Decoding The Adblocking Consumer Digital Advertising’s P2P Moment

Already a client? Log in to read this report. Become a client or purchase this report.

The 20,000 Foot View

This is the second report in the MIDiA Adblocking report series. Adblocking is gaining consumer momentum in terms of both awareness and adoption, which is in turn testing the effectiveness of publishers’ responses. Many of the tactics deployed help slow some of the short-term revenue loss, but do little to address the longer-term situation. Adblockers have already established too strong a presence to simply be eradicated by publishers, much in the same way that record labels and TV studios were never going to be able to wipe out piracy even though they hoped to do so. In fact, adblocking is the ad industry’s        moment. Uptake will only grow, driven by consumers’ natural affinity for free(er) content. Publishers must seek innovative ways to redefine their relationship with consumers, which includes reinventing added value for the ad content they currently serve.

Key Findings

• Only        of consumers are aware of adblocking
       of consumers block online ads on desktop and        on smartphones        of those who are aware of adblocking, block ads on desktop and        on smartphones        of desktop adblocker users and        of smartphone adblocker users state they will always block ads        of desktop adblocker users block ads to improve their browsing experience         of desktop adblocker users block ads to save data costs, improve loading times and/or protect privacy
• Mobile adblocking adoption is relatively even across mobile platforms with a slight lead of Android users        compared to        for iOS
       of desktop and        of mobile adblocker users would switch to a mobile operator that blocks ads across its network         of desktop and        of mobile adblocking users would switch off their adblockers if a site would otherwise block their access
• However,        of desktop and        of mobile adblocker users would conversely stop visiting a site that blocked their access due to adblocking
• Despite moral challenges, it can make commercial sense for publishers to join adblockers’ monetization programmes 
• Publishers and advertisers must reinvent added value for digital ads

Companies mentioned in this report: Android, Apple, Bild, Dicigel, Eyeo, Google, iOS, Opera, Shine Technologies, Taboola, Three Europe, Three Italy, Washington Post, Wired, YouTube