85% of Online Americans View Digital Ads

August 16, 2011

iab-consumer-digital-ad-exposure-aug11.gifEighty-five percent of online US adults have viewed a digital ad of some type in the past seven days, according to [pdf] an August 2011 study from the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB). Data from “Affluent Consumers in a Digital World” indicates affluent Americans (those with a household income of $100,000 or more) have viewed digital ads at a slightly higher rate (88%), while other Americans have viewed them at a slightly lower rate (84%).

Affluent Americans are also slightly more likely than the overall average to have viewed a web/banner ad (80% compared to 75%), search ad/sponsored listing (77% compared to 72%), video ad (65% compared to 62%), and mobile/smartphone ad (42% compared to 39%). They have the same rate of viewing a social media ad (59%), and are slightly less likely than the overall average to have viewed an email ad (69% compared to 71%).

According to the survey, affluent consumers overall currently comprise 21% of US households, have 70% of all consumer wealth, and spend 3.2 times more than other Americans on purchases.

Affluent Americans View 4% More Digital Ads per Week than Average

iab-weekly-ads-aug-2011.JPGOnline affluent Americans who view an average of 21.1 digital ads per week, 4% more than the overall average of 20.6. Only counting affluent Americans who actually view digital ads, that average drops to 18.5, which is 9% higher than the overall average of 17.4. Affluent Americans overindex most in the average number of search ads/sponsored listings they view (3.9, 15% more than the overall average of 3.5.
The only type of digital ad affluent Americans do not overindex in terms of average number viewed per week is email ads, where their average of 3.3 matches the overall average.

6 in 10 Digital Ad Viewers Take Action

iab-ad-action-aug-2011.JPGOverall, six in 10 members of the total population who have viewed a digital ad in the last six months have taken some action in response. Affluent Americans slightly underindex (59%) for total response rate.

However, 18% of affluent Americans have become a fan or liked something on a social networking site as a result of a digital ad in the last six months, compared to 17% overall and 15% of other Americans. Affluent Americans also overindex in going to a retail location (17%, compared to 16% of both overall and other Americans) and purchasing a product or service online (16%, compared to 15% of both overall and other Americans).

Affluent Americans slightly underindex in clicking on an ad and searching for information about a product/service online, and match the overall average in all other activities.

Digital Ads Produce Higher Awareness in Affluents

Compared with non-affluent consumers, affluent consumers are also somewhat more likely to be aware of new products (55% compared to 49%), new companies (51% compared to 49%), and new websites (46% compared to 44%) after viewing digital ads, according to other study data. In addition, 59% of affluent consumers reported taking action based on a digital ad during the preceding six months.

Furthermore, 37% of affluent consumers say they are most likely to pay attention to an online ad that relates to whatever website they are on (such as a car ad on a car site), almost 16% more than the 32% of overall consumers who say this.

About the Data: The study was conducted online in the period February 22-28, 2011 for IAB by Ipsos Mendelsohn. Respondents consisted of a national sample of 2,088 online adults 18+, with 1,025 from households with $100,000 or more annual incomes, and 1,063 from households under $100,000.

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