Three out of four people skip advertisements for online videos when given the option, according to new research.
Core, Ireland’s largest marketing research company, found that people born after 1995 were the most impatient, with 73 per cent skipping ads within the first ten seconds.
Cian O’Brien, a third year enterprise computing student in DCU, voiced his opinion on these ads.
“I don’t think I have ever once watched a full ad before a youtube video. In fact, if you asked me to name an ad before a youtube video, I wouldn’t be able to tell you what any of the ads were about, which proves I have never once paid attention to them properly whatsoever.”
In the study 60 per cent of people said they were concerned that there was too much online video advertising, while 68 per cent said they were worried that the amount was set to increase.
Speaking to Irish Tech News, Head of Video at Core, Ellen Kelliher, said “VOD (Video on Demand) in Ireland is at a junction and could go one of two ways – either further volume growth of advertising on free video channels, driving viewer frustration and ultimately brand damage or responding to the view from a younger, more savvy audience that relevant, non-frustrating advertising can pay for content they enjoy.”
Core’s research found that the advertisements worked best when they were tailored to specific videos. 10-second-long ads were found to be an acceptable length for people on videos under 15 minutes long, while 20 seconds long ads were acceptable for videos over 15 minutes long.
Fourth year Psychology student in Griffith College in Dublin, Niamh O’Brien, had this to say.
“I usually let ads play at the beginning of a YouTube video but when they come in the middle of it I can find it frustrating, because it takes from what I was watching. Especially recently I have found there can be almost 3 adds on one video which is annoying.”
Core employs a team of 310 people and has been voted Agency Network of the Year for the last six years at the Media Awards. The company was also recently voted one of the top workplaces in Ireland by the Great Place to Work Institute for the ninth year running.
Eoin Harte
Image Credit: Mikey Walsh
