While finding proper targeting is one of the biggest concerns for online advertisers, consumers are expressing concern about their privacy and the use of their personal data online. This is according to a Q4 2021 survey [download page] from the Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA) and Harris Poll.
About three-quarters (74%) of the US adults surveyed say they are concerned about privacy and the use of their personal information and online behavior to target them with online ads. Although most adults across demographic groups analyzed are concerned about their privacy with online targeting, Millennials (77%) and those living in urban areas with more than 1 million residents (81%) are most likely to say as much.
Out-of-Home Advertising and Social Media
Although organizations dedicate a lot of their advertising dollars to online and TV, out-of-home (OOH) advertising is still viable. In fact, after a rough year in 2020, ad revenues from OOH are recovering. What’s more, people are seeing OOH advertisements on social media. About 4 in 10 survey respondents say they have seen OOH advertisements reposted on a social media platform often (18%) or a few times (21%). This is particularly true for younger adults, with two-thirds (67%) of both Gen Z and Millennial respondents saying they have seen OOH ads reposted on social media.
A majority of respondents also say they would reshare OOH ads on social media. Again, Gen Z and Millennials are more likely than older adults to do so. Among the 61% of adults who say they would reshare OOH ads on social media, they are most likely to share ads for TV shows or movies, a bar or restaurant, and new food or beverage products.
OOH advertisers will also be happy to learn that 57% of respondents have engaged with OOH ads they have noticed recently. Among those who say they have engaged with OOH ads, more than two-fifths (43%) visited the advertiser’s website, while others have searched for more information about the advertisers or their products (39%) and made a physical purchase (39%).
Finally, generally, interest in augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR) is fairly low. Only one-third (34%) of respondents claim they are interested in AR or VR. However, Millennials’ interest in the technologies is well above average, with 62% of adults in this age group expressing interest.
Find the full report here.
About the Data: Findings are based on an October survey of 1,000 US adults (18+).
