adopting transparent, non-intrusive ad formats. These strategies can help mitigate resistance and foster more positive consumer engagement with digital advertising.
By examining the underlying causes of consumer resistance, this thesis contributes to a deeper understanding of how digital advertising can evolve to align more closely with consumer preferences. Future research could expand on these findings by incorporating larger, more diverse samples and exploring the influence of cultural and regional factors on ad resistance.