Search ads the least disruptive for users, says Adblock Plus

Adblock Plus provider Eyeo recently paired with Ipsos to conduct what it claims is the first global survey rating consumer attitudes to online ads. Out of 6,000 consumers surveyed, the majority of respondents from France (73%), the US (65%) and Germany (65%) suggested that pop-ups and video ads were the most disruptive and hated, whereas subtle tweets, search, text and banner ad formats were considered the least disruptive. Adblock Plus intends to use these results and further insights from other stakeholders in the advertising industry during "Camp David" talks, in order to help form Eyeo's Acceptable Ads Programme. This programme will be part of the wider activities of its new Acceptable Ads Committee.

Adblock Plus provider Eyeo is continuing its drive to legitimise itself in the eyes of the wider advertising industry by pairing with Ipsos to publish what it claims is the first survey rating consumer attitudes towards online ads.

Unsurprisingly, the report finds widespread discontent with many of the industry-norm ad units, with respondents claiming that pop-up banner and video ad units were the most disruptive – or "annoying" – ad units.

The 6,000 survey respondents, hailing from the US, France and Germany, also claimed that those ad formats like search, text and banners that don’t get in the way are fine.

Further inspection of the results revealed that banner ads and pop-ups were consistently the biggest offenders. The majority of French respondents (73 per cent), 63 per cent of US respondents and 65 of German participants ranked these as the ad formats they detested the most.

The survey also found that subtle tweets and search ad formats were the least offensive (see chart).

Source: Ipsos/Eyeo

Adblock Plus spokesman Ben Williams added: "As will come as a surprise to precisely no one, formats like wraparound banners, animated banners and pop-ups were consistently graded as 'disruptive.'"

Adblock Plus sponsored the three surveys to solidify the criteria used by the Acceptable Ad programme, and comes as Adblock Plus attempts to solidify its role within the advertising ecosystem, which gathered pace recently with its 'Camp David' talks.

During the talks Adblock Plus aims to listen to the thoughts of advertisers and other stakeholders in the advertising industry to help with the formation of an Acceptable Ads Committee that Eyeo plans to launch next year.

The outfit hopes the planned committee will contain representation from all tiers of the industry, and ultimately govern its controversial whitelist or 'Acceptable Advertisers' programme.