Australians are happy to pay for ad-blockers due to intrusive ads

A new study by Accenture, the digital strategy company, has found that online ads in Australia are more instrusive and annoying than in any other country (86% vs global average of 83%) and that Australians are willing to pay for ad-blockers to avoid being inundated with poorly targeted, irrelevant and repetitve ads. However, ad-blocking awareness was lower than the global average (57% vs 62%), especially among the older generation.

Aussies are willing to pay for ad-blockers if it means they’re not inundated with intrusive online ads, a new study from digital strategy company Accenture has found. And our online ads intrude consumers’ space more than anywhere else in the world.

A survey of more than 1000 Aussies revealed nearly one third (31 per cent) would pay for ad blockers to eliminate ads.

Ad-blocking has been a widely debated issue in adland. While some believe it’s stealing and consumers should be aware of the benefits of advertising, others think it’s just a blatant call that online advertising sucks.

“Ad blockers are a relatively new threat to the burgeoning digital advertising industry,” said Scott Dinsdale, Accenture’s media and entertainment lead for Australia and New Zealand, about the new study. And understanding the prevalence of ad-blockers provides valuable meaning for brands and marketers in how they’re connecting with consumers.

“Consumers are increasingly willing to pay for blockers because too many ads are poorly targeted. In today’s world of personalised content, being forced to watch an ad that has no relevance is a missed opportunity and feels increasingly intrusive on precious screen-time,” added Dinsdale.

“In fact, simple avoidance of content associated with heavy and repetitive irrelevant advertising will increase as consumer choice and awareness of choice increases.”

But our ads are the most intrusive globally, the survey found. With more the 28,000 respondents globally, 86 per cent of Aussies find advertising interruptions annoying, compared with the global average of 83 per cent.

And 76 per cent of Aussies reckon these ads don’t know what they’re talking about and aren’t personalised, compared with 74 per cent globally.

But, we know less about ad-blocking and its awareness and implications than the global average; 57 per cent compared to 62 per cent. Unsurprisingly, younger consumers are more aware of ad-blockers than the older groups.