ADVERTISING TRUST

Taken from nielsen article:

GLOBAL TRUST IN ADVERTISING AND BRAND MESSAGES
04-10-2012

The voice of fellow consumers continues to be strongly heard when it comes to the most trusted forms of advertising. 92% of consumers around the world say they trust earned media, such as word-of-mouth or recommendations from friends and family, above all other forms of advertising—an increase of 18 % since 2007, according to study from Nielsen. Online consumer reviews are the second most trusted source of brand information and messaging, with 70%  of global consumers surveyed online indicating they trust messages on this platform, an increase of 15% in four years.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

- Earned media sources remain most credible
- Trust in traditional paid advertising messages declines
- Confidence in online and mobile advertising increases
- Regional variances offer global marketers opportunities
- Improved relevance in advertising has room to grow

Nielsen’s Global Trust in Advertising Survey of more than 28,000 Internet respondents in 56 countries shows that while nearly half of consumers around the world say they trust television (47%), magazine (47%) and newspaper ads (46%), confidence declined by 24%, 20% and 25%, respectively, between 2009 and 2011.

Still, the majority of advertising dollars are spent on traditional or paid media, such as television. In 2011, overall global ad spend saw a seven percent increase over 2010, according to Nielsen’s most recent Global AdView Pulse. This growth in spend was driven by a 10% increase in television advertising, with countries including the U.S. and China, attracting more advertising dollars versus the year prior.

Randall Beard, global head, Advertiser Solutions at Nielsen said “Although television advertising will remain a primary way marketers connect with audiences due to its unmatched reach compared to other media, consumers around the world continue to see recommendations from friends and online consumer opinions as by far the most credible. As a result, successful brand advertisers will seek ways to better connect with consumers and leverage their good-will in the form of consumer feedback and experiences.”

In addition the survey found that relevancy results often mirrored trust responses, indicating there is room for improvement by marketers to make a more personal connection with consumers.